With Covid 19 now a part of our daily lives, many parents are finding themselves struggling to get an optimal at home learning environment set up for their kids.

Education expert, Elizabeth Fraley is often asked for advice as she spent over three years as a former director of an early elementary program and now heads up her own educational service company. 

With over a decade of experience in the classroom, we asked for her list of 5 “must have” essentials for preschoolers learning from home.

5 Home School Essentials For Preschoolers

#5. GAIAM KID’S BALANCE CHAIR 

Gaiam Kid’s Balance Chair is the perfect desk accessory to help kids with long Zoom days! This chair is extremely comfortable and has a sensory aspect to it which helps children maintain focus, maintain/eliminate restlessness, while also helping to reduce boredom. This chair also helps to promote natural posture. You child will have a much easier time on Zoom in the proper chair. 

#4 POSTERS AND POINTERS

A playroom is not complete without a set of educational posters and pointers. Having these visual aids up in your home will create more of a “classroom feel”. Additionally, your child will be able to have educational visuals around them to enrich their learning. 

#3 Word Walls 

In your home, you can create your own word wall to mimic the one in your child’s classroom. With the word wall, you can keep track of the words you introduce your child to. You can organize the words by words of the day, words of the week, words I know, etc to help your child build confidence with words and have a visual for them to master and build confidence with words. You can add color to the word wall by adding pictures of family members with names or using magazine pictures with words. 

#2 All Set for Kindergarten Kit 

With Covid 19, some families are taking to the road. The All Set for Kindergarten Kit is great for road trips and intercontinental travel during covid. Everything in this kit is contained and includes pencils, crayons, math skills (numeracy skills, counting, dot to dots), literacy skills (early words, dry erase activities, alphabet charts). This is the perfect one size fits all kit for early learners. 

#1 Sign up for Virtual Classes

If possible, supplement your child’s education with customizable learning programs. I started Kinder Ready to meet the needs of the child and keep them engaged. There are plenty of ways to do this from signing up for a zoom art class to hiring some extra one on one help from an in home teacher in a particular subject. Receiving individual attention at a time when many are in large, virtual classrooms can not only help pinpoint areas in which your child may be struggling, but uncover passions and talents that they can be excited about.