How to Boost Your Child’s Love to Learn

Before I began my homeschool journey a decade ago, I bought a thick, red notebook for note-taking. On the inside cover of this red notebook, I composed a list of my 6 WHY’s for educating my kids at home. One of my WHY’s (#5 to be exact) noted to impress upon my children a love to learn.

My desire for them is to develop a spark, passion, and proclivity to learn something new every day. Proverbs 1:5 says “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”

During my childhood years, learning was a stumbling block for me. I didn’t perform well compared to most kids. Struggling to read in the early years of elementary school was difficult. Math concepts throughout the high school years were painful. I thought I was dumb.

Yet, my pivotal moment was after college graduation when I began looking for a job. I immediately signed up for temporary positions through an agency. One of my first assignments led me to a hospital working in their administrative office. Amazed I could type fast and recall instructions, the hospital hired me within 3 months!

You may wonder how did I learn to type fast and effortlessly memorize instructions when my past proved otherwise? Using the computer and keyboard granted me the use of all my senses. I could mentally retrieve every keystroke and mouse click! The educational experts would have labeled my learning style Kinesthetic.

What are the Learning Styles?

The three main sensory receivers are Visual (seeing), Auditory (hearing), and Kinesthetic (multi-sensory). Your child’s dominant learning style is usually one of these. When I became a parent, I remembered this critical key early in their childhood years. So, I pursued knowledge and understanding of my own children’s learning style. Now, I want to pass this information onto you to boost your child’s love to learn as well!

What is my Child’s Learning Style?

First, you’ll want to try some quizzes online. If your child is in the toddler stage, take this parenting quiz. For upper elementary age and up, they can take their own using the How to Learn quiz.

How do I implement a strategy for my child’s dominant learning style?

You can immediately start incorporating new methods after establishing your child’s learning style. Here are some ideas for starters.

Kinesthetic children who learn through multi-sensory activities:

· Play educational games online

· Use manipulatives

· Schedule science experiments

· Play board games

· Visit museums and schedule field trips

Auditory children who learn through listening/hearing:

· Read aloud to him/her every day

· Order some audio CDs at the library

· Upload e-books on a Kindle/iPad and add audio narration

Visual (spatial) children who learn through images and colors:

· Use online video forums such as YouTube, Netflix, and Udemy

· Show colorful maps during reading

· Write on a whiteboard using several colors

Where can I find more information?

Understanding your child gives you confidence, clarity, and a conclusion on their strengths. Also, take full advantage of today’s era of technology! If you are a visually-stimulated educator, watch some animated Youtube videos. Order a copy of The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias. It’s an excellent book written several years ago and still applies today. Auditory-dominated teachers can also search and listen to Cynthia Tobias’ 2-part series with Focus on the Family. Kinesthetic teachers (like myself), grab your favorite notebook and jot down your favorite ideas using any of the above tools. Enjoy boosting your children’s love to learn!

A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning. ~ Brad Henry

Natalie Fullmer is married with two children. After leaving her IT career in the healthcare industry, she decided to stay home full-time and homeschool both children. In the early days, she used boxed curriculum but has now adopted a Charlotte Mason & Eclectic-type style the last few years. She works part-time as a Virtual Assistant and teaches English to Chinese children. Natalie is also a proud member of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Besides homeschooling, her passions include raising animals on her mini farm, reading non-fiction, gardening, learning the latest tech, and sharing her minimalist approach with other homeschool moms on her blog at http://contentwithsimple.com. Favorite bible verse for encouragement is Philippians 4:13.