Education starts at school and continues at home. There are plenty of things that you, as parents, can do at home to help your child along a strong developmental path. Here are some helpful tips to give your child an advantage at home, which will transfer to the classroom.

Reading is an important cognitive function for children to learn. Take every opportunity you can to read with your child. Make the kitchen, living room, and their bedrooms, into “reading zones” and devote some time every day to reading short stories, homework, or anything that is particularly challenging for them.

Games can be exceptional learning tools. Board games, card games, memory games and word games subtly engage a child in learning essential problem solving skills, while ensuring they have fun! Showing them how much fun learning can be will make them more eager to learn.

Computers, tablets, and mobile devices have access to all sorts of educational resources that can help your child learn in a collection of different ways. From games to writing to reading, technology offers a number of different ways to engage kids as they learn. Don’t be scared to let them get used to technology, the sooner they learn about the devices, the more comfortable they will be when using them in the future.

Remember to encourage your children through the learning process. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in helping a developing mind absorb information. Mistakes should not be cause for concern. Instead, view them as learning opportunities and help your child realize where, and how, they can improve.

Practice, repetition, and routine help a young mind develop skills faster, and become more comfortable with the skills they already have. Set time aside to count with your children, let them write stories for you, and read them together. This little bit of effort can make a world of difference in the long run.