We at Battat believe that when one door closes, another one opens. You might not have to take your kiddo to school these days, but you can bring the school to them through 3 easy steps and the magic of pretend play! By playing school in the comfort of your home, your little student will be able to step back into their actual classroom as if they haven’t skipped a beat.
1. Turn the Living Room into a Classroom
Every pretend play school needs its own environment! Make space for a little study area with a table and chair where your little one can lay out their pencils, papers, erasers, scissors, glue, and other school supplies. This will mimic their usual classroom spot, make them comfortable, and help them concentrate as they learn. And if you have space, why not add a teacher’s desk for yourself and a board that your student can use to practice their ABCs and 123s!
2. Create a Lesson Plan
Although we always strive to make sure each child learns as they play, we leave the formal lesson plans to the teaching experts. With an abundance of accessible online resources, there’s no shortage of information on how to plan a lesson for your child!
But an abundance can also get overwhelming at times, which is why we want to lend a helping hand with a few suggestions below:
- Pick 1-2 Subjects a Day: Focusing on one or two subjects per day out of reading, writing, math, science, or art can help you navigate this new teaching role and keep your little one engaged!
- Divide a Lesson: If you decide on English class, focus on learning the letters of the alphabet and their order in the morning, then practice pronunciation in the afternoon. To stay active, you can also challenge your child to make the shapes of the letters with their bodies!
- Incorporate Learning into the Everyday: Combine lunchtime with a lesson on nutrition! Get your child to learn about different foods through riddles, such as “I am green on the outside and pink on the inside – what am I? A watermelon!” Touching, smelling, and tasting food can also add a dash of sensory fun to the lesson.
- Step Outside: Learn about the plants in your backyard! You can explain to your kiddo that plants grow by placing a seed in the soil, watering that spot, and making sure it gets enough sunshine. If you have a garden, you can get them involved in the actual process, or you could recreate the experiment by growing vegetables, herbs, or flowers in recycled eggshells!
3. Press Play on Imagination
Once the study area is set up and the lessons are planned, you can brainstorm with your mini student to come up with a name for the play school – and maybe even choose a uniform! Surrounding your child with a few pretend classmates can also help set the scene, so don’t forget to save a seat for their favorite teddy bear, dinosaur, or doll! Then let the learning begin – call on different students, get your kiddo to come up to the board, and add a sprinkle of fun to every lesson!
Creating a weekly report card can also help you keep track of your child’s progress, not to mention that showing them positive results could boost their confidence. And who says gold stars are the only way to go? With Easter right around the corner, switch them out for sweet treats!
We want to dedicate this blog post to all of the inspiring preschool teachers, child care workers, members of the education system, and hardworking parents who keep our kids learning every day!
This post is not intended as a substitute for the educational advice of professional teachers.