Ways To Connect, Bond With, And Teach Your Children

Learning is everywhere. There are immeasurable opportunities to engage your children’s minds. Take advantage of the following ideas to teach your children and enjoy quality time together.

Embrace Technology

Devices and the internet get a bad rap these days regarding how children interact. Of course, kids need and should be monitored when it comes to technology usage, but it can also be a boon for learning. 

• A prime example of this winning strategy has come to the forefront recently as Scholastic have partnered with voice tech specialists Soapbox. They will use voice-powered learning opportunities to better engage with and teach children.
• It may be taboo to talk about, but watching shows can be a way to help your children learn. Find an educational show and sit down to watch it with them. Make it a quiet time together or an interactive exercise where you move around while singing the alphabet.

Incorporate Learning into Everyday Activities

If you look at the big picture and try to map out all the ways you think you need to teach your children, you will become overwhelmed. Take a step back and rethink your approach. Try these everyday activities instead of making a big plan.

• If you are in a building with a choice between taking the elevator or the stairs, take the stairs. Bring exercise into the equation in addition to math. Please have your child count each stair as they climb up and do the same on the way back down.
• As you drive along, talk about what you see outside your window. Discuss billboards, colors, different cars, or even different people. Use this as an opportunity to learn about things they may not have routine exposure to daily. Awareness is an important part of learning, too.
• Reading books is a great way to bond with your children and foster a love for learning. Try different materials like comics and graphic novels, and use a comic price guide to select age-appropriate options that fit your budget. Sharing stories with your child creates lasting memories and encourages a love for reading. 

Remember Life Skills

No matter what age your child is, there is always something for them to learn, especially when it comes to life skills. When teaching these necessary lessons, remember that your attitude matters and your kids are watching you. Try to make the tasks fun by playing music.

• Most people do not relish the idea of cleaning. That is ok. It still must be done. Even if you have a cleaning service that takes care of your home, your kids may not have that luxury one day. To that end, it is a gift you can give them to teach them how to clean.
• Laundry is another chore you can teach your children. Show them how to sort colors or clothing types. Depending on their age, you can count clothing items or identify colors as you go along. Teaching them how to fold towels can be an exercise in fine-motor skills. And, putting the clothing away is just good practice for the future.

Watch this video to learn how one child takes care of her family’s laundry.

Now that you have some ideas on how to bring more learning into your children’s lives, go ahead and try a few things. You will be amazed at how easy it is to teach them and have fun at the same time.