While some children are beginning to return to school, home learning remains a fact of life for many of us. However, there are lots of ways that you can organise your home learning routine to make it a motivational, productive, and most importantly, rewarding experience!
Before starting, it’s important to remember that there’s no right or wrong way to learn at home. Instead, the key is to do what feels right for your family. And remember: no matter how you do home learning in your household, you’re doing a great job!
1. Create a study zone
Create a small study zone for your learning to take place, such as at a desk or a table in the living room. Set out clear working hours and ask the rest of your family to be as quiet as possible during these times.
Before beginning each day’s studies, double-check for and remove any tempting distractions that may have crept into the study zone, such as toys on the floor, a turned-on TV or a bowl of unfinished popcorn.
To make it an extra-productive space, have stationary easily to hand as well as lots of colourful pens and paper for your child to make notes. You could even liven up the space with educational posters or inspirational quotes!
2. Structure your day
Having a schedule is helpful for your own organisation and can also be really comforting for children. Knowing what to expect each day will help them to feel calm, collected and ready to learn.
However, don’t feel like you need to stick rigidly to your timetable. If your child is having a lot of fun learning about a specific subject or if they’re not focused, feel free to shorten or lengthen study blocks as you go. Be flexible and adapt accordingly.
3. Liven up your learning
Home learning is a fantastic chance to let your children’s creativity shine! Alongside any work that your school has provided, introduce hands-on methods of learning where possible to liven up their learning.
For example, if they’re learning about the environment, why not head into the garden and take a look at all the insects you can find? Or, if your child is learning about the Egyptians, they could create their very own pharaoh mask with cardboard and paints!
For even more ideas, check out these fun maths activities you can do at home.
4. Supplement school work with other resources
If you’re running out of school work or would like more ways to support your child’s home learning, we have a range of free resources you can use, such as free curriculum-aligned topic guides.
DoodleMaths is designed to be used for just 10 minutes a day, meaning you can easily fit it into your home learning day. Best of all, you can try it for free!
5. Expect the unexpected
Is your child unable to focus? Did your maths lesson not go to plan? It’s okay for things not to work out quite as you intended – just ask any teacher!
If your child is struggling, try talking to them about how they’re feeling. Reassure them that it’s okay not to feel okay. If they really don’t want to work, don’t be afraid to shorten a lesson. Instead, head outside for some fresh air.
6. Be kind to yourself
Finally, while some parents may seem to have created an idyllic home learning paradise, remember that everyone is different. What works for one family may not work so well for another, so try not to compare yourself to ‘Super Sarah’ who is currently building a 1:100 working scale model of NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery with her children!
Rather than re-creating a full school routine, home learning can be a fantastic opportunity to take a more creative approach to learning. So relax, take a deep breath, and enjoy the opportunity to have some fun and enjoy quality family time together.
With over 40,000 curriculum-aligned exercises, DoodleMaths is the perfect way to continue your learning at home. Best of all, you can try it for free!
