You’ve probably observed that kids’ eyes light up when they’re engaged in play. Whether they’re building elaborate Lego castles, inventing tales to be told by their action figures, or just splashing in muddy puddles, there is a special kind of magic to learning through play.
Would it not be wonderful if that same spark of interest was contagious in school subjects? Well, it is! Today I’m sharing some tips on how to make learning fun for kids so that homework time is fun time!
Now, on to the important question: why must learning be fun?
Think back to those subjects you hated in school. It was maths; give me fractions, and I’ll kick up a fuss. Or perhaps it was spelling tests (torture!) or anything taught through lecture styles. I know what it’s like to hate a school subject.
What if that same school subject was taught in a way you enjoyed? What if it was taught through games, stories, or hands-on experiments rather than a dry lecture? Wouldn’t that have made all the difference?
Research shows this, too; a 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics study concluded: ‘Current scientific evidence indicates that play is essential to healthy brain development in children.’ Play is not just a rest from learning but a crucial foundation; making learning fun increases the chance that little ones will immerse themselves, retain information, and, with any luck, pursue lifelong learning beyond simply learning a fact or tackling an assignment.
And now we’re ready to get into some playful ways to make learning a blast!
1. Gamify Learning: The Power of Play
Why not make learning fun by turning lessons into one big game? After all, kids are born gamers.
One option is to structure the learning as a challenge or ‘mission’. For example, if your child is learning about the planets, set up a ‘space explorer mission’: They could ‘earn stars’ (stickers, points, or other rewards) for every fact they learn or quiz they complete. Or use apps such as Prodigy (for maths) or Duolingo (for languages) designed to turn the learning content into a game.
Along these lines, there is a budding trend to use video games such as Minecraft for educational purposes: teachers and parents have begun to use the game to teach everything from history (building cities from old civilizations, say) to science (developing virtual ecosystems). Through it all, kids are so engrossed in the game that they don’t realize they are getting an education!
Does your child like a particular game? Turn it into study time! You’ll be amazed at how educational a game can become when you need it to be one.
2. Hands-On Learning: Making It Real
Every child is a natural explorer. They want to touch and feel, and they want to get hands-on. Hands-on learning puts all of these qualities to good use. Making an experience multi-sensory is a great way to embed it in children’s memories.
Science experiments are another’s merely read about the behaviour of chemicals but *see* it in action. Need proof? Just try the old vinegar and baking soda ‘volcano.’ It’s easy to do, clean up and has ‘explosive’ results. Who wouldn’t want to turn a routine chemistry lecture into a somewhat controlled mini-bomb?
Cooking is another great way to incorporate some learning on the side. For example, your child might be learning fractions. What better way to practice than halving or doubling a recipe and, of course, licking the bowl at the end?
Another fantastic idea? Crafting. As they craft, create, and build, it may also cultivate their ability to problem-solve. For example, if they’re learning about the solar system, making planets and stars from clay can turn that lesson into an exciting art project rather than another textbook page.
3. Storytelling: Making Learning Magical
We all like a good story. Did you know that stories are also valuable learning aids?
Studies also indicate that storytelling can enhance comprehension and retention. Another study published by the Institute for Education Sciences found, for example, that students who tell stories can better retell what they have learned.
So, how can you weave storytelling into learning? It’s easier than you think!
If your child has difficulties with history, transform the subject from dusty textbook exercise to enthralling feats of pluck, derring‑do, mystery, and cunning: ‘Once upon a time, in the land of ancient Egypt, there was a great pharaoh called Tutankhamun…’
Or, why not let your child be the storyteller? Encourage him or her to write stories, draw comics, or act in short skits. Storytelling allows your child to recreate and retell something, putting it into his or her own words.
4. Movement-Based Learning: Get Up and Move!
Ask them to sit still for too long, and it just isn’t going to happen, which is what makes working movement into learning a real winner.
