If you watch and listen carefully you will find lots of spontaneous opportunities for everyday learning all around your home. Like rainbows in the vegetable patch.
Or delicious fresh corn that you grew yourself.
Not to mention the plethora of creatures who reside there with you.
And these everyday learning opportunities lead to lots of interesting discussions, like;
How the moth must have “forgotten to go to bed” because small people know that moths are more active at night.
Not to mention the one about animals who do not have tails. Which leads to all sorts of brainstorms about animal tails – long ones, short ones, curly ones.
Plus an ongoing debate about which babies are born from eggs versus their mummies tummies.
These are very important discussions in our home right now.
And if you wish to encourage the everyday learning potential of these instances in your home, you could try;
- Listening to what your child or children talk about when they are playing. It will give you lots of clues as to what they know and what they are thinking about which could lead to some very interesting conversations.
- Asking lots of open ended questions which encourage further thinking and problem solving. Read more about how here.
- Encouraging brainstorming of as many possible items, ideas or solutions as your child can come up with.
- Visiting the library together to find more information.
- Googling for more information.
- Strewing interesting learning resources around your home. Read more about strewing here and introducing props for playful learning here.
- Creating invitations to play.
- Keeping watch for interesting creatures. Did I mention our recent plague of grasshoppers?
What everyday learning has been happening in your home recently?
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
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