Tips and Tricks: Here's how to tackle homeschooling

Schools remain closed in our country for most students and it's not yet clear when school routines will get back to normal. Until that point, it means that children are being taught at home. This means that parents of school-aged children are facing a special challenge. After their own work in the home office, they also have to be available as a learning companion for their children and their first point of contact for all questions regarding their studies and homework. For this reason, it's often helpful to explore the content to be learned in a playful way.

But how do we motivate the children to do their work?

Solid structures and processes are important when it comes to handling the everyday routines between working from home, homeschooling, and childcare. Waking up on time every morning, replacing the common relaxation outfits of home office with normal clothes and eating breakfast - this is how you can start the days normally at home. Then, when it's time to learn and study, it can also be helpful to have some kind of bell sound to start and end the "school time", just like in real school. That may sound strange, but "imitating" the familiar school situations can give children security and make their start to the school day easier. The end of the school day should also be at a set time so children can adjust to it. Child-friendly weekly and daily planners such as the Magnetic Weekly Planner from "Educate" (11460) or the printable small foot Planner can help with this.

School first, then pleasure!

Once all the school assignments have been completed, it's time for free time. When that times, outdoor and exercise toys as well as parlour games are always a good idea in these times of the coronavirus because they offer the perfect balance to homeschooling. Also great: Shut the Box (2116), which is the perfect combo of a parlour game and maths training.

at small foot since

Lena, Marketing Manager

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2 Children, A girl (5 years), and a boy (2 years)
Why do you like working for small foot?
I like the informal, personal atmosphere. The individual departments work together like big gears and use teamwork to create a wide range of high-quality products which have been accompanying children for now over 30 years.
What's something you particularly like about small foot toys?
The focus on wood as a material, the loving details (e.g. the graffiti on product 11377 (Freight Train Station with Accessories), the exclusive designs.
What is your favorite small foot toy?
The Houses of Locks! Kids loves keys, and their first attempts to open different kinds of locks playfully trains their fine motor skills. I'm impressed by the high level of long-lasting playtime value and the possbility to lock up little treasures!

After the birth of my first baby, I placed a lot of value on sustainable materials. The wooden Balls of Fun Rattle unites two things: sustainable material and a child-friendly baby toy. The noises that the rattle makes really made my baby grin and laugh. I especially like the fact that the rattle fit well in the hand and is saliva-proof. In their first months, babies really like putting toys in their mouths and experiencing them with all their senses. The German TÜV certification gave me peace of mind when buying the small foot Balls of Fun Rattle.