Why Online Learning is A Good Idea for your Kindergartner and How you can Help in Making it a Success

“All technology is not the same, all media is not the same. There`s consumption, and there`s creation, and there`s communication.” – Dr. Ari Brown, Chair of the AAP Committee

The covid-19 crisis has brought upon an all-pervasive wave of changes across most aspects of our lives. This is an especially confusing time for parents/caregivers of young children, who now have to figure out how to not let the learning journey of their young ones get disrupted during these unprecedented times. With brick and mortar learning solutions becoming debilitated, Covid has led children to take an abrupt, collective jump into the online learning space, and for concerned parents this change is an added challenge that presents itself during an already stressful time.

However, digital learning does indeed offer the opportunity for seamless and unhinged cognitive growth of the child. And therefore, parents are being left with little choice but to trust the promise that online education offers – of helping their child receive, as much, if not more, early-age mental and behavioral development opportunities, as offered by traditional play schools and other similar set-ups.

There are some understandable apprehensions towards the idea of online learning for 2-4 year olds (Unwanted amount of screen-time, lack of physical movement and hands-on-learning, etc.). However the digital programs of today have taken into account these apprehensions and provide reasonable solutions for the same, in addition to a plethora of other impressive benefits.

Flexibility and Customizable Learning

Online learning actually provides a wonderful opportunity to pace and schedule the child`s learning, as per the desirability of the caregivers and the child. The child receives the freedom to learn at their own tempo. We can also customize the screen-time, location, timing, choice of tutors, and courses taught, as per our choice and convenience.

An Extensive Pool of Skills, Topics and Resources to Choose From

E-learning offers the opportunity to mix, match and select courses, depending on our child`s interests and needs. We can select or design programs that can ensure holistic growth and development for the child, which include not only cognitive exercises, but also opportunities to perform hands-on learning and physical activity. We can easily find courses for a wide variety of skills, such as- Language, Math, Arts, Music, Behavioral Development, Phonics, Kinesthetic Learning, etc.

Opportunity to Caregivers, For More Involvement in the Child`S Learning

Online learning gives caregivers the chance to play a more direct role in their child`s learning, by being present with and assisting the child during the course of the learning programs. The digital medium also provides the option to perform journey-tracking for the child. This can be a helpful tool for parents/caregivers to know how to and where to guide the child through their learning journeys, based on the information on the child`s strengths, interests, learning patterns, etc.

Opportunity for Technological Familiarity and Learning

These early brushes with technology, through the online learning programs, can become the much-needed basis for technological familiarity and adeptness for your child`s “future-readiness”. Technological skills are going to be fundamental for the future our children are going to grow up in. This hands-on learning experience with technology can have an incredible pay-off in the long run in regard to our children`s future sustainability and success.  

These were some of the advantages that e-learning can provide for our little ones. But, now we come to the important question of - How can we as caregivers help our children to make the most of this online experience?

Here, are some answers for this understandable query.

• We can help the kids to navigate the unfamiliar and possibly confusing world of online platforms.
• We can create and uphold reward systems to help enhance their interest and vigor for the learning. 
• We can co-create a learning schedule with our child, that helps them to be sufficiently engaged as well as is supportive of their needs.
• We can collaborate with them on their tasks and activity trainings.
• We can create meaningful interactions, such as by giving the child a list of questions to answer, or asking them to re-iterate or articulate their learning. 
• We can create a supportive learning environment by using positive affirmations and praises.

We hope this blog was helpful for you. To read more of such content, click on this link. Stay tuned for more blogs by The Banyan in the future!