Real Moms, Real Solutions: How Do I Help My Kids Get Ready to Learn?

There is only a short time remaining before school is back in session, that is why it’s important to make the most of the everyday learning moments that help better prepare your child for a successful school year!

Bella Breakdown

Let’s face it – we all slack off with making sure our kids are keeping their brains from turning to mush over the summer. With school a few weeks away, do your kids a favor and get them ready to begin learning again. Although summer is for fun, it’s important that your child not lose all of the skills they gained during the school year. You can accomplish this (and make it FUN) by reading to them or having them read to you each day. 
 
Bedtime is such a wonderful time to snuggle with your child and a great book. It’s one of my favorite times of the day! If you have teenagers, have them choose a book from a list and read it with them (you each read the designated pages alone). You can then come up with parts of the story line to discuss with your teen as you read. It can also be a great time to communicate with your teen during a time when they are more interested in friends and texting than you.
 
As traditional as it sounds, I have found that good old math flash cards are a fun way for my kids to keep up with their math skills. Every couple of days I bring them out at meal time and the kids love the challenge of seeing how fast they can call out the answer. You can also find inexpensive math workbooks online that help your child practice whatever math skills they have been working on.
 
Another dinner time fun activity can be story-telling. One person can begin the story and each person has to add on as you go around the table. You can get as creative or silly as you like! If they are old enough, having your child create his or her own story and write it down is excellent writing practice. When they are done, they can illustrate it if they like. Keeping a journal is also an easy way for children to practice writing. Kids love to write about themselves and their lives, so encouraging them to write about what they do each day helps them practice this important skill.
 
Finally, although this shouldn’t be the main way to keep your child’s mind active, there are many educational apps out there that really do teach important skills. I have found a few that I like that are appropriate for my kids’ ages. I researched them, checked them out myself first, and limit the amount of time my kids spend on the tablet.
 
With these easy tips, you can have your child ready to learn and excited for school in the fall. If you have any fabulous pro-parenting tips to dish out please share your ideas in the comments section below 😉
 
 
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.

Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice in our “Real Moms, Real Solutions” series!