The New Parenting Club

All children of all ages from birth to the teen years have two main drives which are operative during these growth years. These are: – first – the drive for safety and security which comes down to; always, always knowing that the connection with mommy and daddy is there. Once this is assured the next drive is to explore and learn everything about their world.

You as a parent should avail your child of everything needed to gain this knowledge. Of course your child needs the academic skills to fit in and succeed in tomorrow’s world, and children learn best through play.
Whether your child goes to school or is part of a growing number of children who are freed from the drudgery of sitting for six hours every day, you can expand their skills and interest them in non-violent and helpful ‘edutainment’.

When you imagine homeschooling, some of the first images that may come to mind are that of a child sitting at the kitchen table with textbooks or perhaps a child sitting on the sofa reading to mom or dad. Traditional homeschooling usually will involve some textbooks, workbooks, copy work and reading to other family members. These methods are widely used and often make an appearance when schooling at home.

More and more though, homeschooling parents are finding even more options available to them to help their children learn and they are fun too!
A wide variety of electronic games, board games, video learning tools, and electronic reading and writing devices have hit the market in recent years and they are quickly gaining popularity. They make learning fun and engaging in ways that textbooks cannot.

My son, age 10 has a game called ‘Simms 3’ where he creates people in a town. He gives them physical characteristics and personality traits. After which he chooses vocations and designs a home. They can marry other created characters and have children. Ingenious!

Board games have always been a favorite among children so it is no wonder that a few innovative companies have developed a line of educational games for kids. There are dozens of games for children of all ages that teach math, science, spelling, problem solving, and even history. Playing these games together as a family helps them to learn new things with little effort. Cariboo by Cranium is a game that teaches younger kids shape recognition, color recognition, letter recognition, and counting in ways that kids find engaging and exciting. Blokus by Educational Insights teaches strategy and reasoning, as well as spatial perception. Scrabble, Cranium, and Trivial Pursuit are great educational games for older kids.

Online computer games are also gaining popularity. The JumpStart World series for preschoolers to second graders has become a favorite among homeschooling parents. Through these games children access a 3D world of their very own where they can work on reading and math skills at their own pace and in a fun environment. Spelling lessons are mixed in with tic tac toe and counting is learned while searching for buried treasure. New adventures can be downloaded monthly so that the fun and learning can continue.

Parents are also able to access scores online so that they can see what skills their child needs to work on and which ones they have mastered. The same company also has a fun Math Blaster program for older kids.

Reading and other basic skills can also be learned with the help of digital books and electronic devices. LeapFrog is a leader for this type of product. They have a new Tag system that seeks to teach children how to read. Children read through the many books they have available and they can get help with words they are stuck on by touching the Tag pen to the book page. LeapFrog also has the LeapPad with books organized by grade to teach reading, phonics, vocabulary, math, science, music, and more.

All of these tools have taken traditional learning techniques and made them play. This children are sure to love.

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