Being home does not have to mean boring. As schools across districts closed in March, many kids are home day after day. During these times, we must help children maintain their educational progress by assisting them to stay engaged and focused. Here are some tips and ideas to help you keep kids engaged in lessons while staying home.

How can you help with distant learning as a parent or guardian?

While educators give guidelines for students participating in distant learning, you can help by reviewing the lessons provided. Take time to go over the expectations and time each child should spend online as it will vary depending on age. Younger children depend more on interactions, whereas older students can learn through more extended amounts of screen time. Create a schedule or routine for completing educational activities while reducing distractions. However, be flexible with the schedule as needed. Sometimes, your child is not engaged at all, take a break, and come back. If you notice your child is alert and engaged, focus on educational activities that are more difficult and take more time.

As each child varies, you must determine what works best for your child. Some activities may work better than others at keeping your child engaged. Pay attention to the preferred activities to assist in finding learning experiences that are the best for your child. While staying home, keep kids active by encouraging movement. It has been shown that some children focus better after exercise or while standing. Last, make sure to provide positive feedback. As the change to distance learning is difficult on all of us, receiving positive feedback after completing a lesson can keep children engaged and motivated.

Educational resources and activities:

Distance Learning Resource Center provides a list of resources provided during these times to assist in distance learning. These resources are to enhance education as it goes virtual and keeps kids engaged.

TEDEd offers educational TED talks.

ReadWorks provides information for reading comprehension. Educators and families can use the resource. Families can make a free account to set up plans to keep students improve reading comprehension and academic achievement.

Amazing Educational Resources offers a list of educational resources available. These resources are for parents and teachers. Some resources are temporarily free, and some are always free.

Rosetta Stone is offering students free access for three months with a quick sign up. This requires an email to sign up. If you have multiple children, use a different email for each child during sign up.

Lisa Allen created a WebQuest to teach kids about viruses. This activity will require kids to watch educational videos, read articles, and show off what they learn. Lisa also made a WebQuest for DNA and a presentation with an activity for kids to learn and identify some well-known landmarks.