It’s so much fun to read picture books to preschoolers, but once your child is in elementary school, chapter books can open up new windows of connection. Once you’ve moved beyond the realm of picture books, that doesn’t mean you should stop reading to and with your child! It’s important to keep reading to older kids because you can read slightly ahead of their current reading skills and continue to encourage their literacy and comprehension. Let their interests guide you, but here are some options to consider: Nancy Drew / The Hardy Boys These detective/mystery stories have delighted kids (and...

It can be so hard to know how to help a child who’s struggling academically. Do they simply not like a particular subject? Is there something more serious going on? No matter what your child is struggling with, one-on-one encouragement and help can be a significant step in solving the problem. Tutoring can make all the difference, and you can fill that role as a parent even if formal tutoring isn’t an option. Here are a few tips to help our child or student make progress in that difficult subject or skill they’re struggling with: Identify the exact problem. Does...

Here at merka, we’ve discussed the theory of various learning styles, one or more of which may apply to your child or student. Thinking in terms of learning styles can help us as parents or teachers to work with our kids in the most helpful way for them. Check out the last two posts in our series here: Teaching Your Kinesthetic Learner and Teaching Your Auditory Learner. A visual (or spatial) learner is someone who processes and remembers information best when it’s presented in the form of an image, such as a picture, graph, or diagram. Visual learners can succeed...

Immersion programs have become increasingly popular in the United States, especially in elementary schools. According to Education Dive: “The growing popularity of dual language classes is being largely driven by middle class white families who recognize their monolingual children will be at a disadvantage in the global economy without a second language. If districts limit their programs to serving this narrow group, however, it is a major loss. Schools should be thinking of dual language education as an opportunity for native speakers of other languages, like Spanish.” In other words, immersion programs benefit both native and non-native English speakers, meaning...

Since money is such a big part of our lives, the earlier we can teach kids about it, the better. From preschoolers to college students, every young person needs to understand the basics of finances, starting with the names of cash denominations, all the way to budgeting and fiscal responsibility. Here are some suggestions for teaching kids about money each step of the way: Toddlers and preschoolers Our educational kids placemats include a money placemat that is perfect for teaching preschoolers the names and amounts of coins and bills. Discussing prices at the store helps your child begin to understand...

Math: Do you either love it or hate it? It seems to be a bit of a polarizing subject. But whether your child loves it or not, they’ll definitely enjoy it more if they understand it well, get the help they need, and view it as more than boring sums or story problems. Read on for some of our favorite ideas and resources for making math more enjoyable. Add movement Kinesthetic learners will love this game from Creative Family Fun. All you need is craft foam and a Sharpie; it’s like using oversized flashcards and incorporating movement. Use visual aids In...

Here at merka, we’ve discussed the theory of various learning styles, one or more of which may apply to your child or student. Thinking in terms of learning styles can help us as parents or teachers to work with our kids in the most helpful way for them. Check out the last post in our series here: Teaching Your Kinesthetic Learner. What is an auditory learner? An auditory learner processes information best by (you guessed it) listening, which includes both hearing information and repeating it themselves. There are many ways to incorporate listening and speaking into a child’s learning process....

Flashcards: do they seem a little old school to you in this day of online learning games and apps? It might be time to reconsider your perspective, because according to Michael Nielsen, a scientist who researches deep learning and neural networks, flashcards are a quick but powerful way to master subjects, even complex ones. Nielsen says it took him two years to memorize 9,000 flashcards while spending 20 minutes a day reviewing them. Even if you aren’t interested in memorizing tens of thousands of tidbits of information, Nielsen’s story demonstrates that flashcards can be a very useful tool to help...

Here at merka, we’ve discussed the theory of various learning styles, one or more of which may apply to your child or student. Thinking in terms of learning styles can help us as parents or teachers to work with our kids in the most helpful way for them. What is a kinesthetic learner? Simply put, a kinesthetic learner is someone who processes and encodes information better when moving. Whether your child is homeschooled or attends traditional school all day, you can supplement their education with movement-based learning activities. (These can be fun for all types of learners, too!) Help your...

Language arts encompasses many facets of reading and writing, starting in pre-kindergarten and continuing all the way through high school and beyond. For some students (and parents or teachers), vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and creative writing come naturally, while others find language arts to be more difficult to grasp. Whether your child or student loves to read and write, or struggles and doesn’t enjoy it, incorporating creativity and fun into the learning process makes it more pleasant for everyone, and makes it much more likely that your student will succeed. Here are some suggestions for how to make language arts fun:...

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Holidays are always a good opportunity to combine themed activities with learning. For this holiday, we're focusing on fine motor skills activities you can do with your preschooler leading up to the day of love. We hope you enjoy these ideas, and if you try them out, be sure to leave a comment letting us know! Alphabet and Number Valentine’s Matching Game Via iheartcraftythings.com This activity is based on using the free heart printable provided. You can use this printable with ordinary dot stickers to create a Valentine’s-themed letter and number matching game....

Here at merka, we’re passionate about kids learning, and that’s why we’ve created so many interactive products and resources. Whether you’re a student, parent, or educator, we want to help you make learning a fun and engaging experience. Using bright, colorful educational products like placemats at the dinner table can spark conversations that make learning an ongoing part of your day. Here are some other ways you can broaden your horizons, turning “school” into a lifelong journey of creativity and exploration: 1. Follow your curiosity This applies to both you and your child or student. When you’re curious about something,...