My kids can tell you the name of elements on the periodic table. They can rattle off the names of presidents, rivers, and countries too. However, while playing charades the other day, my 9-year-old acted out "platypus" as a bird. How did I miss teaching my kids about platypuses?!
Motivated by this eye-opening experience, I started pondering other bits of everyday knowledge I can be teaching my kids outside of their school routine.
Follow along as I share five fun things to teach your kids each week. Who knows... may you'll learn a thing or two too!
1. A silly joke.
My kids are always asking me to tell them jokes so they have some conversation starters to use with their friends. Like a polar bear, a quick and easy joke can help break the ice. 😂😉
When is the best time to visit the dentist? At tooth-hurty.
2. A new vocabulary word.
According to Word Counter, the Second Edition of the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary contains full entries for 171,476 words in current use. That's a lot of words to discover!
What does "lickety-split" mean? Lickety-split means to do something as quickly as possible. If I only need a few items, I can typically get through the grocery store lickety-split since I know where most things are located.
3. A word puzzle.
Solving word puzzles can improve vocabulary and problem-solving skills simultaneously. Rebus puzzles are my favorite because they offer quick bursts of brain-teasing fun.
To solve a rebus, consider not just the words, but the placement, size, color, and quantity of everything within the box (and sometimes just outside the box!) when trying to decipher the puzzle.
What does the phrase "turn of the century" mean? This term indicates the changing of a time period, usually referring to within ten years before or after the start of a new century. In a sentence: There have been huge technological advances in video gaming since the turn of the century.
4. A fun fact.
Not only does learning a new fact help your brain grow stronger, but it may come in handy at your next trivia night. Kids can benefit from fun facts too! Learning something new about the world encourages kids to explore, wonder, and ask big questions.
Did you know that time passes more slowly the closer you are to the center of the Earth? That means that time passes more quickly for your head than your feet. It also means that time moves more quickly on Everest than it does at sea level. The amount of time is undetectable for humans, but if you need an excuse to "slow down" a little, head for the beach!
5. A personal discovery.
Learning about the world can be a lot of fun, but discovering a little bit about yourself can be even more rewarding. In this category, we'll dive into personality tests, science-backed studies, culture-based discoveries, and personal preferences to explore fun facts all about YOU.
What is your age in dog years?
The lifespan of your furry companion is much different than that of a human being. You may have once heard that 1 dog year is equal to 7 human years, but that theory is not actually supported by science. The lifespan of a dog varies by size and breed, and you can use a chart from The American Kennel Club to find your age and determine your approximate age if you were a small, medium, large, or giant dog.
For example, a 12-year-old human is about the age of a 1-year-old giant dog. A 50-year-old human is approximately the same age as a 7-year-old large-breed canine.
"If you learn something new every day, you can teach something new every day." - Martha Stewart
Did you learn something new? Now's the time to pass that knowledge on. Be sure to come back next week for another five FUN things to teach your kids.
