How our Students are Apprenticed into School Communities

1. Apprenticeship in the Classroom

Students can be brutal to one another in school and also outside school. James Gee talks about this as "...being apprenticed to a social group" which in effect is the shaping of what we believe, accept and reject. I talk about this in "Pedagogy and Education for Life" and and offer some examples of how this occurs in everyday school life. Barbara Rogoff takes the apprenticeship metaphor further by arguing that students are effectively apprenticed into thinking in quite specific ways.

Of course, while students have an impact on one another, the teacher also has an important role in leading these young apprentices into life too. The words and actions of teachers matter! If we teach, we inevitably signal to our students what we see as appropriate, the roles in life that are possible, important and valuable.

The things teachers sanction in classroom discourse as appropriate and valuable, are important. The teacher's role is not to try to be liked by reflecting the values, habits and hopes of the students. Rather we need to shape attitudes by creating frameworks for classroom life, that encourage and create predictable behaviour and outcomes [see Chapter 5 of 'Pedagogy and Education for Life' for more details].

2. The Role of Guided Participation

 

If a teacher hopes to have a positive influence on their students they must understand the perspectives of the students, and in turn, students need to understand those of their teacher. Bruner saw this as a type of 'exchange' taking place, helping both to understand one another. As we observe our students holding unhelpful views of the world, or engaging in practices that are problematic, we need to guide them into new ways of seeing and acting on the world. Vygotsky, Bruner, Rogoff and others all suggest that as we create positive communities in classrooms, it is possible to exchange meanings and help students to grow. This in turn, will lead to common goals and pursuits.

3. Orchestrating Community Life

Bourdieu's work has been particularly helpful in enabling teachers to grasp how teachers and schools can influence students positively for "the Good". He used the concept of "Habitus" to explain how in our world we relate to one another in a collective way, with accepted practices, perceptions, action and so on. These practices in turn shape our view of the world, leading to the valuing of specific things, desires, clothing and habits over others. Families and institutions also do this, but friendship groups are powerful. But classroom communities also matter and should have an impact on school life.

Teachers have a critical role to monitor and intervene if necessary if we observe practices that are not helpful to student well being, as well as classroom and community life. I offer a number of vignettes in my book to illustrate how practices inside and outside school classrooms can at times be problematic and in need of intervention. Let me share a few of these.

4. Influencing and Negotiating Changes in Community Life

Within any school or educational institution you will be able to identify practices within the school community that are unhelpful. The first step is to know your students well enough to identify them. For example, in my book I describe a practice within a College where I was Master, and how tricky it was to change. It involved a form of ritualistic behaviour known as 'Basining'. It was seen as funny by many young males to drag someone into the male bathroom on their birthday, when they'd been seen as doing something 'dumb', or simply for fun. They would hold them down and splash water all over them, in spite of any protestations. Men and women! This had to stop!

Changing such 'secular liturgies' (as James Smith calls them), can shape how students see community life, and what is required to be accepted by others. In our schools we will observe many examples. Some are as trivial as the clothes or shoes students wear, or perhaps the things they value most, music, personal interests and so on. Others include rejecting someone who doesn't 'fit in' (code for who 'likes the things we do', or 'dresses like us' etc), or in some cases, removing threats to the person who seems to 'rule' the group.

5. Is Influencing Community life Possible and Feasible?

Some teachers will respond to my comments by saying, "this isn't possible", "I have enough to do just teaching", "that's the parents' job not mine". I can understand these responses, but in reality to be a teacher is more than just presenting knowledge and teaching subject skills and content. Such responses ignore the imperative of any faith-based school to "nurture, inspire, form and influence for the good, the children God gives us" ('Pedagogy and Education life', Cairney, p.13). 

Bryan Cowling points to worrying inconsistencies in how schools articulate key goals. He concluded that the "weight" of language and emphasis of many Christian schools is "lifelong learning, citizenship, tradition, academic performance, community, curriculum, standards, quality, self esteem, heritage, culture, sport, well-being, justice and innovation" (Cowling, "The Context of Anglican Education", pp 25-40; Cairney et al., 'New Perspectives in Anglican Education', pp 77-88). 

