Keeping the Kiddos Busy

In this blog, I previously featured learning sign language as a possible lockdown activity for kids and even adults. On May 23, the De La Salle College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB) announced that starting Saturday, May 30, 2020, it will be offering free sign language lessons via Facebook Live. The first session will be from 4:00-4:30. The lessons are free, but participants are encouraged to donate to DLS-CSB's #SignForSigns fundraising campaign for the benefit of  deaf students who are stranded in dormitories, indigent deaf scholars who need to return to their provinces after the extended lockdown is lifted, and faculty who are on a “no work, no pay” scheme. (Source: ABS-CBN News )  A minimum donation of P350 will give you access to an online Filipino Sign Language learning kit. Sign language is a skill that will enable you to be part of the silent but wonderful worlds of deaf people. This lockdown has taught us the value of making connections with others, and learning...

A list poem is just that: a poem that consists of a list of things about a given subject. A list poem does not have to have regular rhythm and rhyme, but it can.  Writing one is easy: choose a topic, write a list of things related to the topic, then fix the the wording until it sounds just right as a poem. You can add introductory and concluding lines if you want, as well as refrains. One popular example of a list poem is the song My Favorite Things  from Sound of Music . Here are other examples , just to illustrate how easy it is to write good list poems. Indeed, who would have thought that a list could be poetic? But it can! Now, it's your turn to try writing list poems.

My parents introduced me to poetry at a very young age. To this day, they recall how I could recite "The Owl and the Pussycat" from memory, and how I used to laugh with childlike delight at the word "bong-tree". That is what poetry appreciation is all about. It's not about big words like "caesura" and "iambic pentameter" or decoding obscure messages in poems, although these can come later. It is about falling in love with language and discovering the power of words. I owe my current vocations as a lawyer and as a writer to many things, but I am sure having been introduced to poetry at a young age had something to do with them. How do you teach your children poetry appreciation? Just read poems aloud to them.  Let them enjoy the sound of the words: the rhythm, the rhyme, the repetition of words and sounds... You can start off your children with the same " The Owl and the Pussycat " poem I started out with.  Another exercise ...

A zine is just a homemade magazine.  It is a lot of fun to make, and you and your children can make it about any topic you want:  stories, poetry, artwork, hobbies, life during ECQ...All you need for a basic zine are sheets of paper, writing materials, and a pair of scissors.  Of course, you can make a more elaborate zine using additional materials if you want. This article describes a simple method for creating a zine.  Here are some other ideas. After you make your zine, you can scan it and e-mail it to family and friends. Or you can just keep it, for the whole family to read, enjoy, and be proud of.

Learning a new language is more than learning how to say or write things in another language. It opens you up to whole new worlds as it gives you access to new cultures, people, and ideas.  For this reason, encouraging your children to learn foreign languages during this lockdown is a good idea.  In fact, you might want to learn languages with them so that you all can practice speaking with each other. Most of all, learning a new language is fun. There are numerous language learning resources online.  There are downladable apps that teach languages through games and quizzes. ( WARNING: Some have the feature of enabling users to practice conversing with native speakers. Please make sure your children know how to protect themselves from the potential dangers involved in contacting random strangers over the Internet. Also, some language learning materials may have mature content. )  There are also online language courses such as this one for Spanish and this on...

Encouraging kids to read is an obvious choice of an activity during lockdown that it needs no introduction.  But some parents may be wondering how to do it, especially in these times when electronic gadgets attract children's attention more than books. Here are some tips: Be involved, or at least, interested . The simple act of initiating a conversation with children about what they are reading can reinforce good reading habits. Ask them what they are reading, listen to them when they talk about it, and talk to them about it. Talking to children about their readings is also an opportunity to encourage critical thinking, impart values, and explain complicated topics. Keep it light and easy... Do not make reading a chore or else all the more will children not like it. Also, in a conversation I had with a friend who has written award-winning children's stories, he complained to me that a lot of children's books being published these days are too serious. I tend to agre...

Clerihews are fun to write. They are humorous poems about people  - famous people, people you know, or even fictional characters. A clerihew has four lines. The first and second lines rhyme with each other. The first line names or identifies the person who is the subject of the clerihew. The third and fourth lines rhyme with each other. Syllable counts do not matter in clerihews. A clerihew is funny. (Take note that I wrote "funny", not "mean". It is not a good idea to write clerihews that insult or bully others.  Be careful about posting your clerihews online.) Here is my favorite clerihew written by G.K.  Chesterton about Cervantes, where he pokes gentle fun at the rivalry between Spain's and Italy's most famous writers: "The people of Spain think Cervantes Equal to half-a-dozen Dantes; An opinion resented most bitterly By the people of Italy." Like I wrote above, clerihews can even be written about fictional characters, l...

When I was a kid, I taught myself the alphabet in sign language just for fun. It was worth it, because I could communicate with my dad's deaf cousin during family reunions. It was wonderful being able to connect with her, to see how her silent world is just as rich as mine. Filipino sign language is another skill you and your children can learn during the extra free time available in these days of lockdown. Start with the alphabet, then learn one phrase or word at a time. Practice the signs again and again until you master them. Here are videos that demonstrate some basic signs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbEzZsWfyODLbSOi77T0-w https://youtu.be/_PYpGJdFt5w https://youtu.be/Gk9h7PYCXtQ There are also many downloadable apps that can help you learn Filipino Sign Language. They can be found at Google Play Store. You may have to pause and replay the videos again and again while learning the signs. Learning Filipino Sign Language is more than just a wholesome div...