We hear you: Homeschooling is hard! Here, a few tips and activities that can help you efficiently teach from home.
Improve your kids’ memory.
Memorizing lines and new terms can be boring. Make it fun by incorporating them into your child’s favorite tunes, lullabies—and hey, even a rap song (we won’t judge!). If rhyme and rhythm aren’t your cup of tea, use a witty mnemonic device your kids won’t forget.
Introduce them to a new word every day.
Now might be an opportune time for you to expand your kid’s vocabulary. Reading to your children before bed is a great way to explain words and phrases that might seem foreign to them. You may also want to add a word wall in their study area. You can use a whiteboard, old Manila or scratch paper. At the end of the day, ask them to form a sentence or a short story they can share. It makes for a great bonding activity!
Have a designated desk.
It may be hard to concentrate on schoolwork especially when kids can easily run to the playroom when they get bored. To minimize distractions, try positioning their desk in front of a wall, and set a daily schedule they can follow. Break down bigger tasks for them, so they’re not easily overwhelmed, too.
Enroll them in a language class.
According to raisingchild.net.au, bilingual and multilingual kids perform better in school, are good problem solvers, and can multitask efficiently. Thankfully, there are many apps that can teach your kids a new language without intimidating them. Try DuoLingo, Gus on the Go, or Pacca Alcapa—and maybe you, too, can learn a new language or two!
Incorporate problem solving activities in their routines.
It’s never too early to teach your kids how to deal with challenges, which they’re bound to face in school when they’re among peers, or when they’re doing homework. How do they deal with a Math problem they can’t solve? What if they’re fighting over a toy with a sibling? And while there’s no wand that magically transforms your kids into instant problem solvers, you can find out how they respond to sticky situations through puzzles and board games. Ask them to talk you through their strategy and plans after each game. When they’re faced with a tough decision, and don’t know what to do, make them write down their thoughts using a pros and cons list—and go through it together.
Help self-regulate behavior.
Teaching your kids how to control their emotions, especially as they grow older, is important. “Self-regulation is the process that your child’s brain goes through that gives them the ability to control their behaviors and emotions in response to a particular situation,” writes licensed independent social worker Brandy Wells for PBS.org. The next time your kids act out, talk to them in a calm manner, and don’t lash out. Ask them why they’re upset. It’s easy to give in to their tantrums because it solves the problem instantly, but doing this regularly can make kids feel like they can get away with anything in the future.
Control screen time.
Managing your kids’ impulses can be tricky at home, especially when learning tools like desktop computers or tablets can be a distraction. If you find your kids secretly opening YouTube to watch funny videos instead of studying, use your device’s parental controls or settings to temporarily snooze the app. There’s a right time for everything, so explain that to your kids next time they impulsively reach for the iPad during study time.
Improve their listening comprehension.
Fact: Kids have short attention spans. It’s important for parents to communicate well with their children—and that also involves asking them questions or putting out feelers during a conversation or story time. You can ask questions like, “How do you think the story will end?” or “How do you feel about this particular scene?
Your kids have the potential to do great and be great! It’s important that parents support their emotional and mental wellbeing so they can grow up to be well-adjusted, smart, and kind adults. Give your children the extra brain boost they need with Enfagrow A+, together with proper nutrition and regular use.