These might sound good, but notice what is missing in relation to faith and spiritual maturity.

6. Summing Up

The task of religious schools is difficult. Of course, if the primary aim is to keep students and their parents happy by 'guaranteeing' greater success in life, then the task is easier. But if the faith-based school sees worldly success as important but not the key driver, the task is harder. In short, we must not allow ambitious parents - who place more value on worldly success than deep faith in our God and eternal life - to shape our school life, we have failed. Apprenticing our students into Christian School communities requires much more. 

 

God Made us as Creatures Who Learn

In my last post, I indicated that I would write three posts that address the overriding key purposes that give shape to the pedagogical framework I have outlined in my book 'Pedagogy and Education for Life'. 

 

I suggested that as teachers and school leaders, who are people of God, there are some key principles that should give shape to all we do in our schools and classrooms. For we must do more than just teach and fill heads with knowledge to do well on tests that open up opportunities to gain careers leading to worldly success. Yes, we do seek to nurture our students to do well academically, but we also seek to help them grow spiritually into Godly men and women, who bring honour to their God.

 

The principles that should shape our pedagogy are not to be based simply on the latest educational trends, great curriculum ideas, and new methods. Ultimately, Christian education must be shaped by end goals. I write in Chapter 1 of my book, that schools and their teachers require a telos (i.e. “the good” or aimed-for goal of schooling) reflecting the faith foundations of the school. If the goals that we trumpet in school documents and on websites, only stress success in life, citizenship, traditions, academic achievements, culture and sport, then we are just mimicking secular schools and worldly goals, and losing sight of our primary reason for existing as faith-based schools. Education is always to aim at much more than simply worldly. I quote Douglas Barnes in the opening of Chapter 2 “Education as Formation in Communities”:

 

Education is “embodied in the communicative life of an institution, the talk and gestures by which pupils and teachers exchange meanings even when they quarrel”.

 

My last post looked at the overarching principle ‘God made as unique creatures’. If you missed it, you can find it HERE.

 

In this post, I look at the second major purpose of education in faith-based schools.

 

God made us to be Learners

 

This second major pedagogical principle has nine sub-elements or practices to support this major principle. The pedagogical actions serving the principle are demonstrated as we encourage our students to be learners who bring honour to God in all aspects of their lives.

 

 

This overarching principle should lead us to create classrooms where students acquire much more than simply knowledge and success on assignments and exams. We want them to humbly understand who they are, what is the purpose of their learning, as well their gifts, all of which come from God. Our primary purpose of course, is to live in ways that honour God. As teachers, to maintain this focus, we need to adopt pedagogical practices that encourage our students as learners to:

 

·    Gain more than just content, knowledge and skills to achieve success in exams and life.

We also hope they will gain knowledge which helps them to seek meaning and truth transcending this life (see Principle 5).

 

·    Grapple with bigger questions. Who is God? What is our true purpose in life? How can my learning be used for ‘good’ and bring honour to God, not simply self, family and School (see Principle 6)?

 

 

 

·    Use God given imagination and creativity. These are gifts to help us learn, explore the world and honour God in diverse ways (see Principle 9).

 

What is our task as their teachers?

 

As teachers, we are to:

 

·        Foster learning communities in our classes – Such communities allow students space to question and challenge one another. In doing this we help our students demonstrate humility when confronted by the alternative ideas and views of the world. Ultimately, as teachers we are to demonstrate and model humility as we encourage and develop the same qualities in them. This begins by encouraging them students to tussle with BIG ideas.

 

·        Create open and ‘questioning’ communities – Communities like this not only allow space for creativity, risk-taking and problem solving, they encourage them (see Principle 11). This requires us to explore and use different approaches to teaching and learning to ‘grow’ students who bring unique abilities, learning styles and worldviews that might well be different from your our own as their teacher (see Principle 7).

