Children have an innate curiosity. They’re eager to explore the world around them, soaking up new information and skills like sponges.
But somewhere along the way, this natural love of learning is often lost. Many children grow to dislike and even dread school and learning new things.
Fortunately, the love of learning can be developed and cultivated using a few simple strategies.
1. Create a learning environment
The best way to make studying fun for children at home is by creating an environment that encourages learning. This includes having the right resources available (such as books) and having a place where they can study in peace, away from distractions such as TV or video games.
2. Plan ahead for fun learning activities
One of the most important things to do is to make sure your child knows what they are going to study. This way, they will feel more curious about learning new things. Have fun activities planned out in advance so that when your child gets home from school, all he needs to do is pick up his stuff and get started on his homework. Make sure you have plenty of time for this before starting the activity so that your child does not feel rushed or pressured into getting started right away.
3. Make learning a game
Another strategy is having games or activities that will help your child learn better. This could be something as simple as playing games together or doing puzzles together. You could turn homework into a competition between you and your child. You could challenge each other to see who can finish their homework first or see who can get the most points for completing it successfully. The key is not to make it too competitive, so that it begins to become stressful for your child.
4. Experiment with different ways of learning.
If your child has trouble remembering things, try making flashcards or taking notes by hand. If your child needs to learn new words, speak them aloud in a funny way. Try drawing pictures and acting them out for him or her. Find out what works best. Some kids learn best from doing things step-by-step while others need more open-ended activities that allow them to explore on their own terms. There is no right or wrong way; just find out what works best for your child.
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5. Use storytelling
Make up stories about what they are learning. This is a great way to build on existing expressive and receptive language skills.
6. Give rewards
Rewards are always a great way to encourage good behaviour in children. Praise them when they complete their work on time or you can even create a reward chart where each day has a specific task that needs to be completed before the end of study time. If completed, a small but meaningful reward is given to the child.
7. Set small tasks
Give your child small tasks that require concentration and focus. For example, if you want him or her to read through the textbooks, set a timer for 20 minutes and ask them to read one chapter at a time while listening to music that is not distracting. When it comes to studying encourage using paper and pencils rather than relying on technology.
8. Have fun with the process
Make studying fun for you as well as your children. Getting overly stressed over your child’s schoolwork will rarely help you achieve the desired outcome. A stress-free learning environment is most conducive to learning.
Studies show that students who enjoy the learning process do better academically than those who dread it. Make it a fun process like reading a book amidst nature or playing sports outside while discussing math concepts related to your child’s favourite outdoor game.
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