Everything About School Looks Different Right Now — Here Are 6 Ways To Help Your Child Thrive During Virtual Learning

School looks like a kaleidoscope of options this year — in person, hybrid, all virtual, synchronous, asynchronous — and it’s all a bit stressful. Of course, back-to-school season has never been stress-free. But combined with a pandemic, and, uh, the general state of everything? It’s safe to say we’re all adapting to a new normal.

Our new normal also means looking for educational tools that will help us minimize stress for everyone involved, maximize confidence at home, and maybe – we’re just saying — thrive instead of survive.

That’s where Epic comes in. Epic is an unlimited reading platform designed specifically for kids. With their digital library of over 40,000 books, you can choose from a wide array of topics and reading levels, as well as audiobooks and videos. Your kiddo can take a trip to the library, have story time, and find new books they’re into all from the comfort of the couch AND all on their own.

So, you can be a little less worried about playing librarian for your kid—in addition to playing teacher, counselor, principal, and parent—here are six tips for at-home education for kids learning from home.

Create a space to minimized distraction

This is often easier said than done, especially if you’re trying to balance working from home, learning from home, and not completely losing your mind at home. Start simple by making sure the only screens out are ones needed for learning. Epic makes that easy since you can access it from a desktop, tablet, or mobile device. And yes, this means you can absolutely free yourself of any screen time guilt.

Keep some consistency

Your kiddo is already having to learn how to do Zoom calls and online instruction on top of, you know, actual school. Epic’s digital reading platform provides a different way for them to read without adding any new procedures or technology. Your child already needs to learn how to mute themselves on a conference call—something most adults don’t even know how to do. Epic utilizes tech your kid already knows how to use. If they can swipe and tap, they’ll be able to browse through Epic’s library and select a book to read no problem.

Have a healthy dose of silly

Learning and laughing don’t have to live separately. With Epic, your kid can find new favorite funny books or read stories featuring fun, familiar characters like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Curious George, and the Sesame Street gang. Plus, you’ll be able to track your kid’s progress, see what books they like and how much time they’ve spent reading. It’s like sneaking veggies into a smoothie, minus having to do dishes.

Let them take the lead

Every kid loves to say those four magic words: “I’ll do it myself.” Epic’s “Read-To-Me” feature lets kids follow along while listening to a book, allowing them to focus more on the content of the story. It’s an easy way to build confidence in your kid while giving yourself a break to breathe for a dang second. Speaking of…

Take breaks

It’s safe to assume your kid doesn’t love being made to sit in front of a screen when that screen isn’t exclusively playing YouTube compilations. (Which, like, same.) Purposefully scheduling short breaks can help counter that exhaustion. In addition to a diverse library of books, Epic has a wide collection of learning videos including ones featuring songs and clips that are fun, kid-friendly, and only a few minutes long. They’re perfect for a brief dance break but fair warning: you’re definitely going to get the songs stuck in your head.

Celebrate often

Listen, if you manage to get your kid into non-pajama pants, chalk that up as a win. Your kid wore real pants and read for 20 minutes on their own? That calls for a full-on parade. This school year, the journey will be just as important as the destination. Be generous with the confetti and don’t forget to throw some for yourself.

Things may be different this school year, but you and your kiddo can still be on the same page.

Epic is the leading digital reading platform—built on a collection of 40,000+ popular, high-quality books from 250+ of the world’s best publishers—that safely fuels curiosity and reading confidence for kids 12 and under. Start your free 30-day trial.