 

·        Become “Kidwatchers”, constantly observing and monitoring our student’ – Through close attention to our students, we observe and support their learning, well-being, and journey toward faith (see Principle 11). We also strive to understand them as people as we observe the things that challenge and encourage them in their faith; and also see the things that distract them from leading a faith-centred life. As well, we need to observe our students not just in formal classes, but as they take part in the full range of school activities.

 

I would encourage all of us as teachers to regularly assess how well we are tracking as Christian teachers who seek more than simply worldly success for our students and our school.

 

In my next post, which be the third and final post in this short series, I will look at the final major purpose that shapes my pedagogy, 'God Made us for Communion’.

God Made us as Unique Creatures

Since not all readers of this blog have read my book 'Pedagogy and Education for Life', I thought it might be helpful to look at the foundational principles of the pedagogy I developed and encourage. There are three major purposes and each has a number of things we do as people of faith in God to reflect and encourage a right view of education. In this post I will briefly outline the actions that are required to demonstrated that we see this as foundational to our teaching and faith-based education. 

The first is that God made us unique creatures! When we enter a classroom we need to keep in mind that:

1. We need to identify that which is valuable in each child

This is a fundamental part of being a great teacher. Of cours, this is not confined to Christian teachers. As a young boy living in a dysfunctional household with alcoholic parents I didn't always see this in my parents, but I did see it in some other people. As a consequence, in every school holidays my older sister and I I would escape to the security of maternal Christian grandparents. As well, I had one or two early teachers that could see I came from a troubled background on sought ways to encourage me and develop my character.

But the Christian teacher is to be constantly looking for the things that are valuable in each child. As a former school teacher I know how hard that can be with some students from Christian families and other non-Christian families. But this is a key component of my pedagogical framework.  

2. As teachers we build on the foundations of families

This second principle is important too! We need to know something of the parents of our students whether Christian or otherwise. This should help us to work out why at times our students act as they do. If we know nothing of their family background that will make it hard. Seek to find out more about them. If you know your students well, it will help. I can recall many occasions as a teacher when I observed things in my students that could be negative and sometimes disturbing. The child who is always late for school, poorly dressed, emotionally unstable, aggressive and so on, should not immediately be labelled as a problem you need to deal with. Yes you do, but before drawing conclusions about the child, find our more about them. First by observing them, and second, if necessary, by seeking out their parents.  

 

3. We need to demonstrate and encourage service

Because God made all of us to be different, we need to look closely at what gifts our students have beyond their grades and observable behaviour in the classroom. Do they serve others, or expect to be served, even by you as the teacher! As a young child at school, one or two of my elementary teachers saw things in me that others didn't. Some saw me as simply a pest, while a couple saw more, and tried to direct my energy and at times disruptive behaviour in better and more productive directions. Do we know our students well enough to observe such things.

 

4. We need to develop a right view of work and effort

God made us all to "...contribute to the order and running of his world in our work. (Gen 2:15). If as teachers our central focus is the assumed difficulty of children today, our attitude towards them will be a negative one. Having taught many troubled children, I know how hard it is not to interpret every action of the troubled child as their fault. But as teachers we mustn't lose sight of the reality that their work is part of God's plan, whether that year 9 class is difficult or not. How can we as colleagues encourage each other to encourage and help one another?

I write much more about these basic elements of Christian pedagogy, but I would encourage readers to look afresh at their own situations in light of this first major. In my next post I will look at the second major purpose 'God's Creatures as Learners'.

 

Shaping Desires and the Formation of our Students

While Master of New College - a Christian residential college at the University of New South Wales (Sydney) - I invited James K.A. Smith to travel from the USA in 2012 to present our annual public lecture series to the College, University and the wider Church. He shared much wisdom on how to live as people of faith in a sometimes hostile world. One truth that resonated strongly with my experiences as a Christian educator, teacher and college head, was his reminder that education is very much an holistic endeavour. 

