Most parents have taken a more active role in educating their children over the last two years. Whether your kids have gone back to school or you’ve decided to homeschool, it’s beneficial to be proactive in supporting your child. Here are some steps you can take to support your child’s learning and make it fun and accessible.
How To Support Your Child’s Learning
Ask for opinions and ideas
One of the best ways to help your kids get more out of studying or learning is to encourage them to share opinions and ideas. Ask them for feedback about activities you’ve tried together or resources or topics they’ve used or covered at school. Then, let them express what they want to learn about and how they want to learn it. There is no universal manual for education, and some kids respond better to different ways of learning than others.
Try a range of activities
Many parents will be familiar with traditional learning techniques, including reading books and using exercise books to hone reading, writing, and math skills. There is still a place for conventional learning methods, but you can also vary the activities. You can find a huge range of resources available to children, teachers, and parents. Many kids are used to online learning, and there are some great platforms and websites they can use to discover different subjects and explore new ways of learning. Check out options like Age of Learning, read reviews from parents and educators, and look for resources via search engines and social media. In addition to online resources, you can also add active and outdoor pursuits and creative activities.
Tailor learning to your child
Children learn differently, have different interests, and respond to techniques differently. Try to tailor activities to your child. Play to their strengths, highlight areas, topics, or concepts that they find difficult, and try to find ways to break down information and help them to understand better. Children learn better when they can see how things work, for example. Practical activities like making a model, seeing animals and plants in the natural world, and doing scientific experiments can often help to simplify written information, and they can also be fun.
Set realistic goals
Every parent wants their child to do well at school, but there’s a difference between supporting and encouraging your child and putting pressure on them. Set realistic goals, manage your expectations, and ensure they know that what matters is trying their best. Encourage hard work, but try to avoid pushing too hard. Be there to reassure your children and help them to learn. It’s essential that they feel able to talk to you openly and share any worries or concerns.
Support Your Child’s Learning
All parents want the best for their kids. It’s not always easy to help children learn and know how best to support them. If you’re homeschooling or want to help at home after school, make learning fun. Use learning resources, various activities, involve your kids in planning, and make sure you have realistic goals and expectations.
