The home computer can be a real playground, and huge fun. There’s nothing quite like a kid in the middle of a game, or learning something new, and even a tired parent will suddenly find themselves getting less tired and more enthusiastic. All types of computer games are fun, and going from LEGO to the latest construction software is really a matter of degrees of difficulty for a kid.
Basic learning
Computers are good basic teachers. They’re also very consistent, and you can monitor the quality of materials very easily. Learning how to learn is a key component of early childhood education, like reading, literacy, numeracy, and language usage. Tireless computers can provide easy tests, games, and interest which a child can access easily.
This is also good management in making sure your child has a very strong exposure to computers. They’re made a natural part of the child’s environment at an early age, and the kid doesn’t have to battle with strange, unfamiliar things in early school.
You can easily structure basic learning, and sitting in on a session will tell you all you need to know about any problems, or any talents the child is developing.
For example, the average 3 year old can handle:
- Reading games
- Phonics
- Spelling games
- Words and vocabulary
- Pronunciation
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Ideas and comprehension
- Graphics
- Stories
Kids are very quick to recognize things when they get them right or wrong. Computers can provide the instant reward of being right, and most will defuse to some degree any situation where they get it wrong, “Try again”, etc. Doing this in private at home also reduces the brutal impacts of making an idiot of themselves in front of classmates, which reduces stress levels considerably.
Important: A child with an actual learning disability or developmental issues will also benefit from computers. The ability to practice regularly, and conduct remedial learning in a secure environment can be greatly enhanced, at much lower costs, and far more conveniently, unless the kid must have actual tutor assistance. Most importantly, computer based results are measurable, and can be evaluated very effectively.
Developmental learning
Some kids learn faster or slower than others. They need to progress systematically, targeting areas for development or further learning on a case by case basis. A truly bright child can learn by themselves, and learn well, devouring information like a vacuum cleaner.
A kid having problems can go to work on the weak spots, and kids, tending to be very stubborn, can put in a lot of effort in these areas on their own initiative. The biggest asset in these cases is that they know they’ve got a way of improving, and they can control it themselves.
These are two sides of the same issue. Developmental learning must be progressive. From LEGO to CAD, 3D modelling and high finance is just a few steps from learning to read and write. A child who can see themselves progressing has a built in incentive to study and learn. Add a large component of fun, and there’s no “sales resistance”.
After all, their progress is their own personal achievement.
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