Tips for parents to make studying fun for children

Developing healthy study habits in your children is not an easy task. Often children avoid learning because they find it uninteresting. Nobody enjoys hunching over a stack of books and straining until their head hurts, and children frequently forget what they’re attempting to memorise when studying is tedious. You are aware of the difficulties associated with teaching children whether you are a parent, an educator, or another caregiver. If you aren’t on top of your game, they are quickly distracted, get tired, bored, and lose interest. Children learn better when they are having fun, so it’s a good idea to try and make learning as enjoyable as possible for them. (Also read: Parenting tips: Here’s how parents can shape their kid’s personality )

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Angana Nandy, Development Psychologist and Founder of Hopscotch Child Therapy, shared, ” When it comes to studying, kids can be a handful. Learning to study can be a struggle for children. Some of them are not motivated to do it, and some of them cannot focus for long periods of time. Parents often get frustrated because they feel like their child does not understand what they are trying to teach them, or they do not have enough time to help their children with their homework.” She further suggests effective strategies and activities that parents can use to make studying fun for their children.

1. Create a learning environment

The best way to make studying fun for children at home is by creating an environment that encourages learning. This includes having the right resources available (such as books) and having a place where they can study in peace, away from distractions such as TV or video games.

2. Plan ahead for fun learning activities

One of the most important things to do is to make sure your child knows what they are going to study. This way, they will feel more curious about learning new things. Have fun activities planned out in advance so that when your child gets home from school, all he needs to do is pick up his stuff and get started on his homework. Make sure you have plenty of time for this before starting the activity so that your child does not feel rushed or pressured into getting started right away.

3. Make learning a game

Another strategy is having games or activities that will help your child learn better. This could be something as simple as playing games together or doing puzzles together. You could turn homework into a competition between you and your child. You could challenge each other to see who can finish their homework first or see who can get the most points for completing it successfully. The key is not to make it too competitive so that it begins to become stressful for your child.

4. Experiment with different ways of learning.

If your child has trouble remembering things, try making flashcards or taking notes by hand. If your child needs to learn new words, speak them aloud in a funny way. Try drawing pictures and acting them out for him or her. Find out what works best. Some kids learn best from doing things step-by-step while others need more open-ended activities that allow them to explore on their own terms. There is no right or wrong way; just find out what works best for your child.

5. Use storytelling

Makeup stories about what they are learning. This is a great way to build on existing expressive and receptive language skills.

6. Give rewards

Rewards are always a great way to encourage good behaviour in children. Praise them when they complete their work on time or you can even create a reward chart where each day has a specific task that needs to be completed before the end of study time. If completed, a small but meaningful reward is given to the child.

7. Set small tasks

Give your child small tasks that require concentration and focus. For example, if you want him or her to read through the textbooks, set a timer for 20 minutes and ask them to read one chapter at a time while listening to music that is not distracting. When it comes to studying encourage using paper and pencils rather than relying on technology.

8. Have fun with the process

Make studying fun for you as well as your children. Getting overly stressed over your child’s schoolwork will rarely help you achieve the desired outcome. A stress-free learning environment is most conducive to learning.

Studies show that students who enjoy the learning process do better academically than those who dread it. Make it a fun process like reading a book amidst nature or playing sports outside while discussing math concepts related to your child’s favourite outdoor game.

Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter