| ren love to learn, and they learn best when parents | | | | poetry teaches children the beauty of language and |
| take an active role in their education. The first | | | | reading aloud will strengthen their reading skills. Discuss |
| response to this from many parents is that they do not | | | | the poems after each reading to be sure that the child |
| have the time to sit down and teach their child math or | | | | understood what they read. This will increase reading |
| reading. Many state that this is why they send their | | | | comprehension, a skill that every child will need during |
| children into the school system. Teachers know best | | | | school years. |
| how to educate the children they teach. | | | | Another great driving activity is to make up math |
| There are many ways to teach children, and not all of | | | | problems. Problems can be as simple as 1 + 2, or can |
| them require a parent to sit down and have a | | | | be structured as word problems (Mom has 3 apples |
| structured plan. In every activity that a parent does | | | | and ate 1). For older children, keep paper and pencil in |
| with a child, there is room to add in an educational | | | | the car for them to work on harder problems. To keep |
| element. Here are just a few great ideas: | | | | the game fun, allow your child to make up problems |
| When swimming in a pool, have the entire family count | | | | for you too. By taking turns and trying to stump each |
| before anyone jumps in. For younger children, try | | | | other, it creates a game atmosphere. |
| counting all the way to 10. For older children, introduce | | | | On long drives with older children, be sure to play |
| a new language. Counting to 10 in Spanish or Japanese | | | | informative talk-radio programs. When the program |
| is just as much fun and the child will learn the numbers | | | | ends, ask your child what they thought about the |
| quickly. Exposure to the sounds of another language | | | | broadcast. Ask for their opinions and feelings. Engage |
| will make it easier for a child to learn that language | | | | them in conversation and get their brains working. |
| later in life. | | | | They must learn that it isn't enough to just listen to a |
| Driving provides a wonderful opportunity for learning | | | | broadcast, but to actually think about the material |
| and fun. Use the time to play rhyming games and | | | | presented, digest it, and form opinions. |
| word games with the kids. For younger children, stick | | | | Learning should be fun. Parents can use everyday |
| with words that are easy to rhyme: fun and sun; bug | | | | activities to teach, and do it under the guise of |
| and rug. Older children can be challenged to make | | | | entertainment. Children need to be shown that learning |
| rhyming poems or haikus. Or keep a book of poetry in | | | | is fun, and that it is a process that never ends. |
| the car and have your child read out loud. Exposure to | | | | |