God made us with different abilities, characteristics, bodies, minds, desires and imaginations. Hence, our pedagogy needs to reflect this understanding, whether teaching 5 year olds, high school students or even university students. Thankfully, God offers us freedom in how we teach, and the way we support student learning and formation.

 

A Key Non-negotiable for the Christian School

I believe that there is one key non-negotiable characteristic of Christian schools. That is, they are to be places where we enable and support the transformation of both body, mind and soul. 

Teachers must understand that as we teach students, we are seeking to shape them as they grow. They like all of us have membership of multiple communities of practice in and outside school. All influence them and us! The varied communities in which we have membership, project their hopes, desires and beliefs that are largely invisible to the teacher. This is a great challenge; for at school we see just a fraction of our students' lives.

As I wrote in 'Pedagogy & Education for Life' (2018),  "Christian pedagogy requires the teacher to maintain a metaphorical orchestra made up of the key instruments of teaching, learning, knowledge, intent, and over all of these, belief" (p.57). The teacher's role is to serve as a 'conductor' in the classroom and school, not just a teacher who transmits knowledge. One key task that flows from this, is the need for the Christian teacher to challenge students to identify the foundations of their 'desire'.

It is the teacher's role "... to conduct this integrated metacommunity for the 'good' of our students." The Christian pedagogue is seeking in all they do, to challenge the very foundations of student desire, and appeal to a humanity that is as rich as the Bible’s teaching on personhood and God’s purposes for creating and sustaining us. ('Pedagogy and Education for Life', Cairney, pp 54-57).

Overall, the Christian teacher will seek to "... see students transformed in more than just their knowledge and skills." They must seek to "... orchestrate the life of the classroom and school in order to point their students towards Christ" (p.61).

How do we point our students to Christ?

The key question is how can this be done? I outline a number of key points in my book. In brief:

1. First, the redemption of our children and their growth in knowledge and love of God is a community affair. Varied communities and people help to shape our children.

2. Second, our pedagogy should reflect our desire to see our students being formed in more than just knowledge. The nature of this type of pedagogy requires teachers to orchestrate and sustain learning to support their formation and life priorities.

3. Third, the Christian pedagogy is informed not by the desires of the world, but by the Scriptures as we seek to focus their hearts and minds towards God' Kingdom.

4. Fourth, we must do more than simply apply a biblical framework that simply communicates knowledge and information in the hope of transformation. We need to understand why we teach, why our school exists, not simply how we teach.

5. Fifth, Christian pedagogy should lead to an education that points toward kingdom goals in the moment-to-moment life of the classroom and school.

Summing up much of what I've been saying above is that I see the greatest challenge for the Christian teacher is "how do we create contexts for learning, where practices communicate internal and external goods, and hence teach and model the truth of God pointing our students to eternal goals, not just earthly ones." ('Pedagogy and Education for Life', p.90).

This requires commitment by all leaders within faith-based schools, and diligence in reminding and shaping our teachers to understand the critical importance of a pedagogy, that is much more than skill in filling our students' heads with knowledge, or preparing them for exams and worldly success. This of course is a foundational distinctive of the faith-based school.

What should the priorities be for a Christian teacher?

As we approach the beginning of a new school year in Australia, it’s timely to ask every teacher, how they will judge their success as a teacher, as well as that of the school?

 

My comments are meant for school teachers at any level. As Trevor Hart points out in the foreword to my book, my primary   intent in writing ' Pedagogy and Education for Life' was to challenge teachers to maintain a strong focus on developing both the hearts and minds of their students. 

If readers gain nothing else from reading my book, I hope they at least take away the message that teachers need a pedagogy founded in an ‘eschatology’. Eschatology of course, is that part of theology concerned with death, judgement and the final destiny of our souls as well as mankind more broadly. As Christian teachers, we must help our students to grasp that there is an eternal future not simply an earthly one. The eternal future will always trump our earthly future. The faith-based school must avoid a pedagogy that is short-term, and simply prioritizes worldly success.

