Kids love learning. Period. Even if they don’t say so. You can see it in how engaged and attentive they become with something they like, whether it’s through a sport, a craft project, caring for an animal, or any one of a thousand other things.
Children are hardwired to absorb as much as they can. But despite this, we don’t always see kids enjoy the learning process as much as they could. As parents, we can support and inspire their love of learning by personalizing the experience for them and by connecting the topic to what they already enjoy.
Here are a few important ways we can encourage a love of learning in our kids.
Identify Your Child’s Interests
The late Sir Ken Robinson’s groundbreaking philosophies around education focus on the uniqueness inherent in every child. His work finds that each child has specific interests they will connect to above others. And the best way to help children discover them is to leave them free to do so through play and self-directed exploration.
As parents, it’s up to us to listen to our children when they talk about what interests them and encourage them to continue their exploration. Hello Genius is a parent-child platform that does this beautifully and automatically.
Determine Your Kid’s Learning Style
We must also keep in mind the difference in how children learn. Some prefer to read, while others learn visually. They might respond better to auditory stimulation, physical activity (learning by doing), or even through verbal discussion. As a parent, it’s worthwhile trying to find which of these ways your kids best love to learn and then teach to that learning style.
Personalize Their Learning
Once you have a grasp of what stimulates your child’s curiosity and interest, you can take steps to personalize their learning. One of these ways is to draw up an education plan for their schooling that takes into account the method and subject of your child’s learning desires. The more you nurture these passions and encourage autonomous learning for them, the more you’ll see their confidence and individuality blossom.
Plan Activities and Experiences That Complement Their Interests
Kids love learning even more when they’re able to apply their interests in the real world. It becomes a sort of validation for them that the stuff they’re passionate about matters. There are a number of things you can do at home with your kids to better engage them. You can also take it outdoors, for activities like a nature walk, a day at the beach, a museum visit, a sports event, whatever you like. Whatever your child likes. Just remember to make it something fun!
This is another way that Hello Genius can help you and your family. The app learns what your children are interested in and will actively recommend activities in your area that support those interests.
Express Encouragement Regularly
Amid all of this, remember to stay engaged with your child as they learn. There’s not much that beats parental affirmation to get kids to love the learning process. Reach out to them frequently with expressions of love, encouragement, and delight. Congratulate them every time they’ve had a learning accomplishment and make them believe they’re capable of even better. This is also a great way for you to bond with your kids and establish a deeper connection with them over their priorities.
Encourage Shared Learning Experiences
Just as with adults, sharing an experience makes it that much richer and better for kids. Research has shown that kids love learning more when they’re in a group. Don’t be afraid to try and reach out to other parents whose kids share similar passions with yours. A playdate or any chance to learn together is a really good way to help your child make friends with others they can relate to. Even something as simple as having them do their homework together will give your child the opportunity to have the kind of conversations that will help to excite and energize them.
On the face of it, this can all seem quite a lot, trying to figure out your child’s interests, and then structuring a learning program and a lifestyle around it. But the key is to start small. Get your kids exploring. Try and expose them to as many different situations as possible. And then observe. Notice which situations stimulate a love for learning in your kids, and then explore those. It’ll snowball quickly.
And if you still feel somewhat overwhelmed, there’s a shortcut for you. Hello Genius is a revolutionary learning ecosystem designed to help your child and you discover their authentic passions through visual and interactive learning. The platform hosts information on a wealth of topics, ranging from sports and science to computers and arts. The AI system continually adapts the content based on your child’s interest areas so that they can continue to learn more about the topics they love. You can further encourage your kid’s love of learning with the family-friendly activities the platform recommends.
The platform is built to facilitate a shared journey of discovery and bonding for your child and you. Try it free for the first 30 days.