While you may believe that only a teacher with a license is qualified enough to teach your children, the truth of the matter is you as the parent is your child’s first and most important instructor. Not only are you your child’s provider, but you are also their first teacher and you play a very important role in your their educational life preceding the start of their formal school years. Teaching your little preschooler may seem like a daunting task at first but with patience and a little research, you will find the time you spend with him or her rewarding.
In this article, I will show you how a couple of home based activities can help encourage a love and understanding of language, math and science. These activities involve (and are not limited to) reading, listening, writing, number awareness, sequencing, counting and learning to become aware of the world that surrounds them.
The following are some activities you can start with:
• Create a center for your house that is just for reading
• Start reading together
• Together, count any objects that are laying around such as coins
• Try to encourage writing by creating fun lists
• Recite nursery rhymes together
• Provide children with simple musical instruments such as a kazoo or a flute
• Encourage them to use their imaginations by telling stories with puppets
• Teach children about the importance of eating healthy foods and the dangers of fast food
• Encourage them to frequently wash their hands and explain to them the concept of germs and sickness
• Discuss the concept of money and play store with them
• A very important lesson is to teach them how to dial 911 in case of an emergency
You can also do what my mother did for me and just surround your children with books at an early age so that they view them as a normal part of life and not as the dreadful objects that most children see them as when they start school. I remember when I was a student, I just couldn’t understand why the class would collectively moan when the teacher assigned us a novel as a reading assignment. Because my mother conditioned me to appreciate books at such an early age, these school assignments would actually invoke a sense of excitement in me and I only wish for your children to experience the same kind of emotions that I felt.
And remember, by taking the time to talk with your child and by encouraging them to ask questions about the world they live in, you will not only help strengthen their analytical skills you will also be preparing them for their formal educational journey.
Teaching your child to read is one of the most important jobs you can do as a parent. There are many methods and reading programs you can use to achieve this goal.