 

In any Christian school the faith of our teachers, and the ethos of the school, should point to a hope that is not just in the world. The lives of teachers and the priorities they set, play a major role in student formation. There are more significant goals than academic achievement, a good job or the right university course. To focus on, and hopefully achieve these goals, we need to remember four key things:

1. First, teachers must work hard at creating classroom environments that sustain faith in God, and assist student formation as learners and communicators, to sustain their faith in varied communities of practice in life. 

 

2. Second, we need to create classroom environments where students can ask questions of you as their teacher, but also of each other. Our questions and observations as teachers, should not just focus simply on assessing how smart they are, but also whether they demonstrate love for one another, humility, curiosity and an openness to knowing God.

 

3. Third, the communities we sustain must of course bridge the many communities of practice that students live in day by day (Chapter 2 of my book covers some of this ground). Not just the communities they experience at church and in faith-based schools, but those they frequent outside school.

 

4. Finally, schools must be places where the different communities of practice subtly present in classrooms, playgrounds, and varied social settings outside school, don't draw them away from God. Instead, the varied communities they inhabit, also shape them primarily in the habits, beliefs, attitudes and practices of life.

 

Chapters 1-4 in ‘Pedagogy and Formation and Education for Life’ are of course key chapters that cover the key role teachers have in shaping communities of practice that have eternal significance. The wonderful work of Charles Taylor and Lev Vygotsky are a focus in these chapters. A major theme is that learning is much more than the gaining of knowledge and worldly success.

For the teacher, this requires us to create classrooms where students can reflect on and see the relationship between their lives, and the varied communities they inhabit in and out of school. In chapter 5 of 'Pedagogy and Education for Life' I share five vignettes that seek in a practical way to demonstrate show how classroom and school life can shape our students to centre their hopes on God, not simply worldly success. Schools might find these helpful when discussing the way we can achieve the goals I outline above.

Holiday Ideas to Engage and Stimulate our Children, Reduce Screen Time, and Learn New things.

 

This will be our first holiday period without COVID restrictions. After almost three years of COVID restrictions, isolation, lock downs and disrupted lives, life is just starting to return to normal. As we prepare for this holiday periods with our children and grandchildren, it's helpful to have a plan. Some children might go to summer camps, or holidays with families, but many will be at home alone. Boredom, is a state where can try to fill it with things that might not be helpful. Six weeks of screen time is NOT a good option.

Today I'm making the traditional family Christmas pudding with one of my granddaughters. Always a special treat which I once did with one of my daughters. I hope that my readers all have their own traditions that you look forward to each year. If not start some with your children or grandchildren.

Do you have Christmas traditions that might involve your children and grandchildren? If not, start some. It might be as simple as a shopping outing together to buy gifts for other people (siblings, relatives, friends etc). Many teenagers will simply go out with friends. I'd encourage you to inject yourself into some of these.

If Christmas falls in winter as it does in the US and other northern hemisphere nations, outdoor activities will be hard. But there are plenty of things to be done inside that are stimulating and fun.

I've also written a number of posts in the past about things to do in the holidays with kids (here), as well as simple travel games to fill the time on trips with your children (here). There is also a post on Planning With Kids that offers '20 Great Holiday or Travel Activities for Kids (5-15)'. To maintain some balance you might also find my post on 'Boredom is still good for children!' to be helpful.

In this post I thought I'd revisit some of the ideas and add a few more. There is no better way to stimulate your children's minds and prepare them for another year of school in 2023.

