Every parent wants their child to develop a love of learning. At the same time, many parents feel unsure about how to instill that love in their small children. Thankfully, there are many easy ways to integrate fun learning into your daily life. In this post, we will discuss inexpensive and simple ways you can encourage your child鈥檚 love of learning.
Chase Their Questions
Young Children love asking questions. They want to know how things work and why things are the way they are. As a parent, it can be exhausting to attempt to answer all these questions every day. However, one great way to encourage a child鈥檚 love of learning is to follow their lines of inquiry and learn all you can. Is your child asking you to explain how your car works? Find books about the inner workings of cars at your local library. Or maybe your child asks you about animals throughout the day. Search for educational videos online and watch them together to encourage learning. By pursuing the topics that your child is naturally curious about, you teach them to listen to their 鈥渋nner student,鈥 and you give them the tools to answer questions for themselves.
The most important thing about your young child challenging their inner interests is one, they are aware of their learning environment and two this special time means development and more time to talk to your kids. Communication is important in all aspects but the questions they ask are exciting! It is often overlooked that school is not the only time for a child’s development. Focus on the moment and endure the fact that your preschooler is on the road to success. Can you think back to a time when you were in their shoes asking these same things?
Try listening to a podcast with your child, here are a few great examples of some:
Read!
This probably goes without saying but reading as a family is a wonderful way to promote learning in your home. This doesn鈥檛 need to be limited to reading books to your child when they are small. In fact, experts recommend continuing to read aloud to your children long after they are capable of reading for themselves. Additionally, there are ways to read together even when you struggle to find the time. Most libraries have a wide selection of audiobooks. You can listen to these together at meals or in the car, and then enjoy discussing what you read.
Is your child ? Or maybe they are an ? We put links for each topic in the two sentences in case either of these two questions apply to you, if you’re looking for ways to help your child. Preschoolers and other children of older ages can always enhance their ability to read. Whether your children are struggling readers or their reading skills are above par, there is always a good fit for a book that drives enthusiasm or even writing. Of course, don’t forget there is always time to play games throughout the day and weekend.
Explore
It鈥檚 easy to get into the habit of always rushing from point A to point B. But children aren鈥檛 wired the way we are, and often they attempt to travel at a slower pace while taking in the world around them. To encourage a love of learning, try taking time and exploring the world with your child. Notice the things in your home or neighborhood that you may take for granted while they fascinate your child.
Discuss the way bugs fly, how the washing machine works, and where your food comes from. Finding learning moments in everyday life will encourage your child to do the same. The world is full of math, words, reading, writing, and development. Teachers are more than what is found at a school, the person that helps your child develop in any way positive can be classified as educators. Take a trip to the zoo or just someplace in the community where your child can recognize the relationship between things we see every day and a life lesson goes further than just a classroom Monday thru Friday.
Model Learning New Things
As adults, our responsibilities and commitments often make us too tired or overwhelmed to take on anything new. At the same time, research shows that learning new skills and ideas keeps our brains sharp and healthy. Also, your child is watching you. If you model an attitude of learning and personal growth, she/he is likely to copy your example. So take up a new hobby, even something as simple as reading nonfiction books a few pages at a time. Or do something with your child, like yoga before bed or a craft project. Your willingness to go outside of your comfort zone has a large impact on your child鈥檚 willingness to do the same. Talk to your preschoolers and kindergarten children about tips to provide them with these skills so they know you expect them to learn and development will increase your child in many positive ways.
Set a Family Goal
Another way to encourage a love of learning in your home is to tackle projects and goals as a family. Perhaps you want to watch the birds at your bird feeder and identify all the species you see. Or you could plant a garden and harvest your own food. You could also read all of the Caldecott Medal-winning books from the last 20 years or make a goal to run or walk a 5K together. Even more important than the content of your goal is the attitude with which you approach it. Your enthusiasm and hard work can inspire your children in their own goals. Before you know it, they will be challenging themselves to even bigger goals than you could鈥檝e imagined.
A love of learning is truly a gift that keeps on giving. Its bearers can overcome any deficit in education or training because they are undeterred by uncertainty. By giving your child a foundation that emphasizes the pursuit of knowledge, you equip them to meet any challenge that life brings their way. Are you looking for childcare that will reinforce the learning atmosphere you create in your home? At 番茄社区, we strive to encourage all of our students toward lifelong learning and success. Call us today to learn more.
