While there are many important lessons you will teach your child, it’s vital that you help them develop a love of learning – especially if they are in the early years of their schooling. This is because the ages of 2-7 are the most critical period of our lives when it comes to developing knowledge. During this period, they have twice as many synapses as adults, enabling them to learn faster than they will at any other time in their lives.
While children will probably always roll their eyes a little when it comes to getting up and ready for school (or doing their homework), you must find a way to keep them excited and engaged with their studies and development.
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With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to get your child more excited about learning.
- Become an active participant in their schooling. Many parents choose to volunteer at their child’s school to spend more time with them, but it’s also a great way to get them excited about learning – especially if you help plan fun activities or even school trips. School trips are a great way to bring the stuff they read about in the classroom to life – and also help children retain knowledge much quicker than they would from a textbook.
- Lead by example. Children will often mirror their parent’s behaviours and attitudes – due to the simple fact that you spend so much time together. Therefore, if you want to get your child excited about learning, you need to lead by example. Show your child that you are never too old to learn something new by constantly challenging yourself – whether that be through reading or adult classes. By constantly looking out for a challenge, you are instilling good behaviours in your little ones that they will carry into adulthood.
- Help them find a hobby they are passionate about. Not all learning has to happen within the classroom environment, and hobbies are a great way to help your child develop a range of social and academic skills. As a result, it’s important that you help them find a hobby they are passionate about instead of choosing something that you yourself would have enjoyed. For example, they may want to learn to play an instrument or join a local sports team.
- Ensure they are well-rested before school. No child likes being told when it’s time to go to bed – especially as they get older. However, it’s near impossible to be excited or engaged within the classroom if they’re dealing with lack of sleep and exhaustion. It’s vital that you ensure your child gets plenty of sleep and that they have a good breakfast to start the day off on the right foot.
- Enjoy educational days out. Family days out are another useful tool to get your children excited about learning. While this doesn’t mean you should always head to a museum, fun yet educational activities are a great way to help your children learn something new without them even realising it.