Away from the screens: activity suggestions, games and readings to do on vacation

During quarantine, the use of cell phones and computers was intense; idea is to take advantage of the rest period to move around and play and have fun with the family

During the holidays or the break from classes in July, it is important for students to be able to spend time away from the screen and take advantage of this time to do various recreational and cultural activities with the family.

“One of the most evident things that the pandemic brought was the increase in the time we spent in front of cell phones, computers and tablets, either because of work or because of social isolation and school activities”, says Letícia Lyle, co-founder of Camino Education and pedagogical director of Camino School.

According to her, one of the consequences of this movement of being too much in front of the screens is that the brain is required to do a lot more work on cognitive functions, which is very tiring and often leaves students with a higher degree of irritability. and non-social behavior.

For this rest period, she recommends board games, activities and games that are not online. She also finds it interesting to keep her imagination active through readings, which can be shared with parents, where each reads a little or reads together. "It is always worthwhile to make every effort towards books, which makes us better readers and, therefore, more fluent and enjoying reading more and more".

Below, check out suggested activities, games and books recommended by the Camino Education team.

Activities

Learn how to make a dish that you like; playing with paint, clay, glue and plastic paint; construct buildings and structures with scrap metal; running and exercising outdoors; create a family board game; discover the name of the capitals of all countries in the world; drawing and painting; write what happened during the holidays and put it in a “memory pot”; write a family book; cooking; do gardening; making mixes, creating potions and combining ingredients; make origami; invent a new recipe with the family; plant things found in the kitchen, like beans, avocado seed, garlic clove ginger; set up a hut in the yard or garden; practice yoga; skipping rope and hopscotch; sunbathe.

Games

Banco Imobiliário Júnior (Estrela), Battleship (Hasbro), Queen, Domino, Image and Action (Grow), Hangman, Loopin 'Louie (Hasbro), Ludo, Monopoly (Hasbro), Twister (Hasbro), Yahtzee (mathematical game).

Books

Age 4+: Room on the Broom (Julia Donaldson).

Age 5+: Pretty girl with a ribbon bow (Ana Maria Machado).

Age 6+: Guests of Senhora Olga (Eva Montanari), João Boboca or João Sabido? (Rosane Pamplona and Ionit Zilberman).

Age 7+: The Treehouse Collection (Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton).

All ages: Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Theodor Seuss Geisel)

Age 11+: Fresh Blood, Murder in Children's Literature and The Ghost of Alameda Santos (João Carlos Marinho); Miss Peregrine's Orphanage for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs); Naked, in Boots (Antonio Prata); The Billionaire Boy (David Walliams); Those from Minha Rua (Ondjaki); Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (Judy Blume).