Raising Kids who Love Learning

 Is learning supposed to be fun? Most kids and adults think of learning something new as a bit of a chore. It sometimes feels daunting; a mountain to climb requiring a lot of hard work and effort. But what if we could instill a sense of adventure and reward and fun into learning? What if learning generated excitement instead of dread? It is possible to do this. Here are three ways to teach kids to love learning.

        1. Feed their interest-Start at the library and let kids browse the non-fiction books in the children’s section. What are they interested in?

One of our sons was interested in the Titanic. That led to reading all the library books about shipwrecks, watching DVD’s about shipwrecks, which led to reading about finding buried treasure. Did that seed planted about adventure and travel eventually lead to him becoming a pilot? I don’t know, but it didn’t hurt.  Check out bunches of books to peruse at home and see what captures your kids’ attention, then follow that thread. 

I often learn this way myself. Interested in home decorating as a young mom, I checked out books on how to decorate on a dime and ended up learning how to make a slipcover for an ugly old chair. This was before the days of YouTube! But even today I love to check out nonfiction books on something I’m interested in, just to linger and learn. The internet hasn’t replaced our method of learning, just added another dimension to it

             2. Introduce children to new things-Start in your hometown and go someplace you’ve never been before. You will laugh at this, but although I had been to a pro baseball game or two in my life,  I had never been to our own hometown Minor League baseball game before last weekend. (Go, Lafayette Aviators!) It was fun, and I learned a lot! Here’s how to engage your child during a new experience to instill a love for learning-this could be as simple as a trip to the garden store, or a major traveling experience.

• Talk about it before, during, and after (What do you think we will see? What are you noticing? What did you enjoy about the experience?)
• Read about it (see #1)
• Involve their senses (What is different that you’ve never seen before? What are you seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting?)
• Draw pictures about it (You could have a summer sketchbook, or a journal just for the topic)
• Write about it (in the sketchbook or journal) 3. Model it for them-Are you learning something new right now? Perhaps it is a new recipe, or something for work, or a hobby or personal interest? Talk about it with your kids. Show your own excitement about learning new things.

My kids were teenagers and young adults when I began Storygalorey. They got to observe as I talked about it and learned right in front of them. In front of them, and with their help, I gradually learned how to make a website, market the business, and transform our basement into a space to teach a group of children art.  

Three years into Storygalorey, when COVID hit, with the rest of the world, I had to learn how to teach and post videos online. Along the way, I have “fed” myself many classes and trainings to learn more about business, art, and teaching children. As you know, the world is changing so rapidly that we have to constantly learn to keep up with it. When your kids are grown, there will be new discoveries that aren’t around right now. We want kids to realize that learning new things is exciting and possible, because learning new things is necessary for their lives. Also, we want them to enjoy the experience. Learning is actually naturally exciting, rewarding, and can be fun. Kids who love learning realize the reward in the experience. Learning something hard also builds personal character and strength, preparing your children for harder things, bigger mountains to climb that will be inevitable for them to scale if they are to grow. 

So- 

• find and feed your child’s natural interest!
• introduce them to new experiences every chance you get! 
• keep loving learning yourself--and do it right in front of them so they see it modeled. 

It will provide wonderful, lifelong benefits for your precious children with the joy of discoveries--for your whole family--along the way.

Interested in feeding their interest in drawing? 

I’m excited to tell you Storygalorey will be offering an online drawing class for K-8 this summer! I’ll be telling you more about it soon. 

A few more spots are open for local classes this July! Sign up here:

https://www.storygalorey.com/2023-july-art-camp 

What are some ways you encourage your kids to love learning? I’d love to know-please leave a comment below!

Here’s to a Lifelong Love of Learning!