Category Archives: Reading

Avoiding the Homework Tantrums

Children learn new things naturally  – just like breathing. The most natural way to build in any learning is by following their interests. We all learned new concepts as young children by exploring through our interests. Then as adults our interests have generally led us to our careers where we continue to learn new information and skills. Learning is a life-long process. If your child is having difficulty learning new concepts try delivering it through their interests – what toys...

Before Shopping With Kids

Before shopping with kids discuss with your children what is needed by going through the cupboards or pantry at home and see what is missing. This a great way to involve them in avoiding the regular tantrum disasters that quite often are associated with taking children shopping with you. While they are retrieving vocabulary of various food items missing in the cupboards have your child write or draw the list of items they want to look for at the shops for you. The sense of responsibility is...

Learning Through Play

The opportunities we see as ‘play’ are actually the vital foundations of mathematical and language concept development. Most parents are now both working and choosing other care options for their child. It is very important when choosing the carer for your child they understand what playtime represents and offer a daily routine that is filled with times to explore with a variety of materials that are child directed and not just teacher instructed sitting on the floor or at the table...

At Afternoon Snack Time

When your child comes home from school or wants a snack – rather than you ‘do it all’ get them involved. Locating items in the fridge or cupboard is ‘sorting’. Gathering items to make the snack is ‘organising’. These are the same skills required in the classroom to help them learn how to order letters into words for reading and sorting items to count. Obviously the skills we learn later in the work place have to start somewhere – so starting early

Play is the Best Brain Power

A lot of research has been done on the effect of exercise on our children’s intellects. A study published in 1997 by The Journal of School Health showed that intense physical activity programs had positive impacts on academic achievement. We now frequently see in schools the morning start with ‘Health Hussles’ before the best part of the learning day starts in the classroom. Because it was found exercise increased our concentration, social interaction behaviours, and improved...