Help Child Succeed in School

 5 Factors That Determine a Child’s Academic Success

If a child falls behind at school, some teachers might blame the student or their parents, while parents might blame the teachers. While each child’s educational experience is different, certain circumstances can determine their performance and grades, which might be beyond their control. Read about the five factors that can determine a child’s academic success.

1. Emotional Stability

Students with more emotional stability tend to perform better at school, as they can cope with pressure and adapt to an academic environment with ease. Plus, they tend to develop friendly, respectful, and relaxed behaviors. 

However, children living with depression, anxiety, or aggression might struggle with behavioral issues and find it difficult to earn good grades. If your child has poor emotional stability, they could improve their mental well-being with therapy, group support, or prescription medication.

2. Classroom Respect

Disruptive behavior can interrupt lesson plans, negatively impact another student’s education, and result in poor grades and test scores. If a student doesn’t respect a teacher or a school, they are more likely to chat during class, talk back to an educator, or appear insubordinate.

Teachers can take back control of a disruptive class by adopting a tried and tested classroom management strategy, such as offering praise or using non-verbal communication. Also, parents must avoid making negative comments about a teacher or school to their children, as this can cause a lack of respect in the classroom.

3. Parental Imitation

Children will often observe and imitate a parent’s attitude and behavior. If a parent has a negative outlook on schools, education, or work ethic, their children might adopt the same mindset. 

If you want your son or daughter to perform well in school, secure fantastic grades, and enter a rewarding career, you must lead by example. To do so, you must promote education, positive thinking, and a hard work ethic.

4. Educational Inequality

Children from poor backgrounds are often at a disadvantage. For example, many children from low-income families struggled with computer access or internet accessibility when self-isolating during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, many will have fallen behind on their education, while students from higher-income families will have remained on track.

Also, all schools aren’t created equal. Some will receive more funding than others, which can lead to some educators struggling with a lack of textbooks, stationery, or financial resources for field trips and educational activities. The inequality can lead to poor grades, low test scores, and fewer career prospects.

5. Stressors

Children are not immune to worry or stress. Various external factors can affect their focus and performance in the classroom and shape their grades. For example, a child might become disengaged due to bullying, family problems, or a mental health condition. 

It is both a parent’s and teacher’s responsibility to get to the root cause of a child’s poor grades and find an appropriate solution, such as therapy or suspending a bully. Common signs of stressors can include sleeping difficulties, angry outbursts, a lack of interest in hobbies, or changes in eating habits.

Free Educational Games and Videos for Kids

Online Educational Games and Videos

We've all seen those kids with their faces glued to the tablet in their lap. What are they doing? Generally, they're watching some silly and possibly inappropriate video on YouTube. Even if it's just a cartoon, kids' time could be better spent doing something educational. Playing an online educational game, a game that sharpens hand eye coordination, or watching educational videos, keeps kids entertained while they're learning. If you or your kids enjoy learning online, read on for some fun, free ways to add to your classroom curriculum.

Math and English educational games tend to be the most fun when it comes to educational online gaming, These games are more fast paced, but there are also history, science, and foreign language games too. I prefer to watch educational videos to learn about history and science but you can pair educational videos with online games for a lesson students will enjoy.

Our favorite history videos  are from the  Crash Course in U.S. History series on YouTube. Now, they offer Crash Course Science videos too.  Below, I've shared a few science videos that I think your students will enjoy. 

Educational Science Videos From Crash Course

What's a Species?

 

Organic Chemistry

 

Here are 10 more educational videos for teens

Plays.org is a site full of all kinds of games. You don't have to load apps on your phone or tablet and take up extra space. All of these games are played right in your browser, just add it to your favorites for easy access.

To navigate this free gaming site, scroll down to the bottom page footer where you'll find all of the categories of their free online game collection. As you scroll through the alphabetical list, you'll see the education tab.

Here are my picks for fun educational games from plays.org. 

