For many, lockdown is a time when they have more free time than usual – now is a better time than ever to develop a skill, to take your mind off the news and focus it on improving yourself! Here are some suggestions on how the whole family can get involved and keep developing during the lockdown.
For children
While schools have closed for the majority of children, technology can be extremely helpful in accessing high quality learning resources.
Here are some recommendations for students learning from home and looking to keep developing during the lockdown:
- BBC Bitesize: BBC Bitesize has a wide range of topics, from History to Spanish. They have resources available for students from 3-16+, so learning awaits for all of your children!
- Stairway Learning: Stairway is a new (free!) website, focused on teaching Maths, Physics and Biology for 13-16-year olds. It allows children to explore some of the most fundamental concepts relating to the world around us. It is possible to access Stairway via their website or iOS app, where you can find over 500 interactive lessons covering the most fundamental topics in Maths and Science.
- Khan Academy: While Khan Academy is targeted primarily at students in the US, this website has a wide range of content. They have a big variety of videos from computer programming to history, with some short exercises to try once you have watched the video.
- Codecademy: For older children, Codecademy is a great resource for learning the fundamentals of programming, a skill that is highly in demand at the moment. Getting started is free, although you will need to pay to access certain lessons.
You could even join in the free largest online art lesson with Rob Biddulph, find details over at YeahLifestyle.
For parents
It would not be fair if the children were the only ones in the household doing all of the learning. Now is a perfect time to learn a new skill. Perhaps you want to learn a new language, or upskill for a job that you have wanted to apply for? Here are a few ideas to give you initial inspiration, but there are great resources online to learn about practically anything – as long as it interests you!
- Duolingo, Memrise and Babbel: These are some fantastic websites to study a new language. As soon as lockdown is over, everyone will be eager to go on their next holiday. These websites are excellent examples which teach you languages from scratch, to a point that you will be able to hold a conversation when abroad! Moreover, Duolingo just launched a new app for children. Why not start studying a new language with your whole family?
- Masterclass (Paid): With topics ranging from Cooking, Interior Design to Negotiation and Economics you can learn from the top people in their industry. Take an acting class from Natalie Portman, watch cooking lesson by Gordon Ramsay or study leadership and creativity from Anna Wintour, there is something for everyone.
However, in order to avoid the feeling that the time is just vanishing during the day, try to stay as focused as possible. For example, remove distractions and use a timer in order to get the work done. When you know exactly how much time you have for a certain task, the chances are that you will procrastinate less.
Nonetheless, do not be too harsh on yourself. It is a new situation for all of us. Just try to make it work for you and your children. Making some time every day for self-development is such a good habit – the sooner you start the better.
These are some initial ideas to keep developing during the lockdown – I’d love to hear how you or your children are being creative and using the time to learn and try new things! Let me know how you’re getting on 🙂
