Mummy ideas: Learning whilst doing…

This is the bit where I admit to being one of those weird people who loved revision

and exam time at school.

This was mainly because I knew how to revise, at least what worked for me and I

would put in the time.

This ‘putting in the time’ was mainly thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer until my post

graduate exams when I watched the West Wing. It might sound strange but I would

start on episode 1, season 1 and work my way through, sometimes twice but there

were quite a few episodes!

This was totally normal to me: my mum was a teacher and used to mark with Buffy or

a mindless film on in the background. I know a lot of people used to get really stressed

and lock themselves in the library but that wasn't me and I did alright!

At the end of the day, I would count up the hours of revision I’d done by counting the

number of episodes I’d watched in the background - it actually made it enjoyable.

And, now, as a mother of two: I apply this logic with my children.

Whenever they are in the garden I turn up Alexa (see my post on having a smart home)

and put on Storynory https://www.storynory.com/ - which provides free children’s audio

stories and poems. In my opinion this is simply a great free site and I highly recommend it!

It's so easy to use and the children can be doing anything like building a den, playing or

colouring. You want to get them to listen to a story or poem the first time but then you can

just put it on in the background -  and trust me, it'll go in.

I love poems and I point blank won't play football or whatever they want me to if they stop

reciting poetry at me. This might sound a bit harsh/mental but I am rather proud that my

children can recite loads of poems including some quite difficult ones. For example, my son

at 6 was able to recite all the words to Macavity and Growltiger's last stand by TS Elliot,

Smugglers Song by Kipling, Invictus by Henley and explain what the poems were about.

My daughter could too but I can't remember what age she was (bad mummy! Poems like

‘Invictus’ I wouldn't normally expect young children to know but it has a special significance

for me because of the whole brain hemorrhage thing)

My daughter was able to recite the Owl and the Pussycat poem before my brain haemorrhage

(when she was 3). I really like that poem and that's a good example of Storynory having an

excellent selection.

You can also help with school work - my daughter told me she was doing the Greeks at

school I was able to play them myths to go with it….the added bonus with Storynory is not

only that it is educational but it gets them off electronics!

I also love YouTube and have created playlists for the children. I have one for poems, one

for stories, one for children generally and lots more including a separate one with just songs

from horrible histories which I play all the time in the garden (my neighbours must think I am

crazy).

Since my brain haemorrhage (see my “about me” post) I can't stand a lot of noise or a lot

going on at once and if I can put something on it gives me a break without feeling guilty

about needing one, then great.

I am a big believer in turning something educational and ‘boring’ into something fun with my

main aim of getting my children away from screens and off computers.