Make your home a learning oasis

SCHOOL isn't the only place for learning activities. When your child's at home, you're his teacher. Parents are a child’s first (and most important) teacher. When it comes to your child’s education, never underestimate yourself.

Your home is full of opportunities to explore learning with your child and, at the same time, build his or her self-confidence and understanding of concepts. You can support your child’s learning while you do daily chores. You can invite your child to help you, or you can provide an activity for your child to do close to you. That way, you can talk and listen to your child while you work.

But everything doesn't have to feel like a classroom lesson. You can make your child excited about discovering something new when you disguise the learning activities as fun time. Use items that can be found in your home and make the learning activities enjoyable and inviting.

For small children, sorting laundry, setting the table, working in the kitchen and other household tasks can be opportunities to learn about colors, shapes, counting, measuring, and sorting. Just being open to using these times will unleash a new attitude toward those tasks for everyone involved.

Also, you can make a small reading corner for your child. Put pillows and a soft blanket in a corner of the room where you are working. Many children appreciate the comfort of a quiet area in which to nestle, especially if they are still learning to read out loud. A comfy beanbag next to a tidy bookshelf is inviting for a child. Add some of your child’s favorite books, or some new books, for him to look at. Ask him to choose a book, look at the pictures, and tell you the story in his own words. Give him lots of encouragement for looking at books independently.

Teaching your child to read is one of the most wonderful gifts you will ever give him. The vast mass of knowledge in the world can only be gained by reading, and if you want your children to be smart, they have to acquire a love for reading.

You can make your home a place where children have fun and where they are busy learning and doing. Creating a dynamic home learning environment will make learning natural and will foster a healthy curiosity that would result in an independent learner in your child. Help your child succeed at school by making your home a learning oasis.