How to Build Education into Your Child's Everyday Life

Children learn by exploring their world. As adults we often take for granted how fresh and new everyday experiences, sights, sounds, objects and sensations are to children. Exploration is key in developing and exercising cognitive skills.

Parents sometime innocently squelch a child's exploration, trying to manage and keep the house in order. I was at a friend's house one day and her children wanted different kinds of juice and colored drink mix. The intention was to play with their food and drink. Since it is not appropriate to play with food and waste drinks their mother would not't allow it. At the same time their desire to make a mess was really an urge to experiment, explore, and learn. I stepped in and set up an activity to satisfy their exploratory instincts. We filled up several glasses of water and put food coloring in each glass. I also gave them empty glasses to pour colored water in, knowing they would want to mix the different colors together to see what would happen. Not only did they get the sensory experience of coloring water, watching the pigment disperse throughout the glass, but they also mixed colors. The youngest, three years old, then wanted to decorate the table with the various colors. Instead I pulled out a few white towels. This way they could fully experiment and experience the colors on a medium.
I had a similar emergent experience when I worked as a pre-school teacher. This story is a wonderful example of daily life, in a familiar environment, meets science education. In the yard, of the pre-school, there was a large bushel of mint. The smell was naturally pungent and appealing to the children. We gathered the mint and left it in the kitchen to dry out. After a couple of days the leave changed form and we could use it to make tea. Already the children get to observe change. While the mint steep to make tea, the kids were able to see how a simple plant and heat changed the look, smell and taste of ordinary water.

Enthusiastic discussion added language development and social skill the science curriculum mix. I was then inspired to let them add ice to the tea, so they could see how the ice cubes shrank in the warm water.

The significance of this very simple everyday activity is the variety of curriculum that it instigated, including but not limited to the scientific aspects mentioned above. Mint is native to where the children live, so they were experiencing an indigenous plant. Drinking tea is a social and cultural tradition. The act of gathering and processing herbs instigated language development and indigenous science, culture and social curriculum.

For children learning is a life process that happens at home, in childcare and daily living.

The examples above are wonderful examples of adults engaging children in learning through normal activities. The same value can be upheld in children helping with cooking and cleaning. Young children love to help and if this is encouraged and exploration and learning are incorporated into the experience early they will feel an ongoing sense of belonging and accomplishment.

Activities to Enhance Learning for All Ages

1) Emergent Learning Activities: If your child shows an interest in something nurture that interest through activity. Questions are an obvious clue to a child's interest. For example, if your child asks how bread is made, clearly bread baking would be a logical response. If their interest in baking continues, find a local baker to visit on the job.

Your child may take an interest in hummingbirds because they see a picture or better yet see a hummingbird in the garden. You can take your child to the library to learn about hummingbirds. The most wonderful activity, inspiring many categories of thought and learning, is to involve your child in planting flowers that attract hummingbirds and installing a hummingbird feeder. In the area I live in hummingbirds are a major part of our local Native American folklore- a parent here can nurture their interest by seeking out a storyteller in the local tribe.

2) Teaching Compassion: Take children to visit an animal shelter. I make grand efforts to discourage parents from getting animals, especially live rabbits, for their kids. (a family pet is a parent's responsibility) A child can learn compassion more effectively by serving animals at the shelter. One of the most touching things I ever saw at the shelter where I volunteered with the rabbits was a lovely family that brought their two young daughters to the shelter to feed carrots to the bunnies every Sunday. What a wonderful message and gift these parents were giving their daughters! This is not only an opportunity for children to learn compassion, but also self control, community service, and language.

3) Play Educational Games Together: This suggestion, and the previous suggestions, are likely difficult with a busy schedule. However a family game night not only helps children learn, but also keeps an adult mind stimulated. Educational games teach cooperation, strategy, and problem solving. The connection and quality time has a value all its own. It is a far better alternative to watching television. While it is nice for family to watch television together, it impedes communication, natural conversation and relating. When a family watches television or movies everyone is relating to what is on the screen instead of each other. The cooperation children learn playing educational games together helps them with family life and in relation to the world.

Here are some wonderful educational games:

Roll n' Play- this is a wonderful introduction to games for very young children. Roll n' Play introduces the concept of following instructions, involving simple strategy and action. It can be enjoyed by parent and child; it is also wonderful for younger and older siblings.

ABSeas- This delightful fishing game is great for learning phonics and can be played with up to four children. The lovely graphic images of fish with instruments can instigate various conversations, developing language.

Games for Kindergarten and Elementary School Children:

Word Flip- this is an wonderful game that combines math, word recognition, and spelling skills. There are 3 levels of word difficulty, so children of a wide range of ages can enjoy it. Children as young as six can play if assisted by an adult or older child. There are blank word cards that can be used for school spelling words. I enjoy playing this game as an adult!

Stargo- this is the most amazing and clever game I have ever encountered! I have never seen a game that teaches children about stars and constellations. The game cards glow in the dark, which makes me picture a balmy summer evening where the family plays the game on the porch or in the yard while identifying constellations in the night sky. This game is currently on clearance, which means that it is possible it may not be available in the future.

Think it Through- Self-correcting game that covers all basic skills, math, science, phonics, reading and more. It is wonderful preparation for standardize test and much more fun!

Rush Hour- this is a highly advanced strategic game with many levels. The expert level is difficult for adults. This is for the older child that needs an extra challenge.

Other Recommended games that the family can enjoy together:

Marbleworks
Zingo
Totally Tut
Timing It Right
Fractions Supreme Pizza Game

The Value of Play
Play is also essential for children to learn- it is absolutely essential for children to do so in a way that allows safe open ended exploration that is fun and engaging.

4) Select Toys to Enhance Education- As a fellow educator I want to share the incredible value of educational play in the home and in childcare. For children learning is a life process that happens at home, in childcare and daily living. One of the greatest ways to facilitate this process is through high quality Educational Toys. Discovery Toys are non-violent, top quality Educational Toys with a lifetime guarantee.