Defense Math

This site has detailed instructions and tips on game play. Here's a sample description:

Defense Math starts out easy, but gets more difficult as you play. This is a fast and challenging addition, subtraction, multiplication and division math solving game for kids and students. Players must answer an infinite amount of questions to send projectiles to the enemy horde. Players must prevent them from reaching their defense tower. Get the highest score you can get. 

Freaky Math is a fast paced game that works like flash cards. I think this game is great for all ages and it's a great game to play to keep your brain sharp.  You'll be surprised how long it takes to solve some of the problems. Think fast!

Younger children will enjoy this grocery store cashier game from plays.org. The items come across the conveyor belt and you add them all  together, press total and choose the correct amount of cash to pay.

If you need worksheets and other printable curriculum to pair with these free online educational games videos, check out my store on TeachersPayTeachers.

Recommended:

Science Games from PBS

Physics Games from Plays.org

More Free Educational Online Games from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

5 Signs That Your Child May Need a Tutor

Is it time for a Tutor?

Do you need a tutor for you child? Is your child bringing home one bad report card after the other? Have you noticed your child has difficulty studying or doing homework on a particular subject? If so, you should probably consider hiring a tutor to help them study.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Most children occasionally struggle with school, but when it turns into a rapid decline in grades, frequent meltdowns, and hating going to school, it's time to get a plan in order.

So, what are the signs that your child may need a tutor? Keep reading to learn 5 important signs that you're child may need a tutor.

1. Homework Meltdowns

If your child has regular homework meltdowns, it's probably because they can't understand the task or subject. Of course, don't rule out an optical issue. Be sure they have regular eye check ups. School work might be too advanced for your child's skill level and cause them stress and anxiety.

This is a great time to hire a tutor to help with breaking down tasks and concepts in a simpler way. Tutors often have simple tricks for remembering math facts or other educational short cuts. No matter what the homework, with a tutor's help, your child will gain confidence knowing they can tackle it with better organization and time management skills.

Become a Tutor

2. Slipping Grades

If your child's grades are slipping gradually or unexpectedly, talk to their teachers to get some insight on the matter. Of course, also talk to your child to see what's going on and if there's a subject they feel they is difficult and frustrating.

When it comes to learning and getting higher grades, getting your child tutoring lessons is very effective in boosting their ability and self-esteem

3. Behavioral Changes

School stress is normal and most children experience stress on some level throughout the school year. However, when the stress over reading, doing homework, and studying for tests becomes chronic, it can start to affect your child's personality, behavior, or happiness in a negative way. This is the time to look into what's happening. In most cases, it is related to difficulties learning or understanding a subject and it might be a good time for a tutor. (Of course it can also be related to eye health, bullying, or a problem with a teacher. so be sure to talk to your child and always ask, "How was your day?")

4. Lack of Interest in Learning

If you notice your child doesn't have any interest in studying or learning, this if often a sign of learning difficulties. Sit with your child and discuss their feelings about school. Then, decide together on hiring a tutor to help.

Math is one of the more difficult subjects for many children and can take down their self-esteem and motivation to learn. A math tutor for kids will not only teach your child how to solve mathematical problems, but they can also provide math tips on easier methods for learning.

5. Learning Disabilities

If your child is still having difficulties, even after tutoring, you might want to test them for possible learning disabilities. These include dyslexia, ADHD, visual processing issues, and dyscalculia. You might be surprised by the results. We were!

We were able to target the best type of treatment. You'll be able to find the best tutor for your child's specific needs.

Does Your Child Need a Tutor? These Tips Will Help You Decide

If you've been wondering if you need a tutor to help your child with school, these tips should help you decide. Before you hire one, talk to your children's teachers and see what additional concerns that they may have. This will help you find the right tutor for your child.

For more kids and parenting tips, check out some of the other articles on my website where you'll find kids activities, school tips, and games ideas.

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Tips for Autism

Tutoring Books

Free School Lessons from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Tutoring Ideas

Does Gaming Increase Kids Intelligence?

