Winter Warming Family Activities

thebigfreeze — Sun, 29 May 2016 05:11:20 +0000

It’s cold outside, maybe it’s raining and the kids are complaining that they’re bored. There are loads of fun family activities you can do together at home during winter to warm your both body and your heart. Here’s a list of some of my favourite winter warming family activities:

Baking: Kids love to bake and it’s a great opportunity to not only have fun but also learn some valuable life skills. Winter is the perfect time to bake some warm muffins, cookies or cakes.

Movie day: Grab some blankets and pillows and snuggle up on the couch for a movie day. Maybe you can even choose some movies you loved growing up to share with your child.

Building cubbies and forts: What kid doesn’t love building a fort or cubby? Use blankets, pillows and furniture and serve morning or afternoon tea inside.

Craft: Set up a craft station with paper, scissors, pencils, stickers and anything you else you have. You can make collages, do drawings, origami, painting, book making and the list goes on. Let your children use their imagination to create whatever they like.

Hide and Seek: Play a good old fashioned game of hide and seek.

Playdough: Make up a batch of playdough and add some cookie cutters, icy pole sticks and rolling pins. This one is guaranteed to keep the kids amused.

Board Games: Winter is the perfect time to pull out the board games. Some of our current favourites include Guess Who, Connect Four and Trouble. If you’re children are a bit older challenge them to an epic game of Monopoly!

Reading: Cuddle up in bed or on the couch with some story books.

Dance: Music is good for the soul. Turn up the music and dance around the house to keep those bodies warm!

What activities do your family like to do together during the colder months?

Sarah is a mother, wife, day dreamer and creative soul. Her days are busy, working part time and being a full time mum. She is also a freelance writer and blogs regularly at www.sarahdipity.com.au about a variety oftopics from parenting to travel, creativity and career and everything in between!

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Bricks 4 Kids ®

Bindy — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:34:30 +0000

Our Vision - Learning Through Play

The purpose and vision of Bricks 4 Kids® is to teach principles and methods of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics using LEGO® Bricks.

We strive to engage and challenge students to learn through creative play while the learning activities support a sense of pride and accomplishment in students giving them structured problem solving skills while improving cognitive development.

Our Core Values

The Bricks 4 Kids® curriculum utilises lesson plans complete with our unique LEGO® Bricks Kits and instructions that allow students to take a creative and fun activity and then explore the implications of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics as related to the lesson. Although a Bricks 4 Kids® workshop is structure, we have core values that are our utmost importance:

The learning environment should be relaxed and fun
Problem solving IS learning
Curiosity is highly encouraged
Initiative is invited
Self-expression is celebrated

What is Bricks 4 Kids®?

Bricks 4 Kids® offers creative and challenging classes using LEGO® Bricks. We strive to provide a unique learning environment where experienced instructors engage and challenge students to learn through creative play. Our curriculum incorporates proprietary model plans and then explores the implications of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Why implement a Bricks 4 Kids® Program?

Bricks 4 Kids® is a globally successful and award-winning program offering educational and enrichment programs using LEGO® Bricks.

Bricks 4 Kids® programs are built around proprietary model plans which are designed to spark interest in science, architecture and engineering by capturing the natural curiosity of students utilising themes including ‘Energy’, ‘Space’, ‘Famous Inventions’, ‘Amazing Animals’ and ‘Forces of Nature’.

Bricks 4 Kids® programs provide many Educational, Social and Developmental benefits:

Encourages curiosity, creativity and cognitive development
Improves fine motor and organisational skills
Learning sequencing and following procedural text taps into both the visual and kinesthetic learning styles of many children.
Puts Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) principals into practical contexts kids enjoy.
Students retain more when lessons are delivered in the context of something that interests them such as playing with LEGO® bricks.
Creates opportunities for teamwork and individual exploration.
Allows children to collaborate with their peers while problem-solving and completing projects.
Builds self-esteem through achievement in a fun, non-competitive environment.

Bricks 4 Kids® also has a strong technology component offering workshops in Junior and Advanced Robotics, Stop Motion Animation and Comic Creator. Bricks 4 Kids® Advanced Robotics workshops teach students sequencing and programming using EV3 Mindstorms software with its unique LEGO EV3 robotics models, whereas, Junior Robotics utilise LEGO WE-DO computer software which is compatible with an Bricks 4 Kids® motorised builds. Bricks 4 Kids® students create and edit their very own Stop Motion Animation movies with Frames software and use LEGO Story Visualizer software in its Comic Creator programs. Students utilise laptops, webcams, digital cameras and many other forms of technology incorporated in their programs.