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It’s sort of becoming a cliche that kids are the future, but they really are. The little tykes running around our knees today will be the future rulers of the world tomorrow. For this reason, it’s important that we do all that we can not only to educate them but to instil within them a desire to learn. However, sometimes it can be difficult to get kids to sit still long enough to engage their minds in the traditional ways. Fortunately, there are book-free ways to get your kids more interested in learning.
4 Ways to Get Your Kids More Interested in Learning
1. Plan Museum Visits
Kids are movers and shakers. They like going places, seeing things, and doing things simply because they have so much energy. They’re also curious about the world around them. This being the case, planning visits to local museums is a way to get their intellectual juices flowing and get them out of the house at the same time.
The museums that you visit don’t have to be the typical art museums with pictures hanging on the walls, although there’s nothing wrong with art museums. I’m simply saying that there are all types of museums, many of which are interactive and cater to kids. Start with the ones that cater to children and work your way up from there. You might be surprised by how much they learn.
2. Take “Family Trips”
Any place you go together as a family can be considered a family trip to enjoy nature. And this may be the simplest way to get your kids more interested in learning and education that doesn’t require a lot of effort on your part. Are you going to the grocery store? Take your kids while buying groceries. Are you going to the mall? Take your kids.
You’ll want to take your kids with you whenever you have the opportunity because children are sponges. They soak up everything from the way people look to the shapes of commercial buildings to the messages on advertisements. This is a form of learning that has nothing to do with books, and it fosters a greater sense of curiosity in a child.
3. Let Them Observe You Learning
Most kids model their parents. If dad cuts the grass the kids want to cut the grass. If mom bakes a cake the kids want to bake a cake. Because kids are mimics, let them observe you doing things that reflect learning and education. For example, let them observe you reading a book every once in a while, or listening to a lecture, or taking a class.
Is your household more likely to be a place where education is valued if you yourself have gone to university or have a formal education? Not necessarily. Curiosity and a love of learning can be found in or cultivated in any home where the parents themselves are curious and have a love of learning.
4. Personalize Learning Materials
Kids are visual creatures who just happen to be very possessive. So why not combine those two qualities by creating personalized name labels for your kids? Name labels can be attached to their book bags or their study materials as a way to let them know that they are special. It can also give them a sense of ownership with regard to their education.
Of course, if you have more than one child, using personalized name labels is also practical. There’s possibly no better way to quickly figure out which learning materials belong to whom. And also, personalized name labels simply look nice. You can design them in all kinds of colours, fonts, and designs, making them fun.
It’s important that every child has a love of learning and education because they’re the future. And the brighter our children are, the brighter the future is. We can help to instil a love of learning in our kids by doing things such as taking them to museums, taking excursions as a family, modelling a love of learning, and personalizing educational materials. With time and effort on our part, our children can develop a greater appreciation for learning and education.
