It used to be that kids were expected to learn strictly within the confines of the classroom. Now, however, it’s commonly accepted that children have diverse needs when it comes to education. Some kids are aural learners, for example, while others rely more on visual cues to remember and understand information. If your little one is struggling with a certain subject in school, there are ways you can help them outside of the classroom. The following tips offer some fun and productive ways to expand your child’s knowledge especially while your family is on COVID-19 lockdown.
Invest in a Drone to Spark an Interest in Robotics
A drone is a cutting-edge toy that can inspire an early interest in robotics. Kids also get the chance to practice fine-motor skills and deepen their technical knowledge while working with drones. When sending their state-of-the-art toy out on missions, they must also practice risk assessment, such as whether the drone can fit in a confined space. If you’re going to be flying a drone in your backyard, be sure to practice safety and social distancing.
Create an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
By creating a personalized scavenger hunt for your kids, you can teach them using the outdoors as your classroom. If you have a younger child, you can have them searching for colors, for example. For older kids, you can use the opportunity to teach them about the natural world by having them look for specific flowers, insects, or animals in your yard. A scavenger hunt also has the benefit of getting your child outside in the fresh air and giving them some exercise.
Make Music Together to Improve Math and Language Skills
Making music with your child allows you to have fun while also teaching them math. As they learn the basic concepts of rhythm, they also learn about fractions. For example, a whole musical note is equal to the value of one, while a half-note is equal to one-half, and a quarter-note is equal to one-quarter. By singing songs together, you can also practice foreign language skills. According to Speech Buddy, there are many kid-friendly tunes available in diverse languages, from Bosnian to Turkish.
Cook a Meal as a Family to Learn Chemistry
Your role in your child’s education doesn’t lessen as they get older. In fact, older children are often the ones who can benefit the most from alternative learning methods. For example, say you have a high-schooler struggling with their chemistry homework. Baking is a great way to teach basic chemistry. Even making a simple loaf of bread involves an exciting chemical reaction that allows the dough to rise. There are also fun chemistry-related baking projects you can pursue, like crafting a periodic table of elements with cupcakes.
Head to a Museum
Sometimes, all it takes is a visit to a museum to expand a child’s horizons. Museums spark curiosity about concepts like history and art. They also encourage skills like reading and listening, as kids learn through plaques or audio tours. An art museum can also get a child’s own creative juices flowing.
With in-person visits not always possible right now, consider a virtual tour instead. Many museums like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and The Metropolitan Museum of Art offer this option. You may want to invest in a new monitor so your child can really immerse themselves in the experience. Look for a monitor that offers high resolution and superior color quality.
You don’t want your children growing up with the feeling that learning is a burden. The tips and tricks outlined above encourage education in fun and innovative ways while your family is sheltering in place. Implement them to help your child with tricky subjects or to simply broaden their knowledge base.
Laura Pearson is passionate about teaching the younger generation. Edutude was built to share resources on how to keep children engaged and in love with learning.