Stuck at home during this circuit breaker period with nothing to do? Fret not, from activities such as learning how to code, quizzes and baking, we have got your back!
#stayhome and #staysmart
With all this time given to us to #stayhome, why not make use of that time to learn something new?
As the world adapts to virtual learning at home, Mastercard has extended access to its signature STEM curriculum, Girls4Tech™, through a suite of new online, creative educational resources. The program is designed to help us Mamas and teachers engage and inspire kids, ages 8-12.
Through the newly launched website Girls4Tech Connect, we can download lessons to help our kids learn about STEM topics, from the comfort of their homes!.
Not only will new activities be posted on a weekly basis at the Girls4Tech website, their Facebook page and Twitter handle ; lessons are also currently available in English, with additional Spanish and Chinese language content.
Please visit Girls4Tech Connect to learn more.
e-Learning
There is no limit to learning, even when your country is in circuit breaker mode! If you’re worried that your child might lag behind in their studies due to schools being shut down, fret not as we have got multiple educational platforms for you to choose from! Local edu-tech startups KooBits and Geniebook have stepped up to support parents and students during this period.
Award-winning Singapore-based EdTech startup KooBits has launched two new products: ‘Home-Based Learning’, an online mathematics learning platform, and ‘Live Tutoring’, an AI-enabled online live tutoring service.
The KooBits platform uses its personalization technology and gamification to support Bubbas to learn on their own; and at the same time, uses AI and big data to generate learning insights.
Firstly, ‘Home-Based Learning’ comes with access to unlimited worksheets with full solutions and comprehensive video tutorials. These tutorials are based on the tried and tested Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CBA) approach, which is the model used by Singapore’s education system. This ensures that our children do not simply rote-memorise the steps to solving a problem, but are able to visualise and understand the underlying concepts.
Secondly, ‘Live Tutoring’ provides an affordable home learning alternative to in-real-life tuition. Through a short pre-class assignment that is part of every session, the platform automatically identifies each child’s weaknesses and gaps in learning. The platform will then automatically group the children so that tutors can personalise their lesson and address relevant issues for the students during each class.
In order to help with the transition to home-based learning, KooBits is also making their ‘KooBits Weekly Homework’ program available to everyone at zero cost at https://www.koobits.com/public. This free service will be open for all till the end of this academic year.
KooBits is currently one of the most actively used EdTech solutions by schools in Singapore, with over 361 schools using their products.
Find out more about KooBits at www.koobits.com.
Until the end of April, Geniebook will be providing free online live stream lessons to support families and aid students’ learning in the midst of the current situation. You can now register for free on www.geniebook.com/covid-19/s to access these live stream videos.
To match as close to the MOE standard and what is actually being taught in schools, each video will be about an hour long, and will be accompanied by one standardised worksheet for every student. Each student will also be entitled to 10 free smart worksheets that utilizes Geniebook’s unique AI technology for the whole month.
Geniebook is an edutech software that aims to change the way our children learn and revise. By tapping on the capabilities of AI and Machine Learning, the Geniebook learning platform has the ability to target and personalise concepts based on each student’s strengths and weaknesses.
Learn more about GenieBook at www.geniebook.com/discover.
e-Reading
Staying cooped in our house with all the time in our hands, why don’t we make use of this time to do something productive? For example, let’s educate ourselves with some good reads!
In light of the increasingly stringent measures regarding social distancing, the National Library Board (NLB) will be temporarily closing all their facilities with effect from 7 April 2020 until 4 May 2020.
During this period, all on-site services will be temporarily unavailable, including bookdrops and reservation lockers. However, loan expiry dates will be automatically extended until three weeks after they reopen and no overdue fines will be imposed. For patrons who have received notifications to pick up reserved items, NLB will also waive the reservation charges for items that are not picked up.
For students and book-worms like myself, their digital services are still available at https://www.nlb.gov.sg and on their NLB mobile app. Beyond their wide collection of eBooks and audiobooks, we can also access the latest issues of eNewspapers, eMagazines and eLearning resources on LyndaLibrary as well as other research eResources such as NewspaperSG, Archives Online and NORA (National Online Repository of the Arts).
