Curriculum Ideas for 8 year old and 4 year old?

Just One

Sun, Mar 22 2020, 8:03 pm

I posted the following on a different thread

We just got a new printer on Amazon. It's a Brother refurbished laser printer for just around $100. I find it's actually a great investment for saving money. I'm able to print coloring sheets, activity pages, projects, patterns for just the price of paper.
I'm general most of the activities we've done so far have been experiments and other cool stuff using household ingredients. We've made valcanoes, turned pennies green, planning to make slime, experimenting with turning celery different colors. Just check out Pinterest.
Also I find on "school days" my kids are much busier than I thought they would be with their call in conferences, reviews and homework.
Also giving our day a structure really helps. I make sure there's one exciting activity (craft, experiment...) Per day at a set time so they have what to look forward to. Otherwise, this is not vacation. You don't need to be pressured into giving them the time of their lives every second. Sure you want them to have good productive memories of this time, but in my mind these are school days, just in a different setting.
The following is our schedule:
9:00 wakeup
Get dressed, make beds, eat breakfast
Davening
Take brisk walk (I make sure we get out daily. Being cooped up is a sure recipe for cabin fever)
Chores-this is a great time for learning some life skills
Conference/schoolwork mostly happening at this time (different time for each kid)
Lunch (cereal and milk. Mom is allowed a cop out)
1 hour resting time. Little ones take a nap. Older ones have free play. I go into my room to recharge
This is the exiting part of the day: little treat for each child and prepared activity
Kids listen to stories/coloring/free play/help Mommy prep supper
I prepare supper
At 5 tatty takes over suppertime and bedtime while I retire to my room to do some work remotely.

Good luck! I think a bit of structure will make things alot more feasible in every way

amother

Sun, Mar 22 2020, 8:26 pm

Just One wrote:

Thanks for reposting. This is great! I need to get motivated to find some special activities and put a list together.

amother

Aqua

Sun, Mar 22 2020, 8:52 pm

There are lots of resources here: https://www.imamother.com/foru.....85619

I'll stay out of schedule, just that it should include davening (however brief).

For curriculum, you want the kids to know:
- basic story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim
- how to read the Mah Nishtana or sing part of it
- what is expected during the parts of the seder
- not eating/owning chometz on Pesach

Practically, use the Mah Nishtana trainer (linked in the thread above) for Mah Nishtana.
Watch or listen to the story of Pesach (also in resources above)
Run a model seder using candy or fruit
Have a discussion about chometz/matzah

Anything else is bonus at this point.