This has been a very unique year, to say the least. Many things have been affected by the pandemic including our children's education. School closures have a major and negative effect on our kids. According to BCCDC’s COVID-19 SPEAK survey, 76.0% of respondents with school-aged children reported a negative impact on their learning coming into the new school year due to the global pandemic causing the school's in many provinces to close in March.
Most Schools have now reopened, however, it is a very different type of school year. Many schools do not have the resources to have all children in at the same time and therefore, lesson plans and teaching is very different with either smaller classes or some classes being taught online. Some parents have even opted to homeschool their children. A lot of learning at home requires a huge amount of parental supervision, which is not always possible, or self-discipline from the child, which can be hard to keep children engaged. Use these 5 home learning ideas to keep children learning at home
Create Routine
This one may seem pretty simple, but establishing a routine is the foundation for creating structure and improving learning. Children thrive with structure, creating a timetable, and laying out daily tasks for learning. Remember to assess and readjust your child's routine in a way that works best for them and their learning.
Products to Help With Structure and Routine:
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Get Creative
Children have powerful imaginations and need the opportunity to express their creativity. Allowing a child to be creative gives them the opportunity to grow intellectually and emotionally. There are many ways to allow our children to be creative including creating crafts, allowing children to self-directed play, and exploring the world around them. It is important to remember when we allow children to be creative, to set up provocations, and let them lead the play, to allow them to learn and discover.
Products to Help With Creativity:
Get Outside
No matter the weather, it is important to let children play outside. Every child should be spending a minimum of three hours a day outside. This isn't just children being outside and doing what they would inside. It is encouraging children to run around and play and just 'be a kid'. Not only does being outdoors have health benefits, but it also allows children to learn, and build skills.
Products that help with learning outdoors
Read (eBooks)
We know a lot of screen time is bad for our children, but when we talk about screen time, we are talking about things like video games not reading and learning. In the year 2020, most children have access to some sort of electronic equipment such as computers, e-readers, or phones. Allowing our children to use these devices to read and learn rather than play games makes children spending time on screen beneficial. Many children find using electronic devices for reading and learning much easier than a traditional book. Devices allow children to read words more easily, can help them highlight sentences, resources can be interactive, and can be more cost-effective for parents.
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Games
Every child loves to play games. They are fun, exciting and they can be educational. Games have lots of benefits for children as they develop fundamental skills such as problem-solving, gross/fine motor, patience, strategy, concentration, leadership, critical thinking, and social skills.
Educational games also add more depth to learning. These games concentrate on developing skills such as math and literacy while retaining the fun element of playing a game!
A home learning environment can be very different for a child than when they learn in a classroom setting. It is important to teach children in various ways and different settings to stop them from getting bored and to keep their minds active.
Find a type of learning that works for your child and remember no two children learn the same way.
