How often should I be ‘teaching’ during the day?

In early childhood, teaching is not a timetable, it is a relationship. It does not require whiteboards, worksheets, or strict schedules. Instead, it thrives in the flow of everyday life. Every nappy change, every shared meal, every story before bed is a chance to plant small seeds of knowledge, values, and emotional connection. Children absorb more from how you speak, respond, and behave than from structured lessons. A simple sentence like ‘Look how the sun makes the shadow move’ during a walk, or ‘Let us count the apples together’ while cooking becomes a powerful teaching moment.
Rather than asking how many hours to teach, ask how present and intentional you are during the time you already spend together. Teaching is in the tone you use when correcting, the kindness in how you handle a mess, the stories you share to comfort or inspire. Repetition and rhythm give learning its roots. Your consistency, whether in prayer, manners, chores, or curiosity, shows your child what matters without needing to explain it constantly. The most effective ‘teaching hours’ are not marked by clocks, but by connection, clarity, and calm presence.
Rather than compartmentalising education into fixed times, embed it into your routines. While folding laundry, you can teach sorting, colours, and responsibility. During play, guide turn-taking or encourage emotional vocabulary. While driving, speak about the signs of nature or read road signs aloud. Each of these is meaningful and often more impactful than sitting a young child down for a formal lesson. Learning is most effective when it feels natural, and when the child senses that their parent is engaged and interested in their world. You are always teaching, not through lectures, but through love, tone, and the way you see them.