Schedules, Routines, Home Learning and You!

So you’ve done it-you made the choice to pursue online Montessori preschool! Congratulations! The  virtual Montessori preschool platform is one that will provide your little one with so many new learning opportunities, all from the comfort of your home. However, many parents, especially ones who have had more expertise with in-person learning may be asking, “Now what?” Don’t worry-it’s normal to feel a bit lost or unsure of where to begin in terms of providing your child with the best possible at-home learning experience.

There are a number of steps you can take that will ensure the success of your child’s online Montessori learning! Before you can even get into the fun part–the learning–it’s crucial to make sure that the physical environment your little one is a part of will be conducive to their online Montessori preschool experience! Some helpful ideas for creating such a space:

1. Communicate with your little one: This may seem like such simple advice, but constant communication with your little one will aid in so much! It’ll create a democratic home environment as well as keep you and your child on the same page regarding their education. You can practice this by asking them where they’d like to study in the house and having them share their own ideas about their learning space.
2. Designate special learning areas: The physical space your child can dictate so much of what their learning experience will be like. As such, it’s really important to ensure that your little one has a space that’s distraction-free and makes them excited to learn! Outside of whatever devices may be used for learning, try and limit their screen time and try to avoid distractions-whether it’s from toys, tablets or people!
3. Create worktime routines together: Just like we benefit from structure in our day-to-day lives, so will your little one as they learn through their online Montessori preschool! Routines are helpful for getting used to anything, and if your child knows what to expect from each day, they’ll be willing to tackle what they don’t like doing just as much as they will be excited to do what they like. Establish a good time for waking up and going to bed, set them reasonable deadlines for getting their work done, and reward positive efforts. Don’t forget to plan out break times, too-we all need a little time to rest or relax!
4. Stay connected with close ones: When beginning to learn using an online Montessori preschool–or any online learning setting, really–it can be hard to find time to connect with the people around you, especially with a world as unpredictable as ours. If you’re trying to limit your little one’s exposure to some of the scarier parts of the world, be sure to keep them socialized! You can get creative with this-FaceTiming friends and family members, planning virtual movie nights or, if you feel it is safe enough, car visits are all great options for maintaining safe distances for health reasons while still allowing your little one to build connections with the people near to them–and you too!

Try Our Online Preschool for FREE! Playgarden Prep offers numerous educational videos from real teachers, and numerous DIY projects that support early learning and development