Limiting social interaction could also be detrimental to our mental health. If you are currently looking to calm yourself after reading the news or just looking for a way to take a breather from the current situation, be sure to check out the learning packages on the NLB mobile app. The three packages touch on pandemics, COVID-19 and topics such as mindfulness, self-meditation, and new hobbies.
For more updates, please visit their website at www.nlb.gov.sg.
Another way to educate yourself on COVID-19 but still make it fun for your kids is through the online quiz titled: ‘10 Ways Kids Can Fight The COVID-19 Coronavirus!’ by Yumcha Studios.
The quiz uses characters from Yumcha Studios’ bilingual book-and-app series, Little Dim Sum Warriors. With contributions from teachers and educational organisations in different countries, the quiz is currently available in eight different languages – Bengali, Chinese (both simplified and traditional), English, Indonesian, Korean, Malay, Spanish and even Singlish! The humorous quiz teaches our children how to deal with the ongoing crisis, from good hygiene practices, to social distancing, to heavier topics like rejecting bigotry.
To help our bored Bubbas who may be stuck at home, Yumcha Studios is also making all their Dim Sum Chums bilingual mobile apps completely free to download on iOS and Android devices worldwide during this period of time.
With each app, our kids can:
- Listen to the stories performed in English and Mandarin;
- Record themselves and compare their performance with the default recording;
- Learn key words through pictures and translations;
- Practice what they’ve learned through fun interactive activities.
There are currently four apps for your kids to enjoy:
- Dim Sum Chums 1 – 爸爸, 我还不想睡! Papa, I’m Still Not Sleepy!
- Dim Sum Chums 2 – 我的方法最好! My Way is the Best!
- Dim Sum Chums 3 – 我很忙！I’m Very Busy!
- Dim Sum Chums 4 – 我不希望出任何差错！I Don’t Want Any Mistakes!
They can be downloaded from: https://www.dimsumwarriors.com/apps/ or through the App Store or Google Play.
Meanwhile the ‘10 Ways Kids Can Fight The COVID-19 Coronavirus!’ quiz is completely free and available to everyone here: https://www.dimsumwarriors.com/covid-19-quiz/.
Related: Way to Stay Entertained at Home This Circuit Breaker Period.
Spending time with family
While you’re staying at home, there is plenty you can do to keep you and your loved ones busy: bake some treats or simply have a hearty meal together. Instead of staring at the television, let’s make use of this time and spend quality time with our family.
At Shopee, you’ll be able to find everything you’ll need for a fun, long weekend ahead, including baking tools, decorative materials, and more.
Painting & Drawing
Baking
Baking could not be easier with thermomix, so here’s a simple recipe for Chocolate cookies from us to you.
While it is definitely suffocating to not be able to leave the house, we hope that everyone can appreciate the quality time they can spend with their family during this period. Remember that our fellow front-line health workers are putting their lives at risk just to keep the virus at bay. Everybody plays a part to protect each other from the virus, so #staysafe by #stayinghome!
Play Piano
Striking chords at home can be fun and can help the kids and adults destress through music. There are many youtube tutorials which offer basic to intermediate piano lessons and we can keep watching with our hands on the keys. One of our favourite piano youtuber is Zac Evans who’s fun to watch and great to learn from.
Want an all-in-one platform that has art and craft activities, at-home exercises and delicious recipes? Club Med has a new initiative, Club Med at Home — a digital and social media campaign that encourages positivity through engaging activities.
The new initiative provides delicious recipes for impressive family meals, time-efficient workouts, and even family-friendly activities – all while we keep ourselves safe by staying at home!
For the kiddos, let their imaginations run wild with colouring templates and origami tutorials. With all this free time, take a breather for yourself and learn some easy engaging exercises such as yoga from their platform! You could also have a fun family bonding activity by getting the little ones cooking some easy, signature dishes, all while listening to the Club Med playlist.
Please visit Club Med website for more information about Club Med at Home.
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