Everyday Learning – How can I help with my child’s learning at home?

The following ideas are to help you support your child’s learning whilst at home:

All the fun activities that you do with your child at home and in the wider environment are important in supporting their learning and development. Fun and rich learning opportunities can have a really long lasting effect on your child’s learning as they progress through school.

Even when your child is very young and cannot talk, talking to them helps them to learn and understand new words and ideas.

Ideas to support Communication, Language and Literacy at home:

  • Looking at print in the environment – from road signs to shampoo bottles. Your child can then see that print is purposeful and conveys meaning.
  • Looking at books together; including non-fiction books about topics that interest your child. If they are ready, encourage your child to ‘read’ the story – encouraging them to tell you what is happening from the pictures.
  • Make a book together: Take photographs and make a scrap book of a special event or holiday. You could also make an alphabet scrap book

Ideas to support Mathematics at home:

  • Singing number rhymes such as Five Currant Buns, Five Little Ducks or Ten Green Bottles
  • Solving problems – How many cups of water to fill the teapot
  • ‘Talk Maths’. Use mathematical language such as more/less in everyday tasks
  • Measuring out ingredients for cooking
  • Helping with the shopping
  • Water play at bath time – filling and emptying a range of containers

What could you do at home to help promote creativity?

  • Collect natural materials to make pictures and collages.
  • Mix cornflour and a small quantity of water to make ‘gloop’
  • Play a variety of music types and dance
  • Make instruments out of household utensils and make some noise!

How can I learn outside?

  • Bug hunts in the garden
  • Exploring the park or local woods, especially at different times of the year to experience seasons; jumping in puddles, especially muddy ones!
  • Collect natural items like leaves, conkers, flowers etc; discuss or create a picture with them
  • Walk to the local supermarket and talk about the different types of fruit and vegetables, shapes and colours
  • Go for a walk in the dark with torches and reflective clothing; Ask your child what sounds you might here at night.

If you need any resources to help support your child at home, please speak to your child’s key person.