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The children are asking for them. They are very often asking when they see these notebooks. Their cheerful colors, their punchy graphics, they like everything. And as long as the big brother or the big sister has theirs, it’s a safe bet that they will ask you for one …
Vacation notebooks have many advantages
On the parents’ side, they are reassuring. First of all, we say to ourselves that two months without school may be a bit long. And for parents who are a little overwhelmed during the year, it is an opportunity to spend calm and pleasant moments with the children around learning. These notebooks, designed by teachers in the class concerned, are always in line with the curricula and use skills already acquired during the year. A ‘revision by the game, therefore.
Teachers find qualities in them. By making it possible to review certain concepts in a more fun and relaxed way, the vacation notebooks consolidate what has been learned. And allow, at the heart of the long summer break, to keep in touch with the written word and the “instructions”. Frédéric Vigne, teacher, sums up: “The vacation notebook is a relevant medium if it is used well: it must enhance the child, never put him in difficulty. It is one activity among others during the holidays, a moment of exchange. Anyway, at this age, learning happens only through play. “
Our advice for your vacation notebooks
Always choose a notebook appropriate for its age. He won’t make more progress with an upper-class notebook. On the contrary, he will get bored and quickly abandon it.
Always be by his side to guide him.
If he wishes, let your child do it out of order. After all, this is HIS notebook.
Opt for a really fun notebook with stickers, drawing spaces, which leaves a lot of room for the imagination.
The ideal period: the second half of August, to get back on the road before the start of the school year. Never at the start of the holidays, when the child needs to decompress.
If he doesn’t like it, don’t insist. There are many other things to do together during the holidays!
Choosing the right vacation notebook
To motivate your child, there’s nothing like a gentle approach. Before rushing to the first book in your bookstore, bring it up with him. “No need to present vacation homework as a punishment,” advises Mélanie, a CE2 teacher in Salon-de-Provence. The best is still to choose the famous book together, without neglecting the quality.
Selection criteria
– Level
The first point to take into account is that of the class. Buy a book adapted to the level of your big one and not that of the class in which he will go at the start of the school year. “To encroach on the program of the following year, it is harmful”, confirms Anne-Lise, teacher in CE2.
– The contents
Check the seriousness of the work. The best is to choose an editor specializing in the subject. Better to avoid second-hand purchases, whether your child is in elementary or college (editions from previous years may no longer be up to date). Also check the variety of exercises and their interest.
Finally, also take a look at the corrections intended for the parents (detachable or not) and the explanations given (size of the characters, clarity).
– One or more subjects?
It all depends on your child, his age, his needs and his desires. Generally, it is rather from college that the subjects are separated. In elementary school, your toddler will be entitled to a sample of the main subjects: French, mathematics, history-geography, science, English. “Prefer a book that covers the fundamentals, rather than one that wants to be ultra complete and suddenly, ultra discouraging”, advises Melanie, teacher.
– The presentation
It must obviously be playful, close to the universe of your offspring. You are spoiled for choice, between “Les copains de la forêt”, “Adibou”, “C’est pas sorcier” or “OM”! Know that there are other formulas besides the traditional notebook. Hachette offers mini-format spiral question-and-answer blocks, perfect for travel. This year, Hatier also embarked on a new concept: the erasable. Pages made from the same material as the white slates. Also remember to see if there are stickers, often popular with the youngest …
For his part, Nathan Vacances thought of the most recalcitrant. In a “police” atmosphere, the “Enigme des vacances” collection offers books combining reading, suspense and revisions …
Last point: the color! A well-illustrated book is always more attractive than a black and white book
Vacation notebook: when?
“Rather in the morning,” advises Elise Machut, educator of young children. Question duration, prefer short sequences. Vacation homework doesn’t have to be the dreaded time of day! Regular daily work is ideal. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for a schoolboy and an hour for a college student. Beyond that, attention and concentration weaken… and the pleasure taken turns into a nightmare. “Better two 20-minute slots than 40. But be careful, once the time slot has been fixed, you have to stick to it”, warns Mélanie, a teacher before adding “these moments of work must take place in peace. , not between the TV and the packet of cookies ”. A tip: why not make some sort of contract with your child and set a regular and light schedule so that the activity does not weigh on him. An essential condition for him to benefit from it. How?
All the specialists are unanimous: the presence of parents is essential to guide the child and explain his mistakes. Anne-Lise, teacher in CE2, is convinced of this: “Nothing replaces parents during the holidays to explain in a way other than the teacher”.
Mélanie, confirms: “it is not a question of forcing a child to remain seated three hours a day in front of a notebook page”.
More than homework, these revisions are above all a moment of accompaniment. Explain to your children that this is something other than school. Rigor is required, but in a happy and confident environment!
It should not be forgotten that at this time, the young person does not have the reassuring presence of a teacher or mistress at his side to guide him, reformulate and explain. All the more reason to stay with her child. But be careful not to recreate a “classroom” atmosphere, especially for students in difficulty. The main role of summer, for these children, is to restore their confidence and desire: the two keys to progress.
Finally, it is obviously preferable to do the notebook in order. At the end of it, your child will be all the more satisfied and proud of himself.
Holiday notebooks: stimulating is not forcing
The interest of vacation notebooks is of course to progress in a fun way. “The presentation, more pleasant than in textbooks, encourages children to use them. », Recognizes Anne-Lise, teacher. However, don’t expect miracles, especially if your toddler is having a hard time. But well accompanied and relaxed, the student necessarily derives benefits and, in the best of cases, he comes to terms with learning a little laborious.
The other pupils, average or good, will consolidate their fragile achievements.
Stimulating is not forcing!
When revisions turn into a nightmare …
Here again, all the pros agree: you should not force your toddler to do exercises, at the risk of causing the opposite effect. “He also has the right to his vacation. Over-stimulating it is a mistake, because it most often disgusts the child at school, ”warns Bruno Dal-Palu, psychologist. Indeed, forcing him to work is not without consequences on his future learning. There would be no such thing as blocking a child. A real dilemma for parents faced with their child’s academic difficulties, torn between their ambitions for success and the deep desire to help. What if the solution was to approach the revisions through the game? Working without a notebook …
To revise in a useful and pleasant way, small games are highly recommended. The best is still to mix the daily vacation with the concepts discussed in the programs. For reading and understanding, read together cooking recipes, a newspaper article, go to the library or visit an exhibition. At the supermarket, take the opportunity to make it count. When traveling, with your grandparents, or in the car, suggest themes (geography, vocabulary) and combine them with the elements that surround you. In short: be creative!
Our selection of vacation notebooks
Hatier Vacances, Small section towards the middle section.
Classic, well illustrated.
Most : ideas for cool manual activities (cooking, crafts, herbarium, etc.). Stickers and nursery rhymes. For medium and large sections, games in English.
The least: a little academic.
Cahier Soleil, medium to large section, Nathan.
A very creative approach: simple DIY ideas, stickers… A universe clearly linked to the reality of the holidays (the beach, the train trip…).
Most : for adults, on each page, advice to guide the child.
The least: the most expensive !
Vacation book, ‘I enter a large kindergarten section’, Magnard.
An invitation to travel to America, China … which serves as a support for learning and games.
Most : very focused on observation and discovery of the world.
The least: the child may not ‘stick’ to this somewhat repetitive travel bias. Passport, From the Grande section to the CP, Hachette, 5,95 euros. Very airy, it mixes illustrations, photos and stickers. A sure bet. The plus: for adults, a detachable central notebook with answers and tips. The least: nothing to say, a complete notebook.
Do you want to talk about it between parents? To give your opinion, to bring your testimony? We meet on https://forum.parents.fr.