Home-based education for preschoolers during COVID
In the month of January, 178 families, with 232 children under the age of 5, were monitored and facilitated to include creativity in their home-based Early Childhood Education (ECE) activities. These families belong to the Mica belt in Jharkhand, and preschool education reduces the risk of children working in the mines.
What is home based-ECE?
Home-based ECE is the use of available materials at home to create a conducive learning environment for pre-primary children. Mothers/Guardians are trained as teachers where they are taught how to teach children cognitive skills, language skills, gross motor development, etc through materials available at home.
Examples of these include, teaching children colours through vegetable sorting, shapes through kitchen vessels, counting through furniture at home, displaying learning on curtains, and so on. Some mothers have also made cloth swings for children to play at home. Children are also encouraged through conversations at home to initiate critical thinking.
The home based ECE methods have helped preschoolers remain engaged during the closure of the anganwadis (pre-primary learning centres) during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Manju Devi, a mother of three children under 6 years belonging to the Mica dependent district of Giridih says,
“I was very concerned about my children due to the closure of the anganwadi center as all of them used to spend time playing and learning in the center. I was unaware about the methods and skills to create a learning environment at my home. I received training and facilitation support from TdH-NL (Children of India’s affiliate) to create joyful learning opportunities for children by using available household materials. I have established a mini anganwadi center in my home by using household materials. My children are very happy to learn and play along with 2 other neighbourhood children. I am very happy for myself and my children as they will be in good learning pace after the reopening of anganwadi center as well as the primary school where my son will be enrolled from the upcoming academic session. Many thanks to TdH-NL for the support and guidance.”
Our project staff regularly follows up with the children and the mothers to ensure effective home-based learning for the little ones.
