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Original poster

Bloody Easter Homework

112 replies

Easterchick25 · 04/04/2025 20:41

Year 5 holiday homework is…make a moving toy. AIBU to think FFS?!

OP posts:
cardibach · 04/04/2025 22:20

NeverTookTheTime · 04/04/2025 21:12

I remember those days well. Pick something simple that can be done in 30 minutes unless you have a child that will enjoy spending hours doing it.

My youngest is 16 and her school want the kids to go in for extra lessons over the holiday. 😅

Presumably your 16 year old has exams in May/June? Revision classes help some students focus. If your DD will revise sensibly at home she doesn’t need to go. If she has no motivation, no clear idea of how to revise or nowhere she can revise quietly, the6 might help her. The teachers aren’t being paid for this (in the overwhelming majority of cases - at no school I’ve ever worked in, but I’ve heard some do) so instead of laughing at it, maybe appreciate them trying to help?

Original poster
Easterchick25 · 04/04/2025 22:18

They haven’t been learning about this at school, other than to draw a picture of what they’re going to make which teacher hasn’t looked at. The link I posted is what teacher sent as example of what they’re expecting.

OP posts:
MrsSunshine2b · 04/04/2025 22:10

The responses on here are a bit sad, in fact, the whole post is.

No, you don't HAVE to do it. No-one is going to be burned at the stake for not doing it.

It's an idea for a fun project based around the learning they've been doing at school so that children can feel that their parents are engaged with their education.

It can take anything from 5 minutes to a couple of hours dependent on your child's attention span.

BallerinaRadio · 04/04/2025 22:09

Are we just throwing anything classed as homework in the bin now? They've been given something which sounds fun and you have two full weeks to do it.

We have posts every other day about kids and their screen time, and now they're given a task to do that's not on a screen and they'll actually achieve something at the end of it we don't want to do it because it came from school and 'bollocks to homework'

My kids have loved doing things like this and I've loved getting involved and helping them. Just more school bashing schools can't win 🙄

edwinbear · 04/04/2025 22:01

I’d be sending in a Lego car personally.

Tiredforfive45 · 04/04/2025 21:57

What’s the problem?
Theres loads of ways you can do this without using wood!

Matsukaze · 04/04/2025 21:46

Wolfiefan · 04/04/2025 21:02

A ball is a moving toy. Scrunch up some paper. Done.
Or just don’t do it!

Beat me to it with the ball idea!

Ladychatterly86 · 04/04/2025 21:40

Why not make an afternoon of it? It isn't really homework just an opportunity to have fun with your child doing something whimsical . It isn't any more than a couple of hours activity. I'd get more worked up if it was something draconian like hours of worksheets etc. Plus I'm pretty sure it isn't mandatory so if you don't want to then there no expectation to!

MajorCarolDanvers · 04/04/2025 21:38

We never bothered with this nonsense

FreebieWallopFridge · 04/04/2025 21:36

Don’t do it. They’re hardly going to give you detention if you don’t.

Buckarooo · 04/04/2025 21:33

Easterchick25 · 04/04/2025 21:20

We made things in woodwork in secondary school with access to materials and machinery. These are 9 year olds. Competitive or not, most parents won’t have materials lying around the house or kids that can shape wood. It takes the piss more than a bit. Got to be in first day back ‘no excuses’, so can’t even speak to teacher about it.

You're making this harder than it needs to be.

Let your child know he can work in a toy that moves if he's bored ... And leave him to it. If he wants ideas, say something like a balloon car or a puppet/marionette.... And leave him to it..

You don't have to do anything for this really. I'm sure she has enough craft bits, stuff he could junk model etc and an imagination.

Rumpoleoftheballet · 04/04/2025 21:31

Make a spinning top with a pencil and piece of round paper that is decorated with bright colours.

Edit - sorry just seen the age of your child so above not appropriate.

Foxgloverr · 04/04/2025 21:30

Make a catapult out of a stick and an old elastic band. Bonus points for recycling!

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 04/04/2025 21:26

You have my sympathies OP. I'm having a flash back to year 5 holiday diaries.

AdaColeman · 04/04/2025 21:23

Cut out the shape of a gingerbread man, cut away the legs and arms and fix them on with brass paper fasteners. Quick and easy!

Original poster
Easterchick25 · 04/04/2025 21:20

We made things in woodwork in secondary school with access to materials and machinery. These are 9 year olds. Competitive or not, most parents won’t have materials lying around the house or kids that can shape wood. It takes the piss more than a bit. Got to be in first day back ‘no excuses’, so can’t even speak to teacher about it.

OP posts:
madnessitellyou · 04/04/2025 21:20

I wouldn’t be doing it. In fact, my dc did no homework that required input from me at all in primary school. I don’t need to do homework thanks. I’m an adult.

JamesWebbSpaceTelescope · 04/04/2025 21:20

Kinder egg inside, remove toy and place some plasticine/blu tak and turn it into a wobbly man. Add some googley eyes. Get a few and turn them into minions.

Buckarooo · 04/04/2025 21:16

Just let your kid do it... A 9 or 10 year old is capable of doing this independently, surely?

He can make a puppet, a rubber band toy, a Lego model, a balloon car... Let him just crack on, there's no need for you to actually do anything really.

howchildrenreallylearn · 04/04/2025 21:14

Homework is optional. The school might have you believe it’s not but it is.
Time at home is for relaxing not for pointless busywork.

softlyfallsthesnow · 04/04/2025 21:13

As you know, the competitive parents will be the ones making some amazing, non- 9 year old capable, contraption. Even worse if the school gives them a gold star. (Memories of an Easter bonnet competition. But at least it was before the holiday).
Nope, they should not be given holiday homework. Especially something as pointless, and time consuming, as this.
YANBU.

NeverTookTheTime · 04/04/2025 21:12

I remember those days well. Pick something simple that can be done in 30 minutes unless you have a child that will enjoy spending hours doing it.

My youngest is 16 and her school want the kids to go in for extra lessons over the holiday. 😅

feemcgee · 04/04/2025 21:11

Ridiculous. The kids need a break.

OldChinaJug · 04/04/2025 21:09

I agree, OP.

I moved into a new year group this year and my colleague asked what ideas I had for this type of 'fun' holiday homework at the start of the year.

She is childfree. I have two (both adults now). Suffice to say, we no longer give any homework out over the holidays 😉

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