My criteria for choosing these holiday activities are that they:

• Stimulate creativity
• Encourage exploration and discovery
• Involve using their hands as well as their minds
• Encourage interaction between you and your children
• Foster literacy development 
• Increase their knowledge
• Keep them interested

Encourage your children to make a film 

Near or in Sydney? Why not enjoy one of the wonderful walking tours of the historic Rocks. We took 4 of our grandchildren on a tour of that was free and provided a map and commentary. We acted out varied scenarios along the way and took photos to share with other friends & family.

https://sydneyexpert.com/rocks-self-guided-walk/

1. Use a simple animation app to get them started - This sounds a big deal but it's not with the right app. I wrote a post about some wonderful apps for digital story telling a few years ago (HERE). One of my favourites is 'Puppet Pals. For one thing, it's VERY easy to use. Your children will work it out in minutes. Puppet Pals is available as a free app for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. Most apps are available for other devices as well. It's essentially a simple way to create an animated movie using 'cut-out' themed characters and a variety of backdrops and scenes to create an animated 'puppet' play.

There is a free version that comes with Wild West backgrounds and actors.  However, you can also purchase different themes for as little as $US0.99 or the 'Director's Cut' in which you can access all the themes for $US2.99. These allow you to obtain a range of additional scenarios and characters based on themes such as monsters, space, pirates, arthropod armada, Christmas and so on. You can even make your backdrops and characters.

It's a very simple app to use that provides very easy storyboarding. You can record dialogue, move characters around, create some simple effects, change backdrops and settings and characters. While ideally, before creating the animation, the writer/producer prepares plot summaries and story ideas, but I've seen my grandchildren make excellent animations on their first take. One I've used used is the 'Arthropod Armada' theme from 'Director's Cut'. 

Puppet Pals is a wonderful resource for supporting story telling, writing, language development, creativity, and problem solving, while at the same time introducing them to film making and animation. I could see myself using a smartboard to collaboratively develop a story with my class before introducing individuals and groups to this smart little app.

Books with a difference

2. Pick some special books they haven't seen - try to borrow or buy at least 2 books for each child. Based on their interests try to choose books they'll enjoy, not simply books you'd like them to read. Opportunity shops, book exchanges and libraries are also a great place to start looking for some cheap second hand books. I have another post on book exchanges, op shops and web exchange sites here. Alternatively, take them to your local library to choose some.

3. Use Books as a creative stimulus - While the sheer joy of the book is usually enough, sometimes books can stimulate many wonderful creative activities. For example:

After reading Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things are" go outside and dramatise it. Let one child be Max and let others take turns at being the wild things. Make a boat out of bits of wood, or even have a go at making one out of a large cardboard box (or several).

After reading Jeannie Baker's book "Where the Forest Meets the Sea" (a book about the Daintree Rainforest in which all the pictures are collage), encourage them to make a collage out of natural materials (and maybe some wool, straws etc to supplement) in response to Baker's pictures. Or read a second book and have them use collage in response.

After reading Graeme Base's "The Waterhole" get them to paint the waterhole (they can draw the animals, cut them out and paste them around the waterhole).

4. Dramatisation - Dramatisation is an excellent way to respond to a book. If you have a dress-up box all the better. Let your children either re-tell the story through dramatisation or improvise. Get involved to help set the pattern for turn taking etc. I play a mean wolf, and an even better Grandma!

Writing

5. Diaries and journals - Introduce older children to diaries or holiday journals. Make this fun, not a school activity. Some might prefer to just make it a scrapbook by pasting in tickets, leaves they collect, food wrappers etc. But you can also show them how to create a travel diary.

6. A holiday blog - Tech savvy mums and dads might encourage their children to write online. Why not set up a family blog that can be read by friends and relatives (even if only for two weeks). You could use this as part of a trip away, or just use it at home. Older children could set up the blog themselves and all family members could contribute. Let them have access to a digital camera and a scanner and the sky is the limit. See my post on 'Children as bloggers' (here).

7. Start a family joke or riddle book - Maybe offer them some jokes as models ("Knock, knock", "Why did the centipede cross the road"....) etc.

Craft

8. Structured Craft ideas - simple beadwork, noodle craft, mask making, making plaster moulds (and painting them), anything for young children that requires paper tearing, gluing, glitter, stickers, works well.

