Is your home set up to provide the best learning environment possible for your children? When a home is equipped for learning, children are more likely to thrive because they feel supported in reaching their full potential. A home filled with love, encouragement, and opportunities for learning makes it easier for children to succeed in the world.
Research has proven that when a child has a positive early learning environment, their brain develops more effectively. This expansion positively impacts other areas of learning later in life. With the increasing shift towards digital learning, children require a nurturing environment full of materials, space, love, dedication, patience, and support to enhance their sense of security.
Why is a Positive Learning Environment Important?
A positive and purposeful learning environment can boost enjoyment and engagement. It can also help to enrich teaching and learning and improve academic performance. Effective learning environments promote a strong sense of community, leaving children feeling valued, respected, and connected. Building and maintaining working relationships with family and friends can also contribute to a child’s sense of belonging and provide them with access to important role models. This can help to improve mental health outcomes. At Educate Excellence we prioritise building positive relationships with children in order for them to get the most out of their learning experience.
Creating a positive learning environment at home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a bit of creativity, organization, and enthusiasm, you can make learning an enjoyable and rewarding experience for your child. Remember, the goal is to foster a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.
What Does a Positive Home Learning Environment Look Like?
A positive home learning environment goes beyond providing basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and clothing. Children need love, support, structure, guidance, consistency, and security to succeed in learning.
A positive learning environment consists of the physical environment your child lives in and their interactions with people, things, and the world in general. Here are some tips to help you create this environment at home:
Tip #1: Provide Emotional Support, Love, and Attention
Emotional needs are met by parents and families who provide support, love, and attention. Without feeling loved and heard, no child can thrive. Having a sense of security from fully engaged parents and a supportive, loving family can help children develop the self-motivation they need for learning.
Tip: Avoid involving your children in arguments and disputes and shield them from yelling wherever possible. Negativity in the home creates an insecure environment and inhibits learning as the child becomes distracted and preoccupied with adult affairs.
Tip #2: Encourage Reading
When children are regularly exposed to books and reading at home, they have an easier time developing intellectual skills such as concentration, memory, vocabulary, problem-solving skills, language, and more. Not only should children have access to books, but they should be reading or be read to every night for at least 15 minutes. It’s important to keep children reading!
Tip: Give your child access to children’s books and incorporate reading into your daily routine. Trips to the library can be fun and educational, teaching them responsibility and care for borrowed items. Read bedtime stories together to foster a love for reading.
Tip #3: Create Special Learning Spots
Designate different functional areas for your child rather than keeping toys, books, supplies, and homework piled up together. Your child’s learning space should be filled with all the things they need to thrive. Whether it’s a wobble chair to keep the busiest bees moving while learning, or pencils and paper, your child’s space needs to be dedicated to learning.
A dedicated learning space should be filled with all of the visuals that a student needs from motivational posters to the alphabet to make your child feel comfortable in their space. You don’t want to make the space overwhelming by being too cluttered, but their learning environment should be one they enjoy going to.
Tip: A folding card table can be used for hands-on activities and homework, while an easel can be set up for art and creativity. The bedroom is ideal for reading and quiet time, while homework and remote learning are best done at the kitchen table or a designated office space. This separation helps children associate different activities with different spaces.
Tip #4: Keep to a Routine
Following a good routine is crucial for creating a favourable learning environment. Routines offer structure and a sense of control, reducing anxiety and helping children feel safe and receptive to learning.
Tip: Establish routines like 30 minutes of fun screen time after supper, followed by homework time. Incorporate clean up time after playtime and maintain a regular wake-up and bedtime schedule, even on weekends.
Tip #5: Encourage Independence
Encourage your child to be independent by creating a trusting, engaging environment, and assigning age-appropriate activities.
Tip: Keep toys, books, and games within reach, provide a step stool near sinks, and make clothing easily accessible for getting dressed independently. Get them to teach you difficult concepts so they can demonstrate their understanding.
Tip #6: Include Them in Meaningful Experiences
Include your child in meaningful activities like cooking, cleaning, and gardening to teach them essential life skills.
Benefits: These tasks can teach fine and gross motor skills, sorting and matching skills, visual perception, number concepts, sensory stimulation, vocabulary, communication skills, digital literacy, and responsibilities.
Tip #7: Make Sleep a Priority
Adequate sleep is crucial for learning. Children up to 12 years old need 12 hours of sleep nightly, and teens need between 8 and 10 hours.
Tip: Establish a structured nightly routine, avoid screen time before bed, and create a calming environment for sleep.
Tip #8: Be Present and Engaged
Set aside your electronics and be present for your child. Your attention and engagement are crucial for their learning and well-being.
Tip: Praise their achievements, display their artwork, and create meaningful experiences together. This builds their self-esteem and encourages learning. Take them on educational trips such as the British Museum, Tate Modern and The Natural History Museum.
Tip #9: Sitting at a Desk vs. Flexible Sitting
You know your child best. Sitting at a desk is great for a majority of the time and can help your child associate that sitting at a desk means it’s time to focus. However, some students need the option of flexible seating either for all learning tasks, or just some. Maybe your child needs to sit at a desk to practice their multiplication tables but needs to lay in a corner with pillows to do their evening reading. Whatever the sitting looks like, it needs to be where your child is the most productive.
Tip #10: Taking a Break
As adults we get tired sitting for long periods of time, children get tired quicker. It’s important that your child is allowed to take structured breaks, where they can read for a few minutes, do some stretches, or play outside.
Tip: Take your child out of their dedicated learning space so they don’t associate work with their hobbies. This makes sure they are fully rested and are having a well-earned break.
Tip #11: Providing Snacks
Children can have a difficult time focusing on an empty stomach, so having a snack or two during the process of doing work can keep your child focused for longer periods.
Tip: Try and provide healthy snacks to your child such as fruit and vegetables. Junk food can cause children to spike in energy and ‘crash’ quicker reducing their energy levels and leading to a lack of concentration and mood swings.
How can Educate Excellence help?
Here at Educate Excellence we provide support for both parents and children throughout primary school. If you need help or support during this time, please contact either Fayas, the head of education, or our PLOs who will be happy to provide advice where they can.
Creating a positive learning environment at home is essential for your child’s academic success and overall development. By providing emotional support, establishing routines, creating dedicated learning spaces, and fostering independence, you can make learning enjoyable and effective. Remember, the key is to balance structure with flexibility, ensuring your child feels loved, supported, and encouraged every step of the way. With these tips, you can help your child develop a lifelong love for learning. Happy learning!
