How to Reinforce Your Child's Learning at Home
Use household items as an excuse to learn things without it being obvious., Step outside and gaze at the heavens., Use jigsaw puzzles to teach a number of things: Geographical jigsaws can teach a child the names of countries, cities, and regions...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use household items as an excuse to learn things without it being obvious.
Cans, bottles, boxes, books, etc., can be used to demonstrate lessons in weight, size, geometry, space, etc. just as part of household usage.
Read How to teach a young child beginning math skills for more ideas. -
Step 2: Step outside and gaze at the heavens.
During the day, talk to your child about the weather and the clouds.
During the night, if you're able to see the stars, do some stargazing and try to identify some of the stars.
Read How to analyze a cloud, How to look for shapes in clouds, How to make a simple weather barometer, and How to get started in amateur astronomy for some more ideas. , They can also show the concept of borders.
Patterned jigsaws can teach sequencing and pattern recognition.
Increasing numbers of pieces can give children a sense of achievement as they continue to increase their ability at working out puzzles.
Read How to make a wooden jigsaw puzzle from a photo and How to put together a hard puzzle for more ideas. , Cooking is a great mathematical lesson in disguise, as well as one about nutrition.
You can read the recipes together and ask your child to measure the ingredients precisely.
Also talk about the calorie or kilojoule values of food and the purpose of food as energy; and discuss the relationship of health to food.
Read How to cook with your kids, How to teach kids about cooking, and How to begin cooking in the kitchen (for kids) for more ideas. , An easy history lesson that all the family can enjoy.
Follow up by reading historical books to your child, or giving older children historical graphic novels or comics. , Museums, science centers, cinema, children's theater, playgrounds, factory tours, etc., all offer plenty of learning opportunities that involve interaction.
Read How to Have Fun for Little or No Money for a number of ideas. , This will involve a number of lessons such as plant care, botany, growing food for oneself, and can even involve such things as testing the pH levels of the soil, etc.
In addition, caring for a garden instills a sense of regular responsibility and has rewards like juicy strawberries and ripe peas at the end of it! Read How to grow plants in the shape of your name, How to grow strawberries, and How to grow your own food for some initial ideas. , As well as playing, be sure to learn the rules together and if the sport has statistics, league tables, etc., then be sure to introduce and explain these to your child.
For sports where additional care must be taken, start your children on the safety rules and issues, such as boating navigation rules, rescue principles, and similar.
Find child-friendly information, or reduce it to such language yourself. , Use car games as an excuse to practice reading, pattern recognition, and memory.
Take along board games that have learning elements in them as well as fun.
Spend time on vacation learning about outdoor skills with your child, such as swimming, tracking, and wildlife spotting.
Read How to plan a family vacation for more ideas. , Although these are more obvious learning tools, they are fun and anything that fizzes, blows up, bubbles, or makes a mess is sure to have your kid's interest and the lesson will go through much more easily than reading it in a book.
Read LifeGuide Hub's Science for kids category for lots of fantastic science experiment suggestions. , Not all children will like this idea but for those who do, it can be a fabulous way to encourage writing skills and thought expression.
Read How to keep a journal and How to keep a book journal for more ideas. , Part of the process of learning will often include learning to read patterns, instructions, or rules, and this is a very important exercise for future learning.
Read How to read a knitting pattern, How to write songs for kids, and How to help your child choose a musical instrument for more ideas. , Children grow up fast, and spending time listening to them, learning from them, and helping them, are all an important part of parental teaching even if these feel "effortless".
Sometimes the greatest effort involves setting aside time, and it won't be until teen years that your children won't appreciate as much time with you as possible! -
Step 3: Use jigsaw puzzles to teach a number of things: Geographical jigsaws can teach a child the names of countries
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Step 4: cities
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Step 5: and regions.
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Step 6: Cook together.
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Step 7: Watch historical documentaries and movies together.
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Step 8: Get out of the house and visit places with fun lessons.
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Step 9: Start a garden for your child to care for.
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Step 10: Make sport more than just about the exercise or practice.
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Step 11: Use vacation time as a quiet learning time.
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Step 12: Do science experiments at home.
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Step 13: Suggest that your child keep a journal.
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Step 14: Spend time teaching a hobby
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Step 15: musical instrument
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Step 16: or craft to your child.
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Step 17: Relax and enjoy their childhood.
Detailed Guide
Cans, bottles, boxes, books, etc., can be used to demonstrate lessons in weight, size, geometry, space, etc. just as part of household usage.
Read How to teach a young child beginning math skills for more ideas.
During the day, talk to your child about the weather and the clouds.
During the night, if you're able to see the stars, do some stargazing and try to identify some of the stars.
Read How to analyze a cloud, How to look for shapes in clouds, How to make a simple weather barometer, and How to get started in amateur astronomy for some more ideas. , They can also show the concept of borders.
Patterned jigsaws can teach sequencing and pattern recognition.
Increasing numbers of pieces can give children a sense of achievement as they continue to increase their ability at working out puzzles.
Read How to make a wooden jigsaw puzzle from a photo and How to put together a hard puzzle for more ideas. , Cooking is a great mathematical lesson in disguise, as well as one about nutrition.
You can read the recipes together and ask your child to measure the ingredients precisely.
Also talk about the calorie or kilojoule values of food and the purpose of food as energy; and discuss the relationship of health to food.
Read How to cook with your kids, How to teach kids about cooking, and How to begin cooking in the kitchen (for kids) for more ideas. , An easy history lesson that all the family can enjoy.
Follow up by reading historical books to your child, or giving older children historical graphic novels or comics. , Museums, science centers, cinema, children's theater, playgrounds, factory tours, etc., all offer plenty of learning opportunities that involve interaction.
Read How to Have Fun for Little or No Money for a number of ideas. , This will involve a number of lessons such as plant care, botany, growing food for oneself, and can even involve such things as testing the pH levels of the soil, etc.
In addition, caring for a garden instills a sense of regular responsibility and has rewards like juicy strawberries and ripe peas at the end of it! Read How to grow plants in the shape of your name, How to grow strawberries, and How to grow your own food for some initial ideas. , As well as playing, be sure to learn the rules together and if the sport has statistics, league tables, etc., then be sure to introduce and explain these to your child.
For sports where additional care must be taken, start your children on the safety rules and issues, such as boating navigation rules, rescue principles, and similar.
Find child-friendly information, or reduce it to such language yourself. , Use car games as an excuse to practice reading, pattern recognition, and memory.
Take along board games that have learning elements in them as well as fun.
Spend time on vacation learning about outdoor skills with your child, such as swimming, tracking, and wildlife spotting.
Read How to plan a family vacation for more ideas. , Although these are more obvious learning tools, they are fun and anything that fizzes, blows up, bubbles, or makes a mess is sure to have your kid's interest and the lesson will go through much more easily than reading it in a book.
Read LifeGuide Hub's Science for kids category for lots of fantastic science experiment suggestions. , Not all children will like this idea but for those who do, it can be a fabulous way to encourage writing skills and thought expression.
Read How to keep a journal and How to keep a book journal for more ideas. , Part of the process of learning will often include learning to read patterns, instructions, or rules, and this is a very important exercise for future learning.
Read How to read a knitting pattern, How to write songs for kids, and How to help your child choose a musical instrument for more ideas. , Children grow up fast, and spending time listening to them, learning from them, and helping them, are all an important part of parental teaching even if these feel "effortless".
Sometimes the greatest effort involves setting aside time, and it won't be until teen years that your children won't appreciate as much time with you as possible!
About the Author
Stephanie Jenkins
Writer and educator with a focus on practical pet care knowledge.
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