How Gaming Helps Your Kids Boost Intelligence

Intelligence is the capacity for learning and reasoning, the ability to understand and process things or to deal with new or difficult situations. It's one ability which everyone can't seem to get enough of, even the so-called intelligent ones want to be more intelligent. It is believed that humans are born with intelligence but there are other factors after birth which can positively influence and develop the level of a person's intelligence. So, how can gaming help boost your kid's intelligence? Do video games really improve certain brain functions?

This post contains Amazon affiliate links When you click I may get a small commission.

Intelligence is equally a function of nature, as well as, nurture. While nature is hereditary and almost nothing can be done about it, nurture has to do with the upbringing a person gets, and this can go a long way in intellectual development. One of the things which if included into a child upbringing can increase his or her intelligence, is playing games. Yes, you read right. Playing games. Contrary to the widely held misconception that most games numb the mind, video games can add to a person in many ways; this includes:

• Gaming Boosts Concentration and Attention.

Playing games involve a lot of focus on the part of the players, unlike activities such as watching TV, listening to music, reading, etc. which can be done absentmindedly, gaming requires you to fully focus on the game and relegate every other thing to the background, and this is why some believe in the addictive power of games. However, gaming increases the usual selective visual attention of the player. This refers to the brain’s ability to focus on relevant visual information while suppressing less relevant information. If children can learn to block out frivolous distractions and focus from an early age, gaming can increase the efficiency of their brain. Thus, if your kid is one with short attention span, playing games is one way through which he/she can improve.

• Gaming boosts coordination and problem-solving skills.

A person who can focus is better coordinated and makes better decisions. Most games on Friv involve a lot of analysis of unique and complicated situations and usually, these situations require the player be coordinated. There are special moves in games which involve pressing specific keys in a sequence and all of these improve coordination because the player knows that missing a step will affect the outcome of the game. Coordination is also an important skill for problem-solving and the more coordinated a person is, the better a problem solver the person becomes.

• Gaming Enhances Brain Function and IQ.

Gaming also enhances the cognitive ability and intelligence quotient of a person. So kids can enhances these abilities trough gaming. For this to happen, one has to be selective about the type of games being played. Playing strategic games has been proven to have a considerable impact on developing a child's IQ. Memory games, as well, when played consistently, help to sharpen the memory and make it more receptive to new information. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Charite University of Medicine, in one study conducted to determine the influence of games on the brain, took measurements of participants' brain volume before and after playing Super Mario 64. The study showed a significant increase in grey matter of those playing the game compared to the group that did not. Imagine how many times your kid has played Super Mario!

• Gaming improves brain speed.

In playing games, the gamer is given lots of information to process per second and this helps to improve the speed at which the child processes information even when not playing games. Brain speed has to do with the pace at which a person perceives, analyzes, organizes and acts on a piece of information. Many video games, especially action games and games involving time management, require a quick reaction from the player and the ability to react quickly and still make the right decision is important for measuring intelligence. Your child is boosting reaction time each time the play a game.

• Gaming improves the ability to solve mathematical and verbal problems via logical games.

By involving your kid in logical games and puzzles, his or her ability to solve mathematical and verbal problems are improved. Games allow for creative and out of the box thinking, as well as, improving memory and attention span. All of these are important skills necessary for understanding and solving mathematical problems.

• Gaming improves planning, multitasking, prioritization.

The outcome of a game depends on how effective the player's plan is. The chances of failure and tension drive the players to make highly efficient decisions in strategy games and this can be transferred into reality and used to make decision making for daily life tasks. According to research, the areas of the brain that control spatial navigation, strategic planning and working memory are greatly improved through gaming. When playing games, the player's attention is divided as he or she is focused on the joystick, the screen, as well as, on the commands necessary to execute a gaming action. With this ability for multiple focus, a gamer can learn to multitask in real life activities without any task suffering from inadequate attention.

• Gaming helps to make flexible, faster and more accurate decisions.

With its method of reward in the form of "Next-level" punishment in form of "Game-over." Gaming encourages the player to make the best decisions possible and find his or her way out of complex problems. The player is more adept at making multiple decisions and switching between tasks without errors. This flexibility allows a kid to be faster in making decisions as he or she can make multiple decisions at once.

