Summer Learning and Fun with cwist

Disclaimer: We are participating in a sponsored blog ambassador program from cwist. As a part of this program we have received paid compensation for placement of digital advertisements and sharing our personal cwist experience via specific postings related to cwist.

Today is the first official day of summer break! The Lil Divas are excited about having a relaxed schedule but with unstructured days ahead I want to be sure we don't let the learning slide. I like to sneak learning into our summer days, in fun and simple ways that grab the Lil Divas interest and doesn't feel forced and rigid. We all need a break from that, including me.

When I received an e-mail from CWIST with an opportunity to test out their site and be a blog ambassador,  I was instantly intrigued by what they had to offer. CWIST features an interactive library of challenges - the cwists - created by parents and educators for children between the ages of 5-11. The challenges are varied. Some are educational with a learning focus while others deal with community service.  There are cwists centered around exercise, sports or physical activity and others that focus on tapping into a child's creativity and imagination.  You can also create your own unique cwists to fit your child's specific goals or needs.

Cwists are fun motivators for kids and a great way to incorporate some FUN learning, physical activity, community service or even bucket list activities into their summer. With each completed cwist children get to choose from parent-approved rewards which can be unique to your child. You can choose something like a trip to the ice cream shop, a visit to the library,  a family movie night, a toy or gadget (from approved retailers) or something you input entirely of your own based on your child's wish. I love how customizable the cwists and rewards are for each child and their age, likes or abilities.

As both a mom and an educator I love what cwist has to offer. My girls enjoy playing online games and apps and cwist taps into that but it provides real life, hands-on activities and experiences which gets them away from the computer and actually moving, thinking and creating.  The Lil Divas were excited about all the cwists already offered in the library and the collection is growing almost daily. They also liked that they have the ability to make "wishes" for certain products and I can approve them and send them on a cwist to earn it.  We are looking forward to trying that out and adding some of our own cwists, which we will be sharing in our next post so stay tuned!

As a teacher, I see lots of potential for utilizing cwists in the classroom.  It would be a fun and engaging way to help students set specific educational or community service goals while having the opportunity to earn prizes/rewards for the classroom for completing their cwists. This would be especially useful for students who may need a little extra motivation.

This summer I am utilizing weekly Summer Fun cwists to keep the girls learning and having fun. Each week there will be 4 cwists to complete. If they complete the cwists they earn a reward. So far our agreed upon "wishes" or rewards include a mini golf outing, a trip to a museum, a bowling day and an ice cream party with a few friends. The rewards are perfect for summer fun and the cwists are fun and engaging so the Lil Divas are excited about completing them.

I'm excited to be sneaking in some math, writing, science and even a lesson on sibling squabbles into our first few days of summer vacation. Here's a "sneak peek" of the Bicker Blocker cwists that I am super excited about:

Yay, for reinforcing sibling peace and a spirit of cooperation in our home during the long days of summer together! 

I am really looking forward to our cwist adventure this summer. It's definitely a fun and unique way to check things off our summer bucket list and keep my girls reading and learning during our summer vacation. I'm excited about creating cwists that are tailored specifically to our goals and I look forward to sharing them with you next time.

In the meantime, head on over and check out all that cwist has to offer for yourself. For even more information, be sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Have fun cwisting!

Bern

Disclosure: I am a cwist Blog Ambassador. I am receiving compensation for testing the site with my own children and sharing our experience with you. All opinions are 100% mine and honest. Your opinions and experience may differ.