Raising Kids that Love to Learn

by Irene Helen Zundel

Children come into this world with a brain wired to learn an astounding number of things, throughout the entire course of their lives. Filled with an ardent curiosity, and an intrepid sense of exploration, they are natural born learners!

Left to explore on their own, in a safe and nurturing environment, children can literally teach themselves a myriad of complex operations and concepts, such as size, amount, sameness, difference, shape, order, relationship, function, laws of cause and effect, texture, sound, and mastery of a task through repetition.

When children are allowed to learn, led by their own interests, with materials suited for their developmental stage, they learn with great success and profound joy and sense of accomplishment.

All too often, daycare centers, preschools and kindergartens adopt a daily routine aimed at efficient control of the children in the classroom. They stifle opportunities for spontaneous and joyful learning, and dull the child's natural creativity and open eyed wonder at exploring and interacting with their world.

If you want to succeed at raising children that think of learning as a pleasure, not a chore, you must provide them with an environment that reflects their innate tendencies towards curiosity, exploration, and pervasive interaction with the world around them.

Here are a few ideas for you to try with your own beautiful angels!

1. Model a love for learning.

Read books, go to museums, enjoy music, take classes, and talk about what you have learned. If your children see you trying and enjoying new things, they will want to do the same thing.

2. Surround your kids with things that capture their attention and fuel their curiosity.

A brightly colored shape sorter, talking story book, or neat set of art supplies would be an attractive invitation for any kid to dive on in and see what they can do with those things. As they explore, they will learn.

3. Provide toys that coincide with your child's natural interests.

Does your daughter love to chase butterflies in the yard? Buy her a net, a butterfly book, and a collection kit. Does your son like to mimic Daddy in his workshop? Invest in a child sized, safe set of tools. Children immerse themselves in the things they love. The deeper the immersion, the greater the joy and opportunity for learning.

4. Ask the right questions in the right way.

If your child says, "Mommy, I wonder what will happen if I roll my ball down the slide" reply with, "What do you think will happen? Lets try it and find out!" This encourages learning by doing, finding answers through active participation, instead of just passively receiving and storing information.

5. Back off, most of the time!

Don't over help, be overly critical, or dive in too soon to rescue a failed attempt at something. Let the child learn through repetition and trying alternate solutions. Too much helpfulness undermines a child's confidence and stifles spontaneity.

6. Have a slogan, Silliness Allowed. Fun is Fantastic!

Music, dance, finger painting, puppet shows, impromptu skits, games of tag, and water balloon fights are heartily encouraged. Like adults, kids hate the shoulder to the grindstone routine. They learn more and enjoy the process most when they are happily engaged in the task at hand. Let a kid be a kid, and have fun while they learn!

7. Focus on the process, not the end result.

You aren't training a puppy to sit, shake, and roll over. You are inspiring a soul and motivating a little human being to learn. Don't cheapen the process by offering a reward for accomplishing a task, or show disappointment or lack of approval if your child falls short of your predetermined mark. This only creates stress, which is counterproductive to learning, and makes learning appear like work. Instead, show delight in their accomplishments. Point out their strengths. Encourage your child to keep trying. Be lavish with your praise.