Learning is a beautiful thing. It allows us to see the world differently, understand the way things work, and gain more knowledge in the subjects that truly interest us. But learning to love learning is not always easy. With video games, toys, and television to distract us and our children, it can become hard to take interest in learning and actually enjoy it. Sure, kids can still learn from their toys, TV shows, and games, but the love of learning also involves different activities.
At a young age, kids are naturally curious and love learning about the world. They want to know why things work the way they do and what different things are. They are curious, interested, and ready to learn whatever they can. But keeping them that curious and interested in learning can become more difficult as they grow older. If your child are at the “why” stage of life, don’t shut down their questions, encourage them to keep asking and help them figure out why things work the way that they do.
At Montessori School of Chantilly, we encourage our students to explore their curiosities and learn what they can about the world around them. We teach children in their earlier years, from when they are toddlers to kindergarten. We will do what we can to make sure your children are getting the encouragement they need to develop a love for learning, and in this blog, we will go over the things you can do as parents to do the same. Read on to learn more about teaching your child to love learning.
Back Off
If you want your children to develop a love for learning, you need to give them space. While this may not be what you expected to hear right off the bat, it can help you children. In an article from Parents.com, they mention that allowing children to overcome challenges on their own can help the child develop a sense of competence, which is a characteristic that all enthusiastic learners share.
Taking a step back and allow your children to figure things out on their own. Allow them to make mistakes and encourage them to keep trying. This will help your kiddos develop a method of solving problems and teach them the importance of perseverance. Being able to solve problems and learn about a subject on our own make us more likely to remain interested in the subject.
Focus On Interests
Your children will be more interested in learning about certain subjects—their interest could be in Egypt, the ocean, bugs, or buildings. When they find something they are interested in, don’t try to persuade them to find a different interest or learn to be interested in whatever you find fascinating. Let them pick the subject they want to learn about and help them by buying them books, taking them to museums, and encouraging them to learn as much as possible. Let them show interest in whatever subject them are curious about, it may lead them to grow their interests and explore new ideas and subjects.
Limit Rewards
The Parents.com article, as well as articles from GreatSchools and PBS Parents, mention that rewards can actually be a negative thing when teaching your children to love learning. The reward you give them for reading a book and finishing homework can undermine their enjoyment of the activity.
The PBS Parents article states that rather than offering your kid a treat for finishing a book, say something like “let’s read this book together, it is about Egypt, so I think you will like it.” This can help to get them excited about the actual act of reading and learning from this book, rather than just reading to get the treat.
Answer Their Questions
Kids ask a lot of questions, and every parent knows that it can get old. But answering their questions and helping your children understand different things can help them learn and become more interested in learning more.
Rather than saying that you don’t know the answer and moving on, explain what you do know, ask what your kids think the answer is, and try looking it up so you can give your kiddos a real answer. We know that they questions can get annoying, but it is important to try answering them as best you can and if you don’t know the answer, you and your children can learn about it together!
At Montessori School of Chantilly, we work hard to get our students interested in the learning process. We encourage parents to do the same. These tips can help your children develop a love for learning! Learn more about our school and enroll your child today!
