Covid-19 Creative Ideas to Make The Learning Fun
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many new adaptions must happen in order that students can learn and thrive without raising the chance of spreading the virus.
The goal of getting children to attend school in person–which is how they learn best–is only safe when a community has the spread of the virus under control. Schools must now balance the academic, social and emotional needs of their students alongside the health and safety of students and staff within the midst of the evolving pandemic.
In this article, we have grouped some tips and creative ideas to keep learning fun and healthy motivated students.
Crafts Involving Whole Class/School
After a while far from one another, humans often have a robust desire to re-connect. Although many of the students may have stayed digitally connected with one another, they might have missed being a part of a bigger class, year group and whole school community – as may teachers, as staff.
These are some ideal ideas from Place2Be to use with an entire class or group – differentiate according to year group, age and ability/interest.
- Create together: Ask children what they missed most about being apart and what they like most about being together again in class (if some children are overwhelmed by being together again then acknowledge that this is ok, too). Write these down on paper gingerbread shapes and display them, with hands connected.
Get each member of the school community to create something individually, for instance paint on a pebble or tile, stitch a pattern on a small piece of fabric, draw on a piece of paper, paint, use clay etc. Then combine individual efforts to create an entire class, year group or whole school display. - Postcard: Ask children to interview a classmate about the things they are grateful for, and also the different ways they and their family show gratitude. If possible ask children to interview someone in their family about the things they are thankful for, and also the ways they wish to show their thanks.
Send a postcard of thanks to someone you are grateful to in class that week. Postcards may be delivered to every class at the end of the week.Tag papers are thicker than regular craft paper which makes them ideal for making greeting cards and decorative postcards. Give a try to our bright tag papers.
Hygloss supports these activities with a wide variety of products to choose from in the SCISSORS category & PAINTING PRODUCTS category.
Style Your Masks
Unfortunately, we have to use face masks every day and sometimes all day long. As a way of keeping good health as well as providing us with much-needed protection, they have become a new fashion trend also. Students will love creating multiple masks that indicate different feelings, emotions, or facial expressions. In the meantime, they will be exercising fine motor skills (using scissors etc.) Let’s explore some ways to show our smiles and emotions behind the masks and make them fun.
- Ready-made fabric masks:
Ask kids to style a fabric mask with glitter, paint, pens etc. - Bright Paper or Cardstock :
Draw the shape of a face mask on bright colored paper. Draw where the mouth and nose should be. Get creative and draw different facial expressions. Try to draw as many emotions as you can. You can glue the masks to popsicle sticks. Maybe it will be beneficial to allow the students to indicate how they’re feeling by using their own piece of art.
At Hygloss, we feature a dedicated page to house all the painting products in one location. From Easel sheets to Dippity Dye shapes find everything you need to complete your artwork.
- Compressed Sponges
- Dot Daubers – 4 Sizes – 40-Pk
- Easy-Grip Paint Brushes – 10 Pack
- Non-Spill Paint Pots with Inner Safety Lid, 10 Pcs…
- Textured Stampers, 6 Pcs
Explore more painting products for kids in the arts and crafts category.
New Cool High-Fives at Covid Times
Keep an emotional connection with students from a safe distance. Create cardboard High-fives from cardboard and a stick (popsicle, pointer, paint stick, etc.) Each student can trace his/her hand on cardboard and the teacher cuts it out. Allow students to decorate and to personalize it.
Allow kids to embellish their cardboard or paper high fives with glitter, pom-poms, markers, etc. Let their creativity to shine through!
Set guidelines to let them know when & how to use it. Give instructions to students not to touch the cardboard, only the stick!
Sign Language + Hand Signals or Stickers
Signs and symbols are helpful for communication. They are designed to support spoken language. Incorporate fun hand signals and lessons on Sign Language (SL). This gives students a chance to find out a new sort of communication. Additionally, teaching SL also provides students with a newfound awareness and understanding for those that have disabilities and/or a hearing disorder.
Apart from signs, you can use stickers and emojis too. Sweet emoji faces along with their rewarding phrases will encourage children. They can be used as incentives as well. Kids will love these Emotion Stickers, 1-Inch and Classroom Stickers.
Motivate children for a job well done, chores completed, a good grade or even a good effort by giving them an appropriate sticker. It makes children feel proud of themselves and that their accomplishment (no matter how big or small) was important.
Individual Supply Kits
This is the last tip on our little list but not the least important. In times when a dangerous virus is still out there (this article is written in 2020), we should keep contacts at a minimum. Individual supply kits are essential to keep strict hygiene and everybody safe. An ideal place to store everyday-use items like pens, pencils, scissors, rulers and other supply kits like these should also include sanitation products, like disinfectant wipes, so each student has the chance to wipe down their desk and items at their leisure. With the heightened emphasis on germs and community spread, students may additionally be experiencing an increased level of anxiety. Having their very own cleaning products accessible can help to alleviate any germ-related stressors.
Here are some more benefits to individual supply kits:
- Kids like to have their own supplies. This way they won’t have to run-up to the supply table to make sure there’s enough for them, or that their favourite colour remains available.
- Supply kits can help to show organizational skills.
- Make certain to inform your students the way to properly share items during a COVID classroom; the way to lend and borrow items in a very safe manner and with good etiquette.
- Utilize products that make classroom management easier like Hygloss Borders (Happy Yellow Stars Border and varieties), Classroom Rules Bugs Poster, Classroom Schedule Bugs Poster etc.
