Make Learning Fun For Your Kids! And Without Them Even Realizing It!

Being a former elementary and middle school teacher, I like to try and fit in learning experiences with the kids without them even knowing it. These are ideas you can do with your kids all the time and they will be having fun, spending quality time with you, and be learning as well.

Read to Your Child EVERY Night (10-20 minutes)

 

Kids learn by example, and if you set the example that reading is important then it will be for them. Reading on a regular basis correlates to higher test scores and a more extensive vocabulary. Libraries are a great resource, and shopping and looking around bookstores is fun as well. Also, check out what this teacher says about reading nightly.

 
Play “I Spy” While Driving in the Car!

 

This is a fun game you can play with the kids while in the car (and I’ve been spending a lot of time driving on vacations and to and from activities). Practice letters, colors, shapes, reading, math, etc. Example: I spy the letter D (Dunkin’ Donuts).  How many do you see? (2). I spy a white triangle (sail on the Chelo’s sign). How many people are on the sign? (4).

Cook with Your Kids!

 

Cooking is fun, and kids can learn a lot from measuring, mixing, and baking. Math and science skills can be practiced by discussing and measuring ingredients, seeing what happens when things are mixed together, learn what different amounts of ingredients can do, and even dividing up amounts (cupcakes into groups).

 

 

Buy Educational Workbooks & Utilize Educational Websites
 
I like to pick up fun educational books that I find for the kids. I make it out to be a fun thing, not a chore. Many good books can be found at Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Costco, etc. (or online). Kids can even use the workbooks to “play school,” and the books are easy to pack for a fun vacation activity. Also, let kids have some “computer time” to play/learn. I found some sites I think are educational that you can check out.


Take Your Kids on Field Trips!

Plan educational field trip for the kids! They think they are just getting out of the house and doing something fun on the weekend. Children’s Museums, Aquariums, Zoos, Nature Centers, and Historic Sites are all great places to take the kids.  

While my parents were watching my kids recently, they took them to the Hidden Pond Nature Center and The Air and Space Museum. My kids found both of them to be so much fun (and very educational). My kids also love learning about history. We visited the Smith Castle in North Kingstown, RI recently, and they learned so much! Field trips are so much fun for the kids; they don’t even realize they are learning!

 

Buy Educational Toys to Play with Your Kids!

 

You can find great educational stores in most towns and cities. Many of these are individually owned. I shop at a place called Learn All About It in Warwick, RI. It is family owned, has many educational activities for kids to participate in at the store, and it carries wonderful educational toys. Stores like Lakeshore Learning also carry many great toys! Playing with your kids is one of the greatest things you can do for them. Kids, especially young kids, need to learn how to play and be imaginative.  
Spend 30 minutes a day in engaged play with your child. Try this at least three times a week! You will cherish this time and so will they! Fold the laundry after the kids go to bed or wash the dishes later. This is time you will never get back with your kids. They grow older each day! Engaged play helps kids learn, and you can be an part of your child’s educational development. Remember, learning can be FUN and a bonding experience with your child.
What are YOUR favorite things to do with your kids?
Kristin

Comments

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

  2. Love these! We always have a quiet reading time alone too where my son “reads” to himself and my daughter just throws books around and listens to her brother “read”. I’m amazed at the stories he starts telling her and am so proud of his growing imagination. I also love doing at least one craft a week with them.

  3. Great tips! We do something to I-Spy – more like word find. Like find the word “the” in the sign. I think even reading mundane things like bathroom signs for “men” and “women” are fun for kids just learning how to read.

  4. Oh boy I spend a lot of time reading with my toddler every day – she LOVES it! We also have fun dancing together and going for walks outside. She points at everything wanting to know what it is 🙂

  5. My boy absolutely LOVES us to read to him!! We’ve been reading since the day he was born. But..we actually do all the things you listed above!! He’s quite the little sponge. 😉

  6. I love love this post. I have such a passion for reading to children and for teaching in every day moments. There is so much to learn and talk about with every book you read and with everything ou do and it can all be fun!

    We go on lots of vacations hiking to see nature and to lots of zoos and museums. But I find that even a walk around our neighborhood can be just as educational and fun. But who doesn’t like a little variety?

  7. Even though my daughter is only 2, we cook together quite frequently. She loves to help measure and dump ingredients in a bowl. We also read together every night. She gets to pick 3 books and usually I will read them to her and she’ll “read” them to me. I’m amazed at how well she retains the story lines!

  8. We read together, but I would love to add in more of the others. They are all great tips, and I love them all. Thanks so much♥

  9. Very good tips. LOVE this post. Teaching and learning are never ending with children. We love to draw with markers on the bathroom mirror. Makes learning fun.

  10. Love all these tips! I’m fortunate that my mom was very involved when we were young and did all of these things with me and my siblings.

  11. Great tips! I loved playing ISpy!!

  12. I love cooking with kids! They learn so much: measuring, counting and more.. Love this post.

  13. I need you to guest post on the activities with kis – love all your ideas

  14. Haha- I am heading to Learn all about it tonight! Great tips! I love reading to both kids every night!

  15. We are SO into books right now. All G wants us to do is read to her. I love it and we get to snuggle too! Off to DC next week to check out the zoo and aquarium! 🙂

  16. Love being with my kids! They’re growing into great readers – partly because daddy and I are both always buried in the pages (or the ipad version) of a book! Thanks for the ideas for spending time with our kids!

  17. Those are great tips! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  18. Great tips! We homeschool our kids and I always say that kids are always learning. We teach them day in and day out without even realizing it. So many learning opps just in your every day life.

  19. this is awesome! My husband got me that butterfly habitat 2 years ago for my birthday. I loved it and so did my boys! Best science project ever!!

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  22. sharon powell says:

    Awesome post. I love the field trip idea.

  23. I love these tips! It’s always nice to find new ways to educate your children through fun and exciting activities!

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