đĄ How to Do Everyday Learning
It's easy for all of us to be worried if our kids are getting the learning and development they need right now. Here are some easy ways to bring learning into the everyday moments.
đ Intro
As parents, most of us have relied on institutions (schools, camps, coaches etc) to be the experts in guiding the learning and development of our kids. Now, so many of us are without guidance at a time when we also worry that our children are missing out on critical in-person learning. Here is our guide to making the most of everyday learning, without breaking the bank or magically adding more hours to the day:
đ¤ Everyday Learning 101
Take advantage of âteachable moments:â Pay attention to kidsâ natural interest in topics and activities and expand on them with small challenges.Â
Play games: Card games, board games, charades, even many computer and video games teach a wide range of skills, such as math, language, memory, problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking. If all you have is a deck of cards and 15 minutes, you can engage your child in learning that is worthwhile and fun.
When in doubt, read: Reading and understanding language are critical skills for kids of all ages. You can never go wrong by opening up a book.Â
Build those âexecutive functionsâ: Look for little moments to challenge your childâs memory, organization, and planning skills.
Social-emotional learning is learning too: Donât forget that helping kids understand and express emotions, communicate with others, and solve interpersonal problems is a big part of helping them learn.Â
Remember, weâre all going through the same thing: Every child is having to learn under suboptimal conditions this year, so in most cases, try not to worry too much about your individual childâs progress.Â
⨠Your Options
1. Look for the Little Things:Â
These can be bite-size:
Ask them to keep track of a few grocery items in their mind and remind you at the store
Have them sort laundry by color, clothing type, or owner
Have them follow a recipe with you or plan out a multi-day task like making bread
Teach them the cardinal directions in your neighborhood
Talk about different landforms or civic institutions while youâre driving or moving about town
Use a kitchen or bathroom scale to make predictions about what different objects will weigh
Or bigger based on what theyâre into:
Let them announce the game when youâre watching basketball, telling the family who is winning and by how many points
Help them write a letter to a friend or start a journal
Let them research future vacations
Ask them to compile the pros and cons of a family decision, like getting a dog, especially if itâs something they want
2. Plan a daily social-emotional check-in: Having a simple routine for expressing gratitude, discussing fears, and checking in on family issues is good for child development and a great way to connect. Try going around the table at dinner time and having everyone say one thing they appreciate and one thing that frustrates them, or you can do the olâ rose-thorn-bud check-in (see below) and add ârootsâ for what everyone is grateful for.
3. Double down on reading: Even big kids love listening to books read aloud, and if youâre too pooped, thereâs always audiobooks. If your kids are getting bored with reading, look into adding more variety (magazines, graphic novels, nonfiction, fiction), finding comfy places to read, and talking to them about what youâre reading and why you love to read. Or try reading the same book as your kid so you can discuss it together. Donât get hung up on reading for a certain amount each day, keep it light and fun. For little ones, you can kill a few minutes by playing word games, like looking for rhymes or finding all of the objects in the room that start with a certain sound.Â
𧰠The Tools
đ Questions to Ask Kids About Books:
What do you think will happen next?
Why do you think that a character did/said that?
If you were the main character, would you make the same choices?
Have you ever felt like this character did?
What was the saddest part of the story? The most surprising?
Does this remind you of anything in your life?
đSocial-Emotional Conversation Starters:
What is your rose (favorite thing today), thorn (least favorite thing today) and bud (thing you are looking forward to tomorrow)?
When did you feel happy today? When did you feel frustrated? What did you do with your frustration?
You look like you might be feeling mad. Itâs okay to be mad, but not to be mean.Â
I know some kids are feeling happy to be back at school, but sad that itâs not in person. Do you ever feel two different feelings like that at once?Â