Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
Learning starts at a young age. This becomes apparent when questions pour out of our kids’ mouths. How about their look when something suddenly makes sense to them? Those are the moments that sow the seeds for a lifetime passion for learning. Those small moments of discovery are a treasure we need to take the time to encourage and appreciate every day.
Make Curiosity Part of Daily Life
Children inherently desire to learn. The task is to preserve the spark when the world’s distractions get louder. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is create small, daily moments where curiosity is the focus of celebration. Allow them to measure the ingredients for dinner. Seek their advice on a story you’ve read together. Ask them to teach you about something they know. It’s not so much about big lessons, but making them feel as if what they’re thinking counts.
Develop an Environment that Inspires the Senses
The environment surrounding a child can help determine how he or she will learn. Keep a book nearby. Have a box of art materials available for impromptu creativity. If he or she is into science, keep basic experiment kits within easy reach. The idea isn’t to clutter your home with boundless resources but to keep learning materials where they can be seen and obtained. At times, the greatest explorations take place when a child happens upon the unexpected.
Lead by Example
Children mimic what they see. When you read for pleasure, take a course, or get upset over learning something, you’re saying a lot. Chat about what you’ve learned over the dinner table. Reveal your mistakes to them and how you recovered from them. When they learn that learning is not for kids only, they get it: it’s a lifetime thing to be enjoyed.
Integrate School and Home Values
The home has an enormous contribution to learning. The correct learning environment can be the difference between them having a spark for learning or not. Schools such as KIS International School excel in the provision of welcoming and motivating learning. Curiosity is stimulated in positive environments, not assessed. If your values within the home reinforce the ethos of schools like this, your child receives the same message every day: learning is fun, valued, and worth the effort.
Encourage Questions over Answers
At times, we hasten to offer answers to the kids’ questions. However, allowing them to reflect, make guesses, and sort out possibilities can be even better. Such helps inform them that the learning process is equal to or greater than the end result. Keep a small notebook for the questions, and after some time, go back to them with the kids. You will find how their answers will change with the passage of time and experience.
Reward the Process, Not the End Result
When you compliment effort on a puzzle, ingenuity on the canvas, dedication to learn a skill, you’re teaching them the value of the process. That will make them more resilient and confident, even when the outcome is not perfect.
Keep Wonder Alive
There is learning to be had around every corner. The world is full of moments to spark curiosity. Taking a stroll through a park, gazing up into the night sky, or making bread together can be every bit as instructional as traditional lessons. When learning becomes a part of daily life, it doesn’t feel so much like a chore, but a pleasure. That’s the kind of groundwork that builds the love of learning and a bright future, one curious moment at a time.
