With Covid-19 forcing everyone inside their homes, schools are postponed until further notice. But while businesses are all put on hold, your child’s cognitive development and growth shouldn’t be. Here are five ways on how to keep your child engaged in learning during this crisis.
Keep A Routine
Having a daily routine that includes age-appropriate educational materials can help your children stay mentally sharp while the Shelter-in-Place protocol is still active. Choose content that you can follow via the web, on TV, or radio. To keep a good routine going, you’ll want to establish firm sleep, wake, eat, and play schedules.
Go For a Hike
With classes resuming online, kids are unable to go on educational field trips. You can still give them that learning experience by taking them on hikes while practicing proper safety measures, including social distancing. Hiking exposes your kids to different environments, from forests to swamps, where they can learn about various species of birds, plants, insects, rock, etcetera.
Cultivate Good Learning Habits
Space your children’s learning sessions into short intervals and then progressively making them longer. For instance, if the goal is to have them taking one-hour sessions of English or History, start by doing 15 minutes per session. Children tend to have a shorter attention span. If you try to jam all that information in their head in an hour or two, they’ll likely end up frustrated and unable to retain the information.
Use Safety Features
The Internet is an excellent place for learning, but it can also be a dangerous and toxic platform. Some websites contain malicious software, while others have inappropriate content that children should not be viewing. Fortunately, Google Chrome and other top browsers have children safety features that you can easily toggle on/off.
Use Audiobooks
Some people learn best through visual aids; others learn by listening. Audiobooks are a great supplement to traditional books. Apps, like Libby, let you borrow a digital copy of the book for free. All you need is a smartphone and a library card. They also have books in PDF format for those who want to read their study materials rather than listen.
Final Thoughts
Your children’s cognitive development should not stop because of the current viral outbreak. With these five tips, you can help them prepare for college and, most importantly, life.