Learning at home – Literacy, math and science

It is a common misconception that children don’t learn math, science, language or literacy until they start at school. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth! Children practice and develop the foundations for these skills when they are very young, and the good news is, you don’t need any specific resources or activities to support this learning at home. Also, learning through play is the best way for children to develop an interest and love of these skills.

Ideas for language and literacy development

• Ask educators to record themselves reading popular stories, in a conversational manner. This will encourage conversation between children and families whilst listening, and allowing children to have the familiarity of their educator’s voice. 
• Reading, ask questions, what might happen next, do you see…? Move your finger across the words you are reading
• Writing a story or creating a book
• Activity for more than 2 people: Create a script for a play/television advert and act it out
• Write some affirmation or gratitude cards
• Write the shopping list, To-do list for the day
• Roleplay

Ideas for numeracy and math:

• Game: Finding numbers in your environment i.e find 4 of something and so on
• Count how many steps to the bathroom, your bedroom etc 
• Measure the height or lengths of objects using no measurement items i.e the door is 8 shoes high
• Sorting and classifying almost anything
• Creating a timetable for the day and using the clock to manage their own time
• Cooking-using measurements, temperature-timing
• Helping with the family budget
• Role play shop
• Sorting objects, shape, type, colour etc
• Making patterns
• Measuring, estimating
• Ordering by size

Science ideas

• Simple experiments (milk, dishwashing liquid and food dye). Research why it reacts the way it does
• Melting ice. What can you use to speed up the process
• Balloon rockets
• Create a quiz game using household items and the children have to determine whether the item is a Solid, Liquid, Gas
• Floating and sinking experiments, record your predictions and then your findings and compare- looking at the properties and material each item is made of.

Can you think of any other ways children can explore math, science and literacy at home?