While there are tutoring services that are geared toward giving kids additional help to continue on with their academics, many tutors can be expensive and can take away from spending quality time as a family. However, there are ways to help your children learn at home by partaking in some creative activities that can both entertain and educate.

Painting

Painting is a great art activity that can stimulate creativity and imagination. For younger children, painting can help with developing fine motor skills by holding a paintbrush and it can also help to teach them how to recognize colors. Mixing paints to show them how to differentiate from primary and secondary colors can be a great learning activity that you can do with your child instead of reaching for the same old box of crayons.

Crafting

Crafting can be a great way to bond with your child while making something that can hold memories for years to come. Scrapbooks are a wonderful way to show off the photos you’ve taken through the year and put a personalized touch on displaying your keepsakes.

Integrate your children into your crafting projects and make it a learning activity by letting your child cut scrapbook paper cutouts to help with hand manipulation and fine motor skills. Not only will your child be learning about shapes, cutting and colors but they will also have fun making something with a parent.

Reading

Encouraging a love of books in your children at an early age is a great way to inspire love of reading as they grow into adulthood. Books help to teach children through pictures, favorite characters and words.

New apps and eReaders have put a new spin on popup books for children by taking advantage of the touch screen to make the books come alive. Whether it’s the regular book or an eBook, reading is a great learning activity you can do with your child. While a parent can read to their child to help show that reading can be fun, parents can also encourage their children to read to them to help hone their reading skills.

Math Time Fun

Math is usually one of the most dreaded subjects in school, but it doesn’t have to be a grueling lesson at home as well. Make math time learning a fun activity by implementing math into regular daily activities. For instance, you can create simple math activities during snack time by counting the number of berries and subtracting the ones your child gobbles up or other math games during toy cleanup time while you play.

Baking

Baking is a little different from cooking because it requires an exact science when it comes to ingredients. Baking with your child can help teach about measurements, mixing components, math and the cause and effect of what happens during the baking process. The result will be a fun treat you can eat as a family and your child will be none the wiser that they were partaking in a learning lesson at home.

Gardening

Getting your child outside is always a great way to get him some fresh air and exert some energy. However, instead of taking him to the same old playground, try teaching him about nature through gardening in the backyard. Even a small backyard can be sufficient room for a small garden; whether it’s simple herbs or just planting some perennials.

Take this time to help teach your child about the wonders of nature. This can become a continued lesson throughout the year and can result in some fresh herbs, vegetables or fruits you can enjoy as a family when they’re ready to pick.

Learning activities in the home don’t need to be restricted to paper and pen lessons or monotonous flashcard drills. Add some creativity to your learning activities and not only will your child have more fun while they learn but you will be able to spend more quality time as a family.