Preschool Child Care And At-Home Learning: How To Keep The Information Flowing
Posted on: 18 January 2017
Preschool child care programs offer young children the chance to learn, grow, and develop. But, the education doesn't stop the moment your little learner walks out of the school door. Take what your preschooler is doing in class home. No, your 3-, 4- or 5-year-old doesn't need to do homework. At least, not in the same way that a middle- or high-school student would. Your child can continue learning (with you as their at-home teacher) after school and at home. How? Check out these at-home activities that will spark your child's imagination and reinforce what their pre-k teacher is doing.
Building With Books
Whether your child's teacher is talking about the seasons, animals, or making friends, you can use books at home to keep the learning going. Start at school, and talk to the teacher. Many preschool programs provide parents with schedules of class topics or a calendar of lessons. If yours doesn't, that's okay. Ask the teacher what the class is currently focusing on. Then, go to the local library (with your child, of course) and check out books on the subject. Early literacy activities help your child to develop the basic skills that they'll need later on as they learn how to read and write. Read the books together, asking your child questions about what they're seeing and hearing. Let them explain how the books connect to what they're doing at preschool. If they're shy to start talking, try a few open-ended questions such as, "What's happening in the book?" or, "How is this book similar to what you're talking about in school?"
Get Artsy
Art allows your child to use their creativity and can help them to better understand what they're learning about during their pre-k day. Take a topic that they're currently learning about and turn it into a crafty activity. This might mean painting a picture, making a clay sculpture or drawing with crayons. They can even make their own "school books," drawing a series of pictures that you staple together.
Explore and Experiment
Your child is learning about the world around them. In preschool programs, this often means exploring through science activities. Don't worry, you don't have to be a super-scientist to help your child in this area. Ask the teacher what area or subjects they're currently covering. This might include biology (such as plants or animals), space science, chemistry, or even physics. Talk to your child, asking them what they know about the subject. Create your own science activities at home. For example, your child's preschool teacher is focusing on the current season. You don't have to get fancy and try a meteorological lesson or an in-depth experiment. Simply take your child outside for a nature walk, looking at the trees, the sky, and anything else that has to do with the fall, winter, spring, or summer.
Even though preschool programs give young children the chance to learn in an educational environment, you can also help your child to learn at home. Piggyback on what the teacher is doing in class, tying your own literacy, art, and science activities to what they're doing during their school day.
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