9. Unstructured creative craft - Stock up when you go to the supermarket with simple materials like paper plates (good for masks), brown paper bags, sticky tape, glue, cotton balls, tooth picks, paper cupcake holders, straws (cutting up and threading), noodles (for threading).

Creative Play

I've written a number of previous posts on play (here) but planning for play is important. While you can say to your children go outside and 'play', doing some simple planning at times will lead to more stimulating play times.

10. Dress-up box - If you don't have one take the kids to an Op shop to start one. You might even pick up some gems like old helmets, hats, belts (you can cut them down), handbags etc.

11. Water play - This is hard in cold weather, but maybe you could make bath-time special for young children with extra bubbles, different stuff to take into it. In warmer weather give them a bucket of water and some things to scoop, sieve etc - obviously only UNDER SUPERVISION. Above, it's pick on Grandad day!

12. Play dough - You can buy cheap coloured modelling clay but home-made playdough works well. My wife 'Carmen's can't fail' recipe is 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 cup of plain flour, 0.5 cup of cooking salt, 2 tablespoons Cream of Tartar, 1 cup of water, colouring. Mix together and put in a saucepan on medium heat until it binds together, stirring all the time. Fold together by hand. If you keep it in a sealed plastic bag it will last for ages in or  outside the fridge.

There are endless things to do with play dough. Try to move beyond just cutting out shapes (which kids still love). Encourage them to make a house, a farmyard, a bed, and an aquarium. Use some plastic animals with the play dough or small plastic people. If you don't mind tossing the play dough out you can let them use sticks, plants etc to make simple dioramas. Kids will create complex stories as they manipulate the play dough.

The blanket cubby!

13. Build a cubby house - No not with wood, just use a table, some chairs, wardrobes (hitch the blankets into the top of the doors, some pegs and sheets and blankets. By draping them over other objects you should be able to create a special space (about 2x2 metres is enough for three small kids). Try to get at least 1.5 metres of height. Have the kids 'help' and then get them to collect some special things to have in the cubby. Use a toy box for a table, some cushions to sit on. I used to let my grandchildren have my cheap transistor radio from my shed (lots of fun). Some will enjoy a tea set; others will collect animals and toys. If you're up to it, climb in as well and read some stories. They'll like the edges tucked in to cut out light so you might need a torch. I've seen a cubby of this kind amuse kids for half a day. Then of course for the adventurous you can share some snack food as well. You can even build a cubby inside! See my post on cubbies (here).

Above: A 'house' one of my grandchildren made (with help) from a box I saved

Indoor and back yard fun

14. Treasure hunts - Write the clues on paper using words and pictures depending on ages and make the treasure worthwhile (chocolate, a coupon for an ice cream in the kitchen etc). For something a little more challenging why not try a map with grid references (see picture opposite).

15. Cooking - Kids love cooking with their mothers or fathers. Do simple stuff. Nicole (Planning With Kids) has lots of great ideas for cooking with kids on her site. Don't forget to make it a language activity as well by getting them to follow the recipes.

16. Insect scavenger hunt - Try an insect scavenger hunt (one of my grandchildren's favourite activities). You'll be surprised just how many you can find. You'll need to be careful turning rocks over and digging around, but even in Australia it's low risk if you supervise. Place a pile of bricks in a damp place and then let the kids help you to uncover them a few days later - watch the critters scurry. We always enjoy a good snail race afterwards!

A few basics hints

• Have a strategy for the holidays - map out a timetable (post it on the wall) and try to plan a few significant events and think through the general structure of each day.
• If you have younger children still at home, being joined by school kids on holidays, try to think about how you will cope with all their interests and think about varying daily routines a little.
• Pace yourself - don't use all your best ideas in the first few days (you'll wear them and yourself out and you'll struggle to keep up the variation later).
• Expect bad weather - think about some ideas that will work in rainy weather as well. It's called the "Law of Holidays" - expect lots of wet weather and a day or two of sick kids.