Plenty of experts say this can make studies more effective. A review published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found that physical activity among kids improves memory, attention, and the abilities to focus and solve problems. Just think of trying to do any of those things while riding around on a couch. Why not kill two birds with one stone—or, how does learning triathlon sound?
For instance, if the child needs to learn spelling words, write those letters in chalk in a hopscotch pattern on the sidewalk and have her hop on each letter to spell out the word. Or do a math relay race, where kids do a math question at each station then break into two teams and run to the next station (decide ahead of time how to separate up the teams).
Even a study break that involves jumping, stretching, or dancing for a few minutes between study sessions can help. Much like the brain whose owner takes such breaks, research on memory is rich in ideas but patchy in execution.
5. The Power of Choice: Let Kids Lead the Way
Among the best strategies for making learning fun is to allow students some input into what they learn and how they learn it. Empowered kids are more likely to be motivated.
If your child has to do a book report, don’t choose the book. Give them three options and let them pick the book they find most intriguing. A student researching animals, for example, could decide which animal they want to investigate.
Another would be to let them decide how they demonstrate what they have learned. Do they want to make a poster? Do they want to do a video or even a skit? Once they are free to create, learning becomes more customized and fun.
6. Real-World Connections: Make It Relevant
One of the biggest problems kids have is connecting the dots; that is, figuring out why they need to learn the 12th amendment to the US Constitution, say, or how the periodic table relates to their parents’ net worth. ‘When will I use this in real life?’ we’ve all asked at some point.
For this reason, it’s so important to demonstrate how what your little ones are learning applies to the real world. For instance, if your child is learning about money, take them grocery shopping and get them involved with calculating how many items you can afford by allocating the budget accordingly.
If they are learning about plants, start a small garden together. Learning something in a practical, hands-on way is always more relevant and fun.
Additionally, gives them more responsibility for decision-making around the home. For instance, let them draft a diary of excursions for a family holiday or map out budgets. They’ll be practising maths, geography, and problem-solving without even realizing!
7. Use Technology Wisely: Fun with Apps and Digital Tool
Let’s face it: most kids won’t want to tear themselves away from their computer screens. And even if we get them to stop gaming for a few minutes, how can we compete with this cool collection of learning tools on a platform that they understand and enjoy?
Thousands of clever apps can turn dull rote learning into the fun engagement. Khan Academy, for instance, provides free, personalised instruction in almost any school subject; Endless Alphabet (below) teaches early reading, and Starfall makes arithmetic fun.
And, of course, YouTube! What kid doesn’t love **CrashCourse Kids** or **National Geographic Kids**? Short videos cover subjects of all stripes, ranging from science to history and cultural experiments. It makes it easy to dovetail learning with something visual and exciting.
8. Encourage Curiosity: Let Them Explore
Sometimes, the best way to make learning fun is to get out of the way and let your kid drive the process. Let your child ask all the questions and explore all the topics that interest him or her.
Does your kid like dinosaurs? Plan a dinosaur-themed week of reading, crafts, science experiments, or math lessons related to dinosaurs. Or are they more into outer space? Read up on stars, planets, and galaxies, build a movie projector that shines pictures of the world on the wall, and even build a telescope.
This curiosity-driven approach affords kids the freedom to follow their natural inclinations, which enables the learning to feel more like an adventure of discovery than a list of lessons to be checked off
Final Thoughts: Learning Should Be an Adventure!
Ultimately, the aim is to make learning fun for kids – but as every mum and dad knows, one size does not fit all. It could be making things through play or experimentation, talking it out, telling stories or reading together, or playing games. At heart, if it’s light, fun, and flexible, it will work.
This learning lark is meant to be fun, not just work and chore. Learning doesn’t have to be about textbooks, worksheets, and pen and paper: it should be a grand adventure of exploration and discovery, freedom and excitement.
And so, the next time you see your little tiger turn their paws away from the school work, remember: a dose of play makes the learning go down most delightfully. Make math more gameful, science more artful, and social studies more storyful, and you’ll make learning more fun for young and old alike. Childhood is for joy. And learning is for life.