Education starts at home. Parents should not rely entirely on schools to educate children. The home environment plays an important role in preparing children for school. Children being to learn, and start wanting to learn, at home. So, responsible parents should make their homes as friendly a learning environment as possible.
You do not need a massive budget at hand to make your humble abode educational for children. What you need the most is the motivation. If parents are dedicated, it will not be so hard for children to be motivated to learn. However, parents will have to be innovative. Here are several useful tips parents can follow to make their homes more education friendly for children:
1. Have a “Learning Zone” in House
If possible, spare a room in your home as an at-home classroom for children. If not, you can use a dedicated space in the house. Declare this room or space as the “learning zone”. That means this area is strictly for educational purposes only. No television or video games are allowed. However, that doesn’t need to mean the place has to be as boring as an old English classroom. Instead of electronics, introduce your kids to educational toys here.
2. Buy School Items
Try shopping for items such as interactive whiteboards Melbourne to make the learning zone more engaging for kids. Such an item would not cost you much. Plus, you can use one for a long time to come. Buy things like Play-Doh, silly putty, crayons, and puzzles like the ones at school. If your toddler is about to start school, a classroom-like space can easily introduce him or her to the idea of school. Don’t buy too many items to overwhelm the kids. Let them have a say in what they like as educations toys, too.
3. Have Rules
Structure is extremely important for children to develop into healthy adults. Therefore, you must impose small rules for the learning zone as well. For example, if you have particularly stubborn kids, you can demand that they spend at least 10 minutes a day in the learning zone. However, don’t force them to if they really don’t want to. Make this area a quiet zone as well, so children can concentrate. Balance out the rules with the children’s enjoyment. Both are important for your kids to grow well.
4. Let Them Use a Computer, but Not for Games
Don’t ban computers from the learning zone. There’s a lot your children can learn using these. Ban computer games, and instead install educational games and coursework software if your kids are old enough. Primary school children can learn to code during this time as well. Teach your kids that there’s a lot more they can do on a computer than just watching YouTube and playing Facebook games.
5. Outdoor Activities are Important Too
Small children need to spend time outside as much as they do inside. So, your learning zone should have an outdoor component as well. If you have a substantially large garden, you can build a tree house for the children. If the kids are old enough to wield a mini-hammer without dropping it, enlist their help in building the tree house. Likewise, find fun but just as education activities for your children to participate in.
Use the above tips to make room in your home for children’s learning. It’s important that their regular school activities are made enjoyable for them.