As a parent, it’s natural to want the best for your child from day one. As children grow, they observe everything around them, learning and developing rapidly and gaining new skills daily. Parents play a pivotal role in child development and early years education both before and during the school years. In this guide, we’ll outline some simple steps you can follow to support your child’s learning at home.
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Make education fun
The main way children learn during the foundation years is through play. Playing is fun and enjoyable, but it’s also eye-opening and educational. From babies to teens, kids gain new skills through playing games and taking part in activities that are designed to encourage and facilitate playfulness. As a parent, you can help your child learn and grow by making education as fun and accessible as possible. Examples of activities to try include board games, role-play, storytime, creative hobbies, building and construction games, and puzzles.
Invest time in core skills
Some children learn very quickly and seem to pick everything up with ease, but every child develops at a different pace. One of the best ways to support and champion learning during the early years is to invest time in core skills. These include learning to move, speak and read, developing sensory skills and awareness and encouraging socialization. Make use of resources, such as guides and activities to help you practice reading and decoding words together, ask your child’s teacher for recommendations for activities and play-based tasks and celebrate milestones. Try to avoid comparing your child to others. If you have any concerns about delayed development or difficulties with specific activities or skills, seek expert advice.
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Embrace practical activities
When you think about your time at school, which classes or teachers stick in your memory? Often, we have positive memories of sessions or trips that involve going out, doing things and seeing things with our own eyes. Practical activities can aid learning. They make information more digestible and accessible and help kids remember what they’ve learned. From basic scientific experiments and nature trails to visits to galleries, wildlife parks and museums, there are many ways to embrace practical activities at home. Reading about subjects and doing exercises in books can be hugely beneficial but adding a practical, interactive element can often boost learning power.
Encourage your child
Parents should always be a source of encouragement for their children. It’s understandable to have expectations and want your child to excel, but putting too much pressure on young kids can be counterproductive. Support learning, be a cheerleader for your child and reassure them. If they struggle with certain subjects, skills or activities, double down on your efforts to help them. Most children have strengths and weaknesses. Investing more time, effort and energy in skills that don’t come naturally can help them hone those skills and build confidence. Try to be as patient as possible with your child.
Make learning part of your child’s daily routine
Incorporating learning into your child’s daily routine is a brilliant way to nurture development discreetly and get your child used to educational activities. Simple steps, such as reading stories at bedtime, getting children involved in tasks and chores around the house and engaging in role-play activities, can make a big difference. You can start reading stories every night before bed from the first few days of your child’s life. Reading together during the evenings is a fantastic way to encourage your child to wind down and relax before they go to sleep, bond, and broaden their horizons. Reading is also an excellent way to develop vocabulary and communication skills and it encourages kids to be creative and imaginative.
Prioritize healthy living
Good health is essential for optimum development. As a parent, it’s beneficial to prioritize healthy living from an early age. Basic guidelines include making sure your child gets enough rest, encouraging regular physical activity, providing healthy, nutritious meals and snacks and keeping up with routine health and dental checks. Poor nutrition, a lack of sleep, a sedentary lifestyle and health issues can impact learning significantly as well as affecting physical, mental and social development. If you have any questions about how to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, speak to your doctor.
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Parents play a critical role in children’s education and development. It’s natural for parents to want to support their child and encourage learning at home. There are many ways to help your child develop and create a positive environment for them to learn, gain new skills and build confidence. Key steps include making education fun, investing time in core skills, embracing practical activities, supporting and encouraging your child, making learning part of the daily routine, and prioritizing healthy living.