Family Learning Festival is a national celebration to mark and inspire a love of learning in family life!

With events taking place across the U.K. and online, there’s something for every family to enjoy. Find out What’s On near you, or be inspired by some of our favourite activities to do while at home or out and about!

This year’s theme is Play, Imagine, Learn. The theme aims to inspire a love of learning through play and imagination. Play is fundamental to a child’s development. Through play children learn about themselves, those closest to them, and the wider world.

Play improves children’s social, physical, and emotional well-being. Not only is imaginative play fun and engaging it can help your children to develop key skills in numeracy, reading and writing. Play is a great way to bring the family together, giving you and your children the chance to bond while having fun and learning together.

As its also half term in Lewisham we thought we’d have a round up of activities focusing on Play, Imagine, Learn.

 

A trip to the park to collect “loose parts.”

Autumn is a great time for a trip to the park to explore collect sticks and leaves, there might also be some conkers and acorns still left and you might spot a squirrel who is also hunting for them.

Watch this video to find our more about what loose part play is.

Messy Play

One of the benefits of messy play is that it encourages experimentation – which is something we have the desire to do throughout our lives, so starting from an early age with these resources enables us to build on them.

Messy play (which is also called sensory play) is a way of encouraging children to learn about raw materials like sand or mud and experience other resources that they would not normally have access to like shaving foam or cornflour.

Find out more about messy play ideas is our Messy Play blog post and video.

Make some Music!

Did you know the Horniman Museum has a whole gallery of musical instruments from around the world as well as a Hands On Space where you can try out different instruments and make some noise.

Why not visit the Museum for some inspiration and then have a go at making your own instruments?

Buses 176, 185, 197, 356, P4 – stop outside the Museum and Gardens on London Road, you need to book to visit at the moment but general admission is free, follow this link to the booking page.

Parachute Play

Find out how to make your own parachute from a sheet and ideas for songs and games to play.

Story Telling

More libraries are opening so why not plan a trip to choose some new books to read together – you can make some wooden spoon puppets to help tell the story, or why not make up your own?

Check Lewisham Libraries website as different Libraries opening times vary.