Online Preschool Parenting Tips

Getting a child to focus is sometimes difficult, especially if they have energy to burn and are attending online preschool. However, we’ve been involved in online learning since day one and throughout the years, we’ve learned a few things to make the learning process easier for children, and parents!

Here you’ll find some insightful tips from Playgarden Prep Online to help your child focus while attending an online homeschool.

Get Enough Rest

This tip is more for yourself than your child, but being well-rested certainly benefits them as well, especially throughout the day while they’re supposed to be attending preschool. Also, be sure you are hydrated, eat enough, and exercise regularly. Doing so will help ensure that when your child is taking a break from being in front of the screen, they have your full attention.

Proper Planning

Planning ahead of time for weekdays can make it much easier to navigate them and make certain your child gets as much out of their online homeschool as possible. Helping your child plan their week at school, determine the goals they want to reach, and set deadlines to stay on track will make the weekdays flow much easier.

Staying Positive

During tough times it can be hard to stay positive, which is why you should actively look for ways to improve your outlook. Things like meditation and exercise will keep you in a good mood and this state of mind will rub off on your child. It’s important, however, to be open with them and help them understand that not every day is a good day. But pushing through and staying positive will make the bad days easier and the good ones that much better.

Continue Building Relationships

Just because you’re isolating more and doing more things from home doesn’t mean you need to reduce social interactions. These days, there are a host of tools at our fingertips to meet with friends and family, or schoolmates, online via Zoom or Skype. You can even set up virtual playdates to ensure your child is growing socially, as well as cognitively.

Utilize Technology More

These days, to help children adjust to a virtual learning environment, it’s a good idea to lead by example and use technology as much as you can. For example, you can watch videos on your tablet or computer, rather than the television, and you can use it for other things, like doing math when you need to. Incorporating more technology into your daily activities will help you and your child adjust to a more virtual environment.

Get More Involved

Many often use technology in place of a babysitter while they go about their day. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, getting more involved when your children are online can be a great way to inspire them, and acclimate them to a virtual learning environment. For example, instead of plopping them in front of the television, try sitting down with them and reading an eBook, or playing games together.

Develop Firm Boundaries

Creating boundaries when your child is being homeschooled is difficult for you and them, but it’s necessary. For example, you’ve likely set down rules for how much time they can spend in front of the television or playing video games. Laying down screen-time rules is no different. Establishing boundaries makes it easier for everyone to stay on the same page.

Create Daily Hands-On Play Experiences

Even if your child is attending online homeschool each day, creating hands-on play experiences for them throughout the day is essential for cognitive, social, and emotional development. This can be as simple as sitting down to draw a picture with them or having them play with their favorite set of toys.

Set Firm Rules for Family Time

It’s okay to encourage your child to embrace technology, but there should still be designated family times where iPads and other electronic devices aren’t allowed. Keep technology away from the dinner table or on family nights. Developing these routines early on will make it much easier to enforce them as your child gets older.

Know What Your Child is Watching

You might not have time to look over every type of media your child consumes each day, but taking time to vet things like movies will enable you to help your child understand them better. You can talk about videos or movies afterward to answer their questions and encourage them to think critically about what they’ve seen. Additionally, you can be more critical of the apps you choose for your child to enjoy and ensure they offer entertainment value, as well as being educational and promoting creativity.

Lead by Example

We already touched on the benefits of leading by example briefly but they deserve a second mention. If you spend hours each day in front of the television but then limit the time your child has it will eventually seem unfair to them. So will texting at the dinner table, and playing games online. So, limit these things yourself to show your child how important it is to focus on their online learning throughout the day, as well as how important time away from the screen can be.

Monitor Your Privacy Settings

In the internet age, it’s much easier for children to stumble upon things that are inappropriate for their age. However, there are tools and privacy settings that can make it easier to shield them from adult content online and other things. You can also set down some rules and guidelines for social media if necessary, and ensure that no pictures are shared of your children without your express permission.

Don’t Be Afraid To Say No

Many families rely on technology solely as a necessity, so it’s important to decide what type of family you are. Just because your child’s friends use iPads, online games, and other types of technology throughout the day doesn’t mean you have to let your child do the same. If you don’t feel comfortable with them having their head on the screen after their online preschool lessons are done, it’s okay to lay some ground rules and say “No.”

Before you go…

Before you go, we wanted to briefly touch upon some of the benefits of attending online preschool. Some of the primary benefits of having them attend homeschool online include:

• Developing a structured day: One of the best ways to make your daily life easier is to develop some structure and habits you perform each day. Learning this at a young age is important. With online preschool, your child will have a sense of routine that will make their lives less hectic. Having a designated area for their learning each day is also a great idea.
• Getting used to formal education: When your child starts preschool, they likely won’t be used to learning in a more formal setting with their peers and taking instruction from a teacher. However, online preschools can introduce them to such a setting in an atmosphere they’re more comfortable with, their own home.
• Learning is easier: Virtual preschools are designed to make the learning process easier on everyone involved, leveraging today’s leading tools and technology to provide an immersive learning experience. This is because they offer the same classes and curriculum as a traditional preschool, all in a seamless virtual environment. They’re also less expensive than traditional, in-person preschools.
• A head start on the learning process: Another great reason to enroll your child in online preschool is to give them a leg up on the learning process. They can get a head start on colors, numbers, and the alphabet, as well as more advanced subjects like math and reading. This is because they’ll be allowed to learn at their own pace, giving them the chance to excel in their favorite subjects.

Contact us online for more of the benefits of online preschool!

If you’re interested in online homeschooling for your young learner, contact Playgarden Prep today online or call (646) 504-4716 for a FREE trial!