Your child’s learning doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) stop when they step foot out of the classroom. There are plenty of ways they can have fun and educational experiences at home too.
Here are five ways you can start encouraging them to learn at home that will make it something they want to do, rather than have to do. In fact, they’ll be having so much fun they probably won’t even realise they are learning. !
- Computer games can be educational!
Are your kids constantly asking to play on your iPad, but you remain reluctant to let them for fear of it being broken? Despite the constant argument that staring at a screen is ‘mind numbing’, if you set them up on the right educational apps, they will keep your youngsters’ minds active outside of school as well as keeping them quiet and entertained at the same time.
Surely, furthering your child’s education is worth risking a scratched screen? Especially when you can repair your ipad screen at LoveFone quickly and easily if it were to break!
- Let your child read YOU a bedtime story
Young kids love to have a story read to them before bed – now it is time to turn this around and get them to read to you before they go to bed. Them reading the story isn’t just important so they can actually learn to read, they will also learn from the stories as well as widening their vocabulary. Once they have read the book, discuss it – get them to tell you what they learnt from it.
- Dear Diary….
There are several ways you can encourage your child to write at home.
This could be as simple as writing a letter to a relative or keeping a diary, or perhaps after reading a few books suggest they have a go at writing their own story. Not only will they practice their writing skills, they will also have to use their imagination. Go through the story with them and while praising them for doing a good job, help them to spot any mistakes and correct them.
- Do you ask your child enough questions?
Ask your child questions – there are those that will help to bond you and encourage them to think of the answer, and then there are the more educational ones. Ask the questions as if you don’t know the answer and you need them to help you. Can you tell me the 7 times table? What is the capital of England? If they don’t know the answer encourage them to find out.
- Turn playing in the dirt into an educational experience
Kids love to play outside – so turn this into a learning experience. Give your child a section of your garden, in which they can grow their own vegetables. This will teach them responsibility, as they have to tend to them to help them grow. It will also be a good opportunity to teach them the various fruits and vegetables and the importance of eating them. Then, when they are fully grown you can pick them together and show them how they go from the ground to the dinner plate.
Who knew there were so many ways to turn your home into a classroom?