Children learn a lot at a young age. From the time they are born to when they head to kindergarten, they will learn numbers, letters, how to talk, how to walk, social skills, motor skills, and so many other things. It is amazing how much they learn and how quickly. Your little baby will be running around and talking to you before you even know it!
Children are curious. They want to learn and understand the world around them. They observe how you interact with people around you, they learn from your habits, and they listen to the way you speak. This is an important time in a person’s life and can shape the way they see education and learning for years to come. That is why you need to encourage the curiosity and help them learn as much as they can!
Our students at Rising Stride will learn all of these important lessons. As they grow in our child care center, they will be given what they need to learn and explore their curiosities. We provide your child with a comforting, stimulating environment that will help them grow into the curious little geniuses they are.
While we provide children with everything they need to thrive in their academic career and learn the different skills that are necessary throughout life, it is just as important for parents to help teach their children throughout your daily routine.
When we say teach your children, we do not mean sitting down at the table, pulling out math flash cards and testing them. We mean go about your day and use daily experiences to teach your children in different ways. There are many ways you can help jumpstart your child’s education. And it doesn’t always have to be serious. It can be fun!
If you are struggling with figuring out ways to help your child learn, read our blog. We will give you some fun and unique ideas to help teach your child during your regular routine!
Read to Them
Reading to your child is a great way to help them understand language and learn to understand the meaning of words and what words look like. They will learn how to handle a book, that we read from left to right, and how fun reading can be. This isn’t something you have to stop your day to do. Read a book or two to your children before tucking them into bed. This is not only a great way to help them learn, but it is also a great way to calm them down a bit before going to bed.
As they get older, you can get the books that are easy to read and help your kids read them. As they read more and more, the better they can get. Reading is important at all ages, and teaching them to love reading at a young age can help them continue throughout adulthood.
Reading doesn’t have to be saved for bedtime; you can read to them throughout the day. Read them signs you see, the brands of items in the grocery store, and recipes you are making while they color. Even simply hearing you read will help them develop a better sense of reading and language.
Add Labels
Labels are another good way to get your children reading and understanding that everything has a name. Labeling the different items in your home may not mean anything to your child at first, but as they start learning how to read, they will understand what the labels are for and begin to recognize more words. Put labels on the toy box, on different kitchen items, on doors and drawers, and on any other items you want. Your children will be able to look at these labels, recognize the word, and understand that it is connected to the object.
Count with Them
You can count while doing anything. While you could simply count just to see how high your children can count, it may be better to give the counting some meaning. If you hand them three crackers, count out the three crackers with them and make sure they understand that they are getting three of them. If you see geese in the park, take a moment to count the geese with your children. If you are in the grocery store, count the register numbers as you pass them (if you do this make sure you are walking the right way so the numbers are not decreasing, this may confuse your children). These are all simple ways to get your child counting and understanding numbers. They will be able to understand these numbers and after they have this covered, you can start teaching them some math skills!
Sing and Dance
While singing and dancing are fun, it can also help them a lot! Dancing can help to develop their motor skills and coordination. They will learn how to move to a rhythm and can even learn that being active is fun (which most kids already think). Music can help stimulate their brain and encourage creativity. While many people think that reading and math are important in academics, creativity is just as important. Creativity allows children to see the world in a different way, come up with unique ways to solve different problems, and allows them to imagine different possibilities. Music and dance can help with this!
These are a few fun ways to help your child learn different skills. Doing these things can help your child get a jumpstart in their academic career. You can also sign your children up for Rising Stride Child Care Centers. We will help give them the tools and care they need to learn, grow, and thrive! Schedule a Tour today to learn more.