Welcome to Teaching Your Child

'Teaching Your Child' provides advice and support for parents and carers on how to develop their child's learning. A range of activity ideas are suggested to enhance your child's reading, writing and number skills. The site also provides information on behaviour management strategies, the importance of social skills and healthy lifestyle choices.

The Benefits of Supporting Your Child

One of the most valuable things parents and carers can provide for a child is a supportive and stimulating environment. Whether you have a few minutes a day or a full weekend, there are a range of activities for you to do together with your child. All activities are designed to be beneficial and fun, whilst providing parents and carers with suggestions on how to ensure their child progresses well during their early years of education.

Teaching your child to read is an essential skill and by introducing them to stories at a young age and supporting them you can help them progress into confident and able readers. For our step-to-step guide on learning to read, see Progressing with Reading.

Being able to count, add and subtract are all key skills that children need in their everyday lives. Maths is all around us and there are many ways in which we can use everyday opportunities to develop a child's maths ability further.  There are a range of maths activities and suggestions, such as how to help your child recognise and write numbers. For more ideas on supporting your child's numeracy see Developing Maths.

Learning to write is a complex task which children are expected to master at an early age. By providing opportunities for your child to practise writing letters and learning each letter sound, they will be able to progress far more quickly with their writing.  Often children increase dramatically in confidence and are more enthusiastic, such as when they learn to write their own name! For ways to help your child with writing see Learning to Write.

Children need time to socialise and make friends with others their own age, to be happy and confident in themselves. By organising activities for your child and their friends they will learn to share, take turns and show consideration for others. For ideas on how to help your child develop friendships and their self esteem see Social Skills.

Your child's behaviour is key to them being able to learn and progress at school, and of course being happy at home. For advice on how to handle your child's behaviour see Behaviour Management.

Having a healthy and balanced diet is important for children's all round development and well-being, for advice on healthy lifestyles see Healthy Living.

By setting aside quality, one-to-one time your child will have the opportunity to learn lots of new skills and have a range of new experiences.  With all the suggested activities, it is advised that you adapt them to suit your child's individual needs.  Praise and encouragement is necessary, so your child develops confidence and is motivated and keen to learn and try new things.  By supporting your child you are ensuring they become more able, confident and primarily are happy and able to try their best at everything.