Sometimes when I get sick and can’t talk in order not to skip classes I try to do something proactive with the kids. We either watch some English related cartoon (e.g. The Letter Factory ) or do some art projects.

Last time I lost my voice with bigger kids we were recreating “The Garden” in drawing. Previously we learned the vocabulary for garden (things you can find in the garden) and I had children divided into the groups of 5 or 6 to work together drawing on a big piece of paper. It was also a good way to teach the children to share and respect each other’s space, help each other in case one was falling behind or didn’t know how to draw a certain object.

Here is what we got:

With younger kids we just pretended to be artists and I let their imagination flow! Here’s what we got:

Sometimes it is really all about enjoying the moment! With my toddler I often let her explore colors and shades. She asks to color every day, few times a day. And you know what? I love coloring! Crayons, markers, water paints – you name it! They are fun, they are a good addition to any party, great way to fill in the gaps during the class and more important they are the tools for self-education in children.

So… just do it!