6 tips that will turn your child’s education from chore to joy (Image: Pexels)
Education does not have to feel like a chore. Instead, it can be a joyful journey filled with imagination, discovery and connection. If you have ever shielded your child from every stumble, you may be holding back growth.
Letting kids face safe, age-appropriate risks builds resilience, accountability and confidence that are the real backbone of meaningful learning. The whimsical, light-hearted side of teaching nurtures ongoing creativity and engagement in children. Encouraging educators to bring joy into teaching can transform the early learning experience. Here’s how to blend fun and meaning in your child’s learning, without losing sight of real impact:
1. Let curiosity lead through play
According to a research by the LEGO Foundation and ISSA, “When kids are playing, their brains are in prime learning mode” thanks to dopamine, the brain’s pleasure chemical.
Play is not just fun; it reinforces attention, memory and problem-solving. Pretend play, especially, triggers cognitive growth. Studies show that children who deeply engage in sociodramatic play develop enhanced self-regulation, language skills, creativity and the ability to think through “what‑if” scenarios.
Unlock your child’s genius: The surprising power of playful learning revealed (Image: Pexels)
Quick wins:
Create play kits with blocks, costumes and props. Encourage unstructured, child-led play and be their enthusiastic sidekick. 2. Serve up learning in real-life contexts
Tying lessons to everyday life makes them stick. Whether cooking, gardening or running a mini “store,” kids learn math, responsibility and critical thinking naturally. Playful cooking, for instance, blends measurement, sequencing and creativity while building lasting memories Living example: Whip up pancakes together (measure, mix and count) and sneak in fractions and cooking science while giggling together.
3. Infuse your home with curiosity-building tools
A novel pilot study, Interactive environments for training children’s curiosity through the practice of metacognitive skills, by Rania Abdelghani, Edith Law, Chloé Desvaux, Pierre-Yves Oudeyer and Hélène Sauzéon (2024) involved teaching children metacognitive skills like asking smart questions via animated videos and interactive tasks. This pilot study explored how to train curiosity in children by teaching them metacognitive skills, which are essentially the tools for thinking about their own thinking but in a controlled, interactive environment.
The researchers designed an 8-session workshop aimed at 8- to 10-year-olds.
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