Children's Learning Centers in Houston, Texas

Finding a Children's Learning Center in Houston

If your child is struggling in school or simply needs an extra challenge, consider seeking help from a children's learning center. If you live in Houston, Texas, you have several options to explore and consider, including free library-based programs.

What Are the Benefits of a Learning Center?

You could work with your child yourself, but it can often be difficult to offer all of the help that he or she may require. You may not have the expertise or time that your child needs. You could also hire a tutor to give your child individualized instruction in your home. Tutors can be expensive, though, and you may not always be able to be at home at the designated times.

Alternatively, you can sign your child up for classes at a children's learning center. Since classes at a children's learning center are with several students at once, they often cost less than one-on-one tutoring. If you have a busy schedule, it may be simpler to drop your child off at a learning center and pick him or her up at a later time. Some children also find it helpful to learn in a more social atmosphere with classmates in an environment specifically reserved for learning.

Kinds of Learning Centers in Houston

There are a number of different types of learning centers to choose from depending upon what your child's needs are. Some learning centers are local, while others are part of bigger, national chains. Before contacting a learning center or taking your child to one, determine what you're looking for.

Different learning centers cater to different age groups, although some of the larger ones have many different sections for different ages and levels. Typically, however, you'll take your first grader to a different center than your tenth grader. Some early childhood learning centers operate almost the same as day care facilities. The older your child is, however, the more options you'll typically find in learning programs with specific focuses.

Often, your child will need the most help in a particular subject or subjects. Many learning centers can help your child catch up in areas, such as phonics or basic writing and math. Others get very specific; for example, if your child is struggling in tenth grade geometry, certain learning centers can help him or her throughout the school year in this subject exclusively. Training for tests, such as the SAT and the ACT, are sometimes available. Still other centers can help your child if he or she suffers from a learning disability.

Programs Provided by Libraries

Another option to consider is free tutoring through the Houston Public Library. Online tutoring services are available at no charge through branches of the public library as a service to communities. Although these professional tutors won't work with your child face-to-face, they'll give your child individualized attention tailored to his or her specific needs.

To get started, get your child a library card if he or she doesn't have one already. Your child will be provided with login information so that he or she can access these services from the library, at school, at home and anywhere with an Internet connection, including an iPhone.