Helping Your Child Learn for Life

One of the most fundamental parts of childhood is learning. Children must learn everything that adults take for granted – from basic motor skills to basic speech to mathematics and science. Whether your child is headed to school in the next year or two or whether school is still far away, you can help your child learn successfully for life by following these tips:

1. Establish a learning routine. If your child will be heading to school soon, set up a regular time for study. Before starting school, your child can use this time to read or learn things with you. Once school starts, this regular time can help your child buckle down to homework. Even if your child is still a number of years away from school, a regular time for learning can help make learning and reading a regular and important part of the day.
   
   
2. Talking about ways to make friends. Not every child intuitively knows how to approach other children. Discuss possible first steps your child can take. For example, you might encourage your child to smile at one new child a day or you might encourage your child to make a compliment and ask a question of someone each day. At the end of the day, discuss your child’s experiences with him or her. Find out who he or she was able to meet.
   
   
3. Set up a space to learn. Younger children love to play school and setting up a nice room with chalkboard and school supplies can make school seem like fun. Once children start school, this area can easily translate into a study area.
   
   
4. Make sure that your child knows that learning is fun and important. Show a curiosity about life and talk to your child about school activities and adventures. A positive attitude can really help with learning.
   
   
5. Take learning outside the classroom. Encourage your child to take part in educational activities that don’t seem like learning. For example, get out books from the library together or start a small “just for fun” science experiment to see how plants grow. Set up an ant farm or watch educational children’s programs together. Visit a toy store that specializes in educational toys and pick up some games and activity books that make learning fun.
6. Make learning about understanding, not about grades or competition. Your child will be more relaxed and enthusiastic about learning if it is not just about a certain grade. While grades are important, stress the learning process. Encourage your child without pushing.
   
   
7. Make sure that you understand how your child learns. Some children learn best by seeing something happen. They are visual learners. Others learn best by being told something. They are auditory learners. Some children learn well by reading. Find out how your child learns best and use that technique. For example, if your child learns best by doing, teach science by having your child pretend to be various animals in the animal kingdom. If your child is a visual learner, have your child paint or draw animals or look at animal picture books together.