Five Easy Ways to Jumpstart Early Learning

by: LaShaun Williams

I know you’re wondering how to get your two year-old to sit down for 20 minutes and recite the alphabet, but there is an easier way. Active learning is the most beneficial at any age, and young children retain information best through performance, song and play. Transforming simply daily activities into learning time is a great way to implement two to four 15-minute sessions throughout the day.

Here are FIVE activity conversions to get you started:

1. Flashcards and Breakfast: Purchase or create flash cards with the names of items commonly associated with breakfast, such as cereal, milk and spoon. Starting with five items, flash the cards while they are eating. First show the side with just the word, then the picture and flip back to the word. Repeat the exercise at least five times. Add five new cards each week.
2. Count the Steps of Life: Whenever you go up or down a set of stairs, count them. Do not restrict the amount of numbers. Whenever you are getting in the car, count the seconds it takes to put him in his car seat.
3. Play It Again: Play educational television shows and movies in all languages possible. For example, show the same episode of Barney in Spanish in the morning and in English in the afternoon.
4. Go to the Bank: Practice feeding money to a piggy bank and be sure to distinguish the various coins. One week of pennies then add nickels the next week and so on.
5. Bedtime Stories: Read at least two books with your child per day. First read the book aloud to them. Add some animation and change your voice for various characters. Then allow them to read the same book to you.

If you think your child is genius now, let us know what you think in a few weeks.