No matter what your kids’ schooling will look like this year, most of us are anticipating that they will need to do at least some learning from home. And while we all want the best education for our children, we also need to be realistic about the demands that distance learning places on us and our kids.

How can we ensure that our kids are staying engaged and learning without asking too much of them (and ourselves)? Here are some easy ideas that will enhance and supplement what your kids are learning through school during their free time at home, without feeling like just more of the same.

TYPING PRACTICE

Learning proper typing form and taking the time to practice these skills will save time and frustration on the keyboard, especially since our kids are spending more time on the computer than ever before. There are many fun and free typing games for kids that are perfect for learners of any experience level, from the complete beginner to the older kid who just needs to improve speed and accuracy. Cool graphics, fun challenges, and even friendly virtual competition make these so much more fun than the way we learned our way around the keyboard as kids.

FAMILY BOOK CLUB

Choose a children’s book by age or reading level of your kids, and have each family member read it independently. Then, come together over dinner or a special family night activity to talk about the book. Have a few thought-provoking questions in mind to get the conversation going. Discussing a book helps kids to think critically about what they are reading, and prepares them for future school assignments where they’ll need to explore characters, themes and plots. This is especially great to try if you have middle schoolers because there are a lot of wonderful middle school books that really appeal to parents, too.

LIFE SKILLS

There’s much more to learning than can be found within the pages of a book. Think about using some of your time together at home to make sure your kids have important life skills that will serve them well in the future. Younger kids can learn how to set the table or do their own laundry (and put it away!). Older kids can learn simple sewing skills or cook a meal for the family. These are important steps for our kids in terms of their self-sufficiency, and will also give us some much-needed help around the house.

PODCASTS

Today’s kid-friendly podcasts can have such high entertainment value that the learning feels like an added bonus! Don’t miss out on this opportunity for your kids to learn about subjects ranging from history to science to storytelling in a fun and engaging way. Many of them are so captivating that parents love listening, too! Find a couple of favorite podcasts for kids to keep in the rotation, and queue them up when you’re making dinner, in the car, or even at bedtime instead of a book.

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