Learning starts at home. Children learn their first words and values from the people they encounter daily as they grow up. The first chapters of a child’s life are when drastic learning capabilities occur, so they need all the support to help them unleash their potential.
How To Support Early Learning At Home
Supporting early learning at home can be challenging, especially for first-time parents. However, providing extra care and effort to educate them early on gives them the power to be their best selves as they grow up.
That said, here are seven ways to support early learning at home.
Create Meaningful Conversations
The moment a child makes a sound to catch their parent’s attention is their first attempt to communicate. As they develop their speaking abilities, from one-word to full sentences, they’ll begin to tell stories and ask questions.
Creating meaningful conversations with a child helps them become better learners. You can start by asking questions answerable by one word as early as one year old. As they comprehend more, you can ask more complex questions like ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ to encourage critical thinking and storytelling.
Furthermore, you can also enroll them in an early childhood learning center where they can practice their social abilities and build friendships. Ask your nearest early learning facilities for further info on how it benefits your child.
Exposure To Music And Art
Children are natural artists. Some can sing before talking and start dancing the moment they learn to stand. They also begin to draw figures as soon as they can hold a crayon or a marker.
Exposing a child to music and art at home supports early learning. It helps them develop their potential for art and encourages creativity. Creating is a higher-order thinking skill and is the most advanced form of learning. Therefore, each parent should encourage their child to make sounds, draw pictures, and throw dance moves together early to develop their cognitive capability.
Regular Story Reading
Regular story reading promotes early learning at home. Reading stories with your young one can support cognitive development. It helps improve their language skills as they learn new words and comprehend the story.
Reading stories to your child before they can speak helps create a special bond. It helps them learn the value of listening from an early age. You may let them read with you as they grow up a little more. Books with illustrations help toddlers understand the story. Before you know it, they’ll start getting a book by themselves and initiate reading time.
Cultivating a child’s love for reading helps them excel academically when they start school. They’ll perceive reading as a fun and enjoyable activity.
Incorporate Learning With Daily Experiences
Learning at home doesn’t always have to involve doing specific educational activities. A child can learn during their typical daily experiences like eating, bathing, and playing. Maximizing these habits gives your child more opportunities to learn something new daily.
One way to incorporate learning with daily experiences is by pointing and identifying objects. You can do this indoors, in the backyard, or as you stroll outdoors. You may also sing while bathing, count before meals, and have frequent conversations throughout the day.
Encourage Independent Play
A child’s primary focus in their early years is to play. Playtime is their favorite time, whether with their toys or outdoor playmates. These moments create learning opportunities for a child.
Encouraging independent playing at home can promote a child’s imagination and creative thinking. You’ll notice them making up stories and having entire conversations with their dolls, stuffed animals, and action figures.
Balancing social interactions and independent play gives a child the power to boost their problem-solving skills. Alone time is also crucial to avoid overstimulation and promote focus.
Pay Attention To Child’s Interests
During the first stages of a child’s development, you’ll notice which triggers their interest the most. Although children might seem too excited about simple things, you can see which experiences and objects stimulate their enthusiasm.
Building activities upon a child’s interests make learning fun and exciting. For instance, if going to the zoo excites them the most, take it as an opportunity to educate them about animal names and counting numbers. If a child loves watching cartoons, search for educational and engaging videos.
Empower Self-Expression
Empowering a child’s self-expression supports their learning capabilities and boosts their self-esteem. A confident child asks fearless questions that help them explore the unfamiliar. They can also freely voice their needs clearly without crying or throwing a tantrum.
Self-expression is every human’s way of communicating their identity to the world. A child who can freely think out loud and express their emotions healthily grows up confident and empowered. Their unshakable self-esteem honed at an early age can also help strengthen them in the face of criticism and develop a healthy response to corrections by their parents and teachers.
How To Support Early Learning At Home
Supporting a child’s early learning at home gives them the skills they need to face the world. It strengthens their mind and heart by developing good values and lessons they’ll carry as they grow up.