What Can Families Do with their Kids at Home to Improve Educational Outcomes

While most kids get their formal instruction in a public or private school setting, there is a lot that families can do to further their childrens education at home. Many families help their children learn without deliberately planning to do so. It is something that comes naturally to many parents. However, with a little bit of thought parents can provide their kids with even more opportunities to learn at every stage of their childhood.

Early Childhood

Simply put, a parent is a childs first teacher. From infancy, kids learn from their parents. In those first few months of life parents teach babies when to expect food and how to fall asleep. A few months later, parents begin to teach older infants how to eat from a spoon and how to develop the gross motor skills that the child will need in order to learn to crawl and to walk. Throughout their childrens infancy, many parents sing to their children or narrate their daily activities. This, however unintentional, helps children learn language skills.

As the infant grows into a toddler and preschool age child, the parenting role expands. The parent may enroll the child in different kids activities such as music or movement classes. While many parents see these classes as a fun way to structure their day, it is also teaching the child valuable socialization, language and motor skills.

Parents of toddlers and preschoolers may also engage their children in simple games. The games are fun and a way to enjoy your time together but they are also educational. Something as simple as playing catch teaches the child to take turns and to communicate with you so that you work as a team to prevent the ball from falling.

The Elementary School Years

As kids enter elementary school much of their day is taken up in formal schooling. However, they are still learning from their parents when they are at home.

The early elementary school years are a great time to get your child involved in daily household activities such as cooking. Cooking requires the child to follow directions, to learn mathematical measurements in terms of cups and spoons and, to learn important kitchen safety techniques. It is also begins to teach children about the work that goes into feeding the family and keeping the familys routine running smoothly.

Middle School Kids

It might seem like your middle school child wants to be anywhere else rather than with you. Many kids this age are involved in a power struggle with their parent(s) that is the beginning of their separation from their parents. Yet, most kids still respect and learn from their families, even if they are not aware of it.

It might be difficult to get students this age to sit down and play a game with you or to help you with household tasks. While it is important to include them in all family activities and, at times, to insist on their participation, it is also important to structure some kids entertainment activities that they will enjoy.

This is a great age to take the child to various museums or historical sites. If finances allow or you live close by it is a nice age to explore a city such as Boston, Washington D.C., or San Francisco. Your child may be more agreeable outside of the home, you will be able to expose the child to different historical or cultural places and teach the child how to safely navigate the city.

High School Students

The high school years are just as important for family educational activities as the earlier years were. Many teens are getting ready to leave the family home for college, jobs or the military. Many parents are eager to teach the child to have more independence and to use good judgment. Independence and good judgment are certainly skills that are encouraged in school but they are most often taught and fostered at home.

A public, or private, school cannot bear the full responsibility for educating a child. Kids learn a lot of academic and social skills from their parents. More importantly, they develop their senses of pride and responsibility, and their ability to make good decisions from the lessons taught at home.