Month: August 2020

Nowadays, going to school means going online. Here’s how parents  can help their kids to navigate distance learning through educational videos and other tips!

Children love educational learning videos, and they also love going back to school! But school is looking a little bit different this year…

 

This school year brings in something new to most of us. It is not what many Tiger Cubs are used to. It also comes with its own set of challenges. But distance learning has its TIGER-RIFFIC perks, too! You may not realise it now, but with your little ones home most of the time this year so far (and for many, in the months ahead too), this is the PURR-FECT opportunity for them to build on their family life with you and their siblings (and their own tigers/pets, too!). 

The new normal can be tough, but there are several ways parents can help their learners at home adjust to distance learning and make the road smoother and more fun! 

From watching educational videos for children to breaking out into an impromptu concert performance (my favourite thing to do in the shower!), parents can make the experience more memorable for their kids. 

 

Here are some of the ROAR-SOME ways to help your preschoolers (and older kids) with distance learning:

 

1. Create a routine

Your Cubs’ day in school is highly-structured, and you can do the same thing at home. A routine can significantly help young learners feel less anxious about the entire situation. In comparison, older kids can work to a more relaxed schedule. 

For your preschoolers, you can create a timetable showing the specific activities that need to be done throughout the day. Go ahead and use colourful pictures, crayons, stickers, and stamps to mark which activities are finished. By keeping track of their schedule, they also feel accomplished! 

2. Start the day with F-U-N!

Speaking of activities, teachers recommend that young Tiger Cubs start an e-class with something fun to perk up their energy and keep them motivated. You can do some light stretching and exercise. There are a lot of fun videos for children online used for physical activities, that you can choose from. If exercising is not your thing, you can try singing and dancing to your favourite tunes to get those positive vibes coming! Not only will a fun start to the day help your Cubs be ready for the day, but it can also do wonders for your mood and disposition.

 

3. Set up a study space

The environment that you create for your Tiger Cubs makes a big difference, so setting up their workstation in a conducive area is very important.

 

The dedicated workspace doesn’t have to be grand (no matter what Pinterest tells you). As long as the space is clean, comfortable, and well-lit and ventilated properly, then it’s the right work area for your little one. Make sure that all toys are kept so that the kids will not be tempted to play. Noise level at home needs to be as minimal as possible, too, since the children may be watching educational learning videos, and the noise can be distracting.

 

4. Keep in touch with the teachers

First of, TEACHERS ARE PAW-SOME for everything that they do for their students.

 

Teachers have always been parents’ partners when it comes to their children’s education. But distance learning made this partnership much more significant. Frequent communication is essential to let teachers know how your Cubs are faring at home. You can also ask for help with things that may be unclear, or how to manage activities. Most teachers are more than happy to extend their helping paws to parents!

5. Let go of perfect expectations

Parents have expectations for their kids, and sometimes, Mums and Dads forget that their Tiger Cubs are still learning new things. Therefore, not everything will be done correctly at the first try – and that’s okay!

Letting go of the idea of perfection allows Tiger Cubs to fully experience learning – from committing mistakes to learning from them. But it doesn’t mean that parents should not follow the expectations or standards set by the school. Mums and Dads can help their young kids achieve their learning goals through scaffolding, or taking one little step at a time.

 

Make Learning Exciting with Tiger and Tim’s Fun Educational Videos!

Whether today’s lesson is about the planets or jungle animals, education can be supplemented through fun and interactive learning videos for kids – like Tiger and Tim!

Tiger and Tim episodes are great resources to complement the lessons from school. We have Story time, arts and crafts, exciting facts, and fun tongue twisters! Children are acquiring skills and gaining new knowledge without them realizing it. Making learning fun – that is what Tiger and Tim is all about.

 

Distance learning during the new normal may not be the ideal way to learn. However, learning can take place anywhere – may it be in school or at home! After all, parents will always be Tiger Cubs’ first teachers.

 

Lots of Love, as always, Tiger xoxoxoxoxo 

 

Click here for more of Tiger’s blogs for parents and cubs!

Kids nowadays are digital natives, and one way to help with their language development is through watching good quality educational videos, like TigerAndTim!

Learning While Having Fun

I love learning and exploring new things, just like all Tiger Cubs! One fun  way parents can help cultivate your own cubs’ natural curiosity and love for learning is through watching educational videos at home.

Not a lot of parents realise that viewing is a skill. But it is considered as a language skill, because it will greatly help with your Tiger Cubs’ language development. Most educational videos (like Tiger and Tim!) make viewing more interactive and exciting , so your Tiger Cubs are learning A LOT without them even realising it! So it’s definitely a win-win for Tiger Cubs and parents!

Read on to find out how you can make the most out of learning through viewing below!

Viewing as a Skill

We are all too familiar with the four macro skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking. But language researchers believe that there is a fifth macro skill, one that resonates with the times: That skill is none other than viewing!

Viewing as a language skill is defined as the process of understanding visual texts that come in various formats, such as TV shows, advertisements, films, videos, and images. In short, viewing is the act of ‘reading’ visual cues. So it’s like reading a book while looking at pictures, animations, and listening to accompanying sounds!

When it comes to acquiring and developing language understanding, it makes sense that viewing is considered valuable, especially nowadays. Online video-sharing platforms have also made audio-visual, multi-sensory texts even more available for children. With so many schools and families opting to do distance and online classes this school year because of the global pandemic, the role of learning through videos for kids plays a significant role in their language development.

Make the most out of viewing

Parents often dismiss viewing as an essential skill, thinking that most of the videos for kids are only meant for entertainment purposes. However, when using age-appropriate learning videos,  viewing can aid in various aspects of a child’s language development. 

Videos are purr-fect tools to learn English or any other language. Furthermore, viewing is an TIGER-RIFFIC way to develop children’s literacy as learning English through stories – that combine pictures and sounds – is considered more exciting and stimulating for your ever-so curious cubs!

One way to make the most out of viewing is to ensure that you choose learning videos for kids that are of good quality. Not all learning videos are created equal, and young learners are not yet able to accurately discern which ones are good for them. Therefore, Tiger Cubs would need their cool parents and educators to watch these videos and their children and students to ensure that learning actually does occur. And wouldn’t it be more fun to watch videos together?

Try asking your kids simple comprehension questions after watching a video, such as “Who are the characters in the story?” or “Where did the story take place?” to gauge whether they understood the material or not. It could also help them be more engaged in the story and fosters bonding between you and your Tiger Cubs.

Tiger and Tim Learning Videos

Stories infused with animation are sure fire hits for young children. These learning videos for toddlers and even for older kids not only entertain them, but they can also help build language skills such as comprehension and vocabulary.

Tiger and Tim episodes come with the Storytime segment, wherein a fun and creative story is presented with vivid graphics and animation. Storytime’s unique stories are targeted at preschool-aged kids and above, but older children (and even adults!) also find them enjoyable. It’s my most favourite part of the show. Well, the ENTIRE show is actually my favourite!

After the story, you should ask simple comprehension questions to check for understanding, and words that may not be familiar to them. You may then proceed to talk about what they liked about the story or what they might have found interesting in the video. As parents, you are very much encouraged to share your own insights with your Tiger Cubs, to make way for some nice casual conversation over snacks. (Okay, so snacks are not really necessary, but are very much welcome!).

Viewing, when used correctly, is an effective way to aid children’s language development. Parents can use learning videos readily available online to nurture the literacy, curiosity, and creativity of their young learners at home. So make the most out of screen time with Tiger and Tim!