Effective & Fun Ways to Support Child Development at Home
By: Andrea Morales, Pre-Kindergarten Director
As teachers, one of the questions parents ask us constantly is: “How can I help my child learn at home?” the answer to this question might not be what most people expect to hear. One might think that by choosing a time of the day to sit down and go over the letters of the alphabet and the numbers from 1-10, a parent is making the most out of their child’s learning opportunities at home. However, helping children develop at home is much more fun than that! Here are a few things you can try.
Stack those blocks!
We all know how much children love to play with blocks. Whether you choose plastic blocks, wooden blocks, Legos, bristle blocks, or any other kind of building, allows your child to let their imagination fly. While playing with blocks, children create open-ended games, they get the chance to work on their counting and measuring skills, they get a
sense of the part-whole relationship, and they’re introduced to simple space-related concepts.
One more page, please!
Having a variety of books accessible to kids is vital to contribute to a child’s language development. Pretending to read books is an early sign of literacy skills, and listening to adults read stories to them allows children to learn what language sounds like. Reading books stimulates their imagination, expands their understanding of the world around them, creates a bond between parents and children, and cultivates a love for reading. In a child’s hands, blocks can become anything! How wonderful is it to give them this power?
Get egg-cited about cooking.
While cooking might not be everyone’s forte, simple culinary practices can benefit children. Baking cookies, making pizza, or even preparing popsicles on a hot summer day can help with your child’s cognitive development by promoting critical thinking, contributing to problem-solving, and teaching them about using tools safely. Helping with cooking at home can also help children follow simple directions, improve common mathematical concepts like measuring, and encourage them to follow a sequence. Plus, you get to enjoy eating something yummy after all that learning!
Let’s get moving and grooving!
Finding the time to move around the house is essential for a child’s development. There are many activities you can do at home to get moving and enhance physical health in fun and easy ways, like dance parties, obstacle courses, or building forts. Animal charades is also a great game to play and get some wiggles out. One of my favorite games is walking over pillows, rugs, cushions, blankets, and different surfaces. It might seem easy for grown-ups, but this is a perfect way to challenge your little one with stuff you already have at home. Also, don’t be afraid to use those delivery boxes before you send them to the recycling station! Stack them up and see how high they can reach!
Find the perfect fit with a puzzle.
Nothing is better to do on a rainy/snowy day than gather around the table to work on a puzzle. This is a great bonding activity that children can work on with older siblings, parents, or even by themselves. It promotes strategic thinking, allows children to work on hand-eye coordination, and improves their fine motor skills. There are many puzzles out there that your child can work on. They come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of difficulty. Just try to find what fits your child’s interest best!
It’s showtime!
Another great way to promote language development is pretend playing. Having a set of puppets (or, even better, making your own!) can help your child talk and listen to language more. When children participate in pretend playing, they learn about themselves and the world around them. They learn about their interests, their likes, and dislikes. Family Puppet Shows are a great way to interact in a different way and, teach them about values, problem solving, and enhance their communication skills. Also, let’s face it, it’s so much fun to make funny voices and silly jokes while playing.
Be the best role model!
The most important thing to remember is that your child is a small version of you in so many ways. They look up to you because they want to be like you. So what better way to help them become the best human beings on the planet than showing them the best of you? Always be a great role model! Show them kindness, love, compassion, and support, and without a doubt, they’ll learn how to be a better person every day.
