Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
Early years education is not just about making sure children are ready to learn when they start school. It’s also about building a solid foundation for their future by laying the groundwork for their social, emotional and cognitive development. Early years have also become one of the most challenging times for parents raising young children. There are so many things to juggle at once! That being said, there are many ways you can support your child’s early years development at home and make this time much easier for you as a parent. Here are some creative tips that will help you as a parent support your child’s education from birth until they begin school.
Reading Aloud
At their very core, books are communication tools. From the moment your child is born, reading should be part of your everyday interactions with them. By reading to your child, you are helping them to develop their language skills. Reading also positively affects your child’s cognitive development, social skills, and self-esteem. This is because reading aloud provides the perfect environment for your child to use their little growing brains to create a vivid picture of the story in their imagination. There are many different benefits to reading aloud to your child from birth. You can read them stories about anything you like, not just books. You can read signs, the newspaper, letters, or even write your own stories. You can read your child’s favourite books over and over again. This will help them to build their language skills and has been proven to make them more confident readers as they grow up.
Music and Dancing
Music is another essential part of the early years learning experience. Music is not just lovely background noise for your child; it is a powerful learning tool that can be used at any stage in your child’s life. Be it to encourage your child to walk or crawl, to learn the alphabet, or to use as part of your child’s regular daily activities, music is an integral part of the early years learning experience. Music has been shown to affect a child’s early years development positively. These include; It can help improve your child’s cognitive, social, physical, and language skills.
Literacy Technology
We live in the digital age, so it makes sense that the early years of the learning experience would include technology to some degree. Many apps and other technology-based learning tools are available to parents who want to support their child’s early years development. Most of these apps and other literacy technology tools are designed to help your child to build their literacy skills and prepare them for school. Using voice-powered early literacy tech can help develop literacy skills at home or in classroom environments for children of any age and ability level.
Sensory Play
Sensory play is a very effective way to help your child develop in many ways. During the early years, your child’s brain is growing and developing at a very rapid rate. They grow new neural pathways daily and form new connections as they learn new things. Learning is not just about sitting down and listening to information. Your child’s brain is built to learn through exploration and play. By engaging your child in sensory play, you are helping them to develop in many different ways. You can use everyday materials to provide your child with many sensory experiences.
Puzzles and Problem Solving
Developing your child’s problem-solving skills is another essential part of their early year’s development. Children are naturally curious and are always looking for things to investigate. Your child’s inquisitive nature and desire to explore are essential to their learning process. By engaging your child in puzzles, games, and activities that require them to use problem-solving skills, you are helping them to develop in many different ways.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
