Have you ever wondered to organize your own house to be a learning environment for your child? It is very important for the child to live in a house that assists him in developing his cognitive and non-cognitive skills.
How do we do that? Simply by following the below steps:
- Remove any clutters in the house.
- Each item needs to have its own space and place.
- Consider the heights and dimensions of any tool or furniture according to your child’s dimensions.
- Clear colors need to be used. Try to keep away from dark colors like black, brown, and dark grey.
- Any broken item needs to be removed.
- Any item in the home environment needs to have a function.
- Remove away or lock up unsafe equipment.
- The aeration and lights need to be good.
Let’s have a closer look at the house:
Space can make a great contribution to your child’s learning. Floor space can be used for big projects or floor activities.
Shelves can be used to organize the materials for the child. Remember all materials need to be accessible for the child to be used safely. The shelves need to be clear and organized to be visualized by the child.
In the Kitchen
A kitchen is a wonderful place for great activities for learning while having fun. Use recipes and allow your child to do the measuring in different forms like counting spoonful, measuring jugs, and weighing and estimating the amount. Even setting the timer of the oven can be presented to the child. All these activities can contribute to learning math concepts. You can extend the learning by reading a book about certain fruit, the child is attached to, or by visiting a farm that plants this fruit.
In the Dining Room
It is a place for social learning. It is an excellent time to learn together the social rules. Getting the members of the family to eat together is a blessing and fundamental to the child. It is wiser to close the TV in the dining room. You can use this place to guide the child on how to set a table and place food. Moreover, you will be able to share ideas and thoughts while eating.
In the Living Room
A small shelf with some appropriate stories will do the trick of introducing the print form to the child. Also if you place a family photo album will be a great idea for remembering positive happy memories within the family. Happy moments bring the learning upfront for the child. Do not forget to leave space for cozy cushions and a small blanket. It will add a harmonious environment for the child.
The TV as a machine can be used as a source of information. It needs to have certain rules to be used.
Managing T.V. at home
- After watching an informative film, you can get a paper and start to write certain words that are recurrent. If you have a book that is related to the film, why not use it?
- Discuss with your child about his preferences. You can plan the watching time.
- Establish some rules for reducing the time spent watching TV, for example, TV is used twice a week and before 7 p.m.
In the bedroom
This place is of special importance to him. The below items are needed in his bedroom:
- Bookshelf: Books could be organized by type, alphabet, date first read, or favorite.
- Bean bag: It needs to be a fluffy and cozy one. Don’t forget to place it near the window for natural light.
- Story CD/ tap
In the bathroom
The bathroom is a learning time for science concepts like float and sink and density. You can teach hygienic lessons to the child. Have a small stool for the child to be independent in the toilet.
Sahar Radwan – Montessori Directress