Thank you to Learn Everywhere for sponsoring this article.
With the Covid19 Crisis, parents and educators have been thrown into figuring out a new normal overnight. But this situation has also been a great reminder that education is not a place – children can learn everywhere!
We are lucky to live in a digital age with online communities where people come together to share information, ideas, and suggestions. #LearnEverywhere is an initiative by yes. everykid, to bring parents and educators together to support one another through resource sharing and encouragement. Join the LearnEverywhere Facebook Group for a plethora of daily ideas, learning materials, and encouragement from others going through the same experience nationwide.
As moms dealing with this universal experience ourselves, the Wichita Mom team thought it would be beneficial to round up some of the ways we have been teaching our own children using everyday life to encourage and show them that the best learning is all around us.
How Wichita Moms Teach Their Kids to Learn Everywhere
Learning doesn’t always need to be structured! Take the pressure off of yourself as the parent! Simply talk to them throughout the day about what is happening in your routines.
– Nicole, Speech Pathologist
General Life Skills
My daughters wrote and helped address 30 Birthday cards to friends and family! We not only had a lesson on handwriting, but also what goes on an envelope, cost of stamps, and how the letters get delivered. We had so much fun.
-Jenna
We have been writing a letter a day. I had no idea my bright 11 year old was putting the zip code in a super random place!
– Jenny
I’ve been making a point to talk to my girls when we bake (so much baking during the Corona Quarantine!), specifically the basics of measuring and fractions. The other day I realized we didn’t have our 3/4 cup and so I took the opportunity to show them that 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup = 3 quarters. Trying to find the everyday learning opportunities where we can.
– Angela
My older son helped my mom landscape part of her back yard and both boys have helped landscape our yard. I’m also teaching my older son how to balance a checkbook and cook more than microwave ramen.
– Kendra
Technology
My 8 year old is interested in drawing and asked if he could make a YouTube video with a drawing tutorial. I recorded him drawing using art materials we had at home and he explained each step of the drawing. We worked together to use iMovie to edit his video and posted it to YouTube. He planned the steps for his project, learned about speaking clearly for an audience and learned some technology, too. It was a fun way for us to learn together!
– Lauren
Business/Entrepreneurship
My kids helped assemble gift bags for people who were able to come by the drive-thru open house for my retail business, we had an assembly line and counted to make sure everything made it in the bag. They were also in charge of creating the message with chalk. My daughter also helps daily sort orders and calculate totals for customers.
– Sally
My 9-year-old sits at my desk as I work – it’s been a great time to teach her about how I create a marketing strategy for a business, why digital marketing is so important during the COVID-19 crisis, and how advertisers use persuasive language and speech to influence our thoughts and purchases.
– Erin
Art
We explored the color wheel by finding various objects from around the house to make a color wheel starting with primary colors and then adding the secondary colors. We used toys and house supplies from around the house. Then we arranged the objects on the floor to make our own color wheel.
– Ginny
Science/Nature
We ordered ants for our ant farm. We have talked about hard work, persistence and teamwork. We have a big garden at my parents house we are all working on. We have also been identifying tree species on walk and looking up different birds at the feeder.
– Megan B.
We are studying the life cycle of a caterpillar and writing observations on growth and what they look like/what their cup looks like every day. We are also planting seeds for a butterfly garden! I think we will do a veggie garden as well.
– Jillian H.
We learned about the water cycle with a simple science experiment of shaving cream and food coloring.
– Laura F.
We have been playing “does it sink or float?” with our water table outside! They LOVE it and always come up with fun things to try. And we develop a hypothesis. Setting the table and folding laundry have always been great educational activities too.
– Chelsi
With school closures across the state, we would love to know, how are YOU embracing the concept of learn everywhere?
