The question “how to encourage your child to learn” is often asked by parents. There are some very simple ways to promote learning in children. These methods are used by parents to motivate their children to grasp new information in a very productive manner. Reciting affirmations, reading together, and limiting screen time are few of the many encouraging learning methods.
Simple Ways to Encourage Learning
Children are born with different learning aptitudes. It is important for parents to recognize and acknowledge that. All children can perform well within their capabilities with the right amount of encouragement from the parents.
There are many ways through which parents can motivate their children to learn at home and in school. It is important to employ the right learning methods in accordance with the child’s aptitude, age, and interests.
The right methods offer infinite opportunities to children, aiding in their cognitive development. If you are a parent who wants to learn more about this, read the following:
How to Encourage Your Child to Learn
- Recite Affirmations
It is important for parents to believe in their children and for the children to believe in themselves.
By believing in the child’s abilities, capabilities, potential, and talent, parents can provide emotional and moral support to them. When children believe in themselves, they build character and personality and develop high self-esteem.
Parents should recite affirmations with their children to generate self-belief in them. It can have an extremely positive impact upon the children. Here are a few affirmations –
I am smart.
I am talented.
I have potential.
I am important.
I am appreciated.
I am proud of myself.
I matter.
Reciting these affirmations can make children confident, which can make them more open to learning new and complex academic concepts. Self-confident children do not hesitate in clearing their doubts and are ever ready to grab interesting opportunities in life.
- Read Together
Parents should make it a routine to read with their children every day. Reading for 20 minutes to 40 minutes can help children to establish a reading habit for life. Reading helps in building the vocabulary of children. It also helps in improving their articulation and manner of verbal and written expression.
Parents should ensure that they are reading a book which their child finds interesting. When reading with a toddler, parents can read picture books; when reading with a pre-teenager, parents can read short stories.
Without an active interest in the book, the child will start getting distracted and refuse to indulge in more reading. But once a reading habit is formed, children will continue to be more open to reading both academic and non-academic books in school.
- Indulge in Fun Learning
Parents should make the process of learning fun and interesting. By indulging in game-based learning, children do not see the learning process as a chore or tiring activity. Parents are able to teach various complex concepts in the most exciting and productive manner.
Some examples of game-based learning are quizzes, puzzles, video games, and word games.
Apart from game-based learning, parents can also make learning fun and interesting via songs, rhymes, and abbreviations.
- Limit Screen Time
Screen time refers to the time that children spend on TVs, mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. Unlimited screen time is associated with a decrease in the attention and focus abilities of children.
Limited screen time plays a key role in persuading children to learn. When parents restrict a child’s screen time and urge them to explore other activities like socializing, reading, and playing, the child becomes more skilled and aware of his/her surroundings.
Such children pay more attention in classrooms and are more active in playgrounds.
- Promote Autonomy
Parents should treat children with respect. The children should be asked for their input, given options to choose from, and allowed to make decisions for themselves. This promotes autonomy in the children.
Autonomous children feel responsible and accountable for themselves. They see a learning process as an opportunity to improve themselves. They ask more questions in classrooms and become aware of their academic interests early on.
- Celebrate Achievements
Parents should celebrate all minor and major achievements and milestones of their children. This works as a positive reinforcement. Children who are celebrated for their achievements are persuaded to indulge in more positive activities.
For example, if a child can finally recall all the states of the country during the learning process, parents should praise the child. A celebration can include a treat or an outing.
Such simple encouraging learning methods are easy to use. They are an answer to the often-asked question “how to encourage your child to learn?”.
All these methods require you to be attentive and involved and engaged with your children. Only when you are in sync with your children, you can identify the gaps in their development. Having updated knowledge about the children’s ever-changing interests is also necessary for the parents to employ the right encouraging learning methods.
