Children are like sponges. They soak up every last bit of information, often throwing out useless facts like confetti. The great thing about younger kids is that they enjoy learning. School hasn’t yet become a chore and the notion of finding out new facts is exciting. As a parent, you can make the most of this desire to learn by exposing them to fun learning experiences and encouraging them to pick up new skills at home.
Some parents choose to homeschool their kids, but even if your children attend public school, it doesn’t mean you can’t utilize some of the tricks homeschool parents use to teach their kids. As long as you make education fun, your children will never tire of learning new things. Furthermore, if you discover a passion for teaching, you could even go back to school and study for an online master of education in adult and continuing education, which I’d love to do! An online MEAD degree is perfect for anyone considering a move into adult education, so why not give it a go, right?
Educational Day Trips
Day trips are a great way of getting out of the house and learning new things at the same time. Instead of taking the kids to a theme park, visit a cultural museum or art gallery instead. Visiting a few historic attractions gives the kids some interesting context to subjects they are studying at school. You can use your trip as a starting point and encourage them to find out more from online resources and library books. You never know, your kids might discover a passion for history!
Art galleries are also worth visiting. Most schools don’t make much time in the curriculum for art, so a trip to see an art exhibition is a valuable learning experience for children. Ask them to choose their favorite artworks and let them tell you what they like about them. You can research the artist together, or they could have a go at creating their own artwork in a similar style.
Family Discussions over the Dinner Table
Conversation is a lost art in many family homes. Parents and kids don’t always sit down to eat together, and even when they do, everyone is staring at a smartphone screen instead of talking.
Ban screens from the table and encourage kids to talk about current affairs over dinner. Teach them to read the news, discuss politics, and show an interest in what is happening in the world. Young people are the least engaged with politics, so now is a great time to change that in your home.
Arts and Crafts = Education
Learning needn’t be all books and boring stuff. Arts and crafts are an important part of the learning process, especially for younger children. Creative activities teach children to use their imagination. It is also fun painting and making crafts, so have fun together!
Do as many activities as a family as you can. The more quality time you spend together, the more your kids will learn new things!
Leave a Reply