Finally, if you encourage your kids to play games, their daily activities should be totally dependent on a proper time management plan. You can get worthwhile games for your wards on Friv. Just remember, everything in moderation! Do you agree that gaming can boost intelligence? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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Board Games for Families

Quality Family Time Board Game

It's been proven that spending quality time with our kids is extremely important, not only for their emotional and psychological development, but also for the fun of making memories. There are times when our busy schedules can get in the way. It leaves us struggling to come up with ideas on how to fit in everything. Board Games for families are a fun way to plug in as a family. We may think we have no time for quality time, but family game night should be a regular part of our weekly schedules.

This post contains affiliate links.

Thanks to OnebyTwo games, you are covered. OnebyTwo offers Quality Time Kits with busy parents in mind. They kindy mailed us a game kit to test. Even with a full schedule, this cool family game concept creates a way for every parent to spend some one on one time with their children. The entire family can craft the game together, but the games are best for children ages 6 and up. Take turns playing one on one with each family member. Adults will enjoy the strategy and creativity of each game.

Games for Family Time

Game kits are designed for one adult and one child. They are meant to be opened, built, and played in less than an hour. The best part? They are delivered right to your door! That's right, they offer two different subscriptions or you can order a single game for around $20 (each game varies in price.) A six month subscription is $109.99 and a 12 month subscription is offered for $209.99. That's not a bad price to put on quality family time.

With the various game kits available, you are sure to find something that fits with your and your child's interests and needs.

Games are designed to help build the following:

-Fine Motor Skills

-Communication Skills

-Strategy & Planning

-Spatial Thinking

-Memory & Attentiveness

-Problem Solving

Current game themes include: Desert, Camp, The Great Valley, Robots, and Archipelago.

Of course with a subscription, you get something new each month! So you can save each kit to play again until your new subscription arrives.

For your convenience, some of the board games (quality time kits) are available on Amazon. A quality family time board game by OnebyTwo will entertain you and your child and help create lasting, memorable moments of cherished quality time.


Open it, Craft it, Play it!

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Ger Moving Games

More Board Games for families

Group Games from Kids Creative Chaos

Math App for Kindergarten: Zap Zap Math

Fun Learning Game App for Math

This post was sponsored by Zap Zap Math, but all opinions are our own.

Zap Zap Math app for kids in K-6 has a new app just for kindergarten. As homeschoolers, we're always looking for new ways to learn mathematics. The kids always have a tablet, phone, or laptop at their fingertips. And, they are always playing a game. Zap Zap math combines math with fun learning games. The math games are easy to play, full of repetition, and a great way to supplement in the classroom or use for students who need some extra practice. Enjoy!

This post may contain affiliate links.

We've been using Zap Zap Math with Mayhem who struggles with math principles. She hates math, but she's actually pretty good at it. She doesn't want to practice or get started. "I already know how to do it." Well, sort of, Mayhem. But math isn't something you learn with one lesson and then move on to something new. Practice makes perfect. So, an educational, fun math app is the perfect solution!

The younger they start, the more fun they have with apps. This little one is addicted to smartphone apps! So, she loves Zap Zap Math for Kindergarten.

Zap Zap Math has been around for awhile. You can get the K-6 math app for free. The latest math game app for kindergartners is only $2.99. This is a fun way to introduce younger children to math concepts. The intergalactic math games are fun to play and full of repetition.

The first time you sign in to Zap Zap Math for Kindergarten, you'll probably have to walk your child through it. The instructions for playing aren't clear and although there is some text that pops up to explain how to play- well, if you can't read, you probably won't be able to play the first game. The next level has a mini tutorial - so kids should be able to figure it out on their own.

As math game play continues, you work to reach new levels. Once you master the concept, reaching new math levels is rather rapid. So, it doesn't get boring like some other math apps for kids.

Our take: The Zap Zap Math app for kindergarten is fast-paced and fun for everyone. With a little help from an adult, preschoolers will enjoy this math app it too!


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Tens and Ones Games for Early Elementary

Online Multiplication Games

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