Don't just let the weekend pass by in another mindless manner. Try bringing your children closer to nature.
For most city children, nature is the garden outside their doors or in their building premises. Take them for a weekend into the countryside on the outskirts of your city, and let them experience nature in all its splendour. This doesn't mean a trip to the Farias Resort in Lonavala, when you spend the entire weekend by the poolside in the resort. Make a trip to a place where you actually sit out amidst lush greenery and take in the surroundings. Such an experience can be truly educative if you go about it in the right manner.
History
Do your research before heading for a destination. What is it famous for? If a place has some beautiful historical monuments in addition to natural beauty, read up on them before leaving. You will find that you absorb a lot more information when you do so, rather than when you simply listen to the tourist guide ramble on about places, people and events you have barely heard of. Take out printouts of the information you gather and give it to your children. This will make them a lot more interested in sightseeing than simply dragging them in the tourist buses along with you.
Plants
Get your child a picture book of trees. Let him carry this book along with him, and as and when he spots a tree he can look it up in the picture book. In this manner he will learn the names of quite a few common and unusual trees. It is surprising how many adults cannot identify a single tree that grows in their backyard. This could work as a learning exercise not just for your child but for you as well.
Needless to say, making the most of your weekends out in this manner will help your child in school. Plant life is an important point aspect your child's studies, and practical education will provide him with a better understanding. If you have a younger child, help him identify the different parts of a plant, like the leaf, flower, roots. An older child can be taught to distinguish between one plant and another, while a younger child can be taught to differentiate between flowers.
Animals
Make a trip to a wildlife sanctuary so your child can experience the thrill of seeing wild animals in the open. Even a trip to the zoo should suffice. Always make it a point to take literature along with you, as it provides you with a platform for discussion. As you pass a lion in the zoo, you can stand outside the cage discussing everything you know about lions with your child. You may not know a lot, which is where the literature comes in. When you have a discuss immediately in a detailed manner, the impression lasts much longer than if you discuss it a year later when your child comes across it in his schoolbook.
Space
And finally, if you really cannot make it out of the house at all, sit with your child under the stars and have a little astronomy lesson. Most children are fascinated with the idea of space, so get out your encyclopedia and try and locate the Sirius. Don't know what it is? Maybe you and your child can find out together!
