FINDING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE HOME

While schools are closed, it can be difficult for parents to find ways to keep their children entertained 24/7, alongside their own work commitments. 

Many of you might even be feeling a little guilty that your child isn’t learning as much as you’d like. However, it’s important to realise that learning comes in many forms, not just schoolwork. In fact, there are plenty of opportunities to learn around the home and in virtually everything your child does.

 

If you feel like your child is watching a little too much television, you could consider swapping out the cartoons for something more educational, like a documentary, which will boost their general knowledge. Alternatively, you could suggest that your child reads a book, as this is great for helping them with their spelling, grammar and even their vocabulary. In fact, you could initiate a family book club in which you all read a novel of your choice and then chat about your stories at dinnertime. 

Encourage your child to explain what they like or dislike about their books, using plenty of adjectives, and ask them to think about how they might have ended the story differently. Ask them to think about what elements of their book are key features of that particular genre.

Whenever you get an opportunity to be outside with your child, whether in the garden or on a walk, teach them about the different species of trees and birds that you see. What’s more, you could ask them to think about the different seasons and how they affect the world around us. 

You could consider helping your child grow a vegetable patch, so that they can learn how to be responsible for something and patient whilst its growing. You can find some recipes here to try out once you’ve got all your fruit and vegetables ready .

Plus,getting outside is great for your child’s physical and mental wellbeing, so make sure this is something they get to do regularly. 

Board games, arts and crafts, and even cooking are great opportunities for your child to learn new skills. There are also lots of learning resources online and downloadable apps you could look into. 

Most schools are able to upload homework tasks to their online portals, which your child should complete so that they don’t fall behind when they return to school, but don’t be too hard on yourself if your home-schooling methods are a little different. After all, you are not a teacher and you can only do your best.