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Learning is something that we all take part in, day after day, but it’s true that academic and purposeful learning is an effort in its own category. It takes discipline, understanding the value of learning, and a healthy dose of curiosity to make this work. On top of that, there are several variables at play.

To begin with, you may find that you’re simply better at some learning than others. Some may be very capable at understanding mathematical theory, some may have a way with words and language, while others may be fantastic at learning and developing their sports technique.

When it comes to teaching our children and inspiring them to do their best in school, or in learning whatever topic excites and interests them, it’s good to help them develop a love for learning that will aid them in growing and becoming their best selves.

But without that love for learning, none of their potential can be realized, no matter how far it may stretch. For this reason, then, it’s good to help our children achieve exactly that. In this post, we’ll discuss how and why this can take place.

Learning’s Place In The World

It’s good to demonstrate to your children that learning is in no way ‘detached’ from the world outside it, even if the concepts can sometimes seem theoretical. But even advanced mathematics has a place in our world, for it provides us the groundwork to many of the scientific discoveries whose fruits we enjoy today.

It can be worth demonstrating this topic by being clear about where and when this knowledge is applied and why it’s important. So for example, if your child has been learning about marine biology at school, it’s good to take them to an aquarium. 

If you’ve been discussing a play based on their homework, going to see it with them at a local stage show (you may be surprised how many classic plays retain their cultural importance, Shakespeare can be found in a million different interpretations all over the world, for example). 

The goal is to show our children that learning isn’t a tiresome pursuit they have to take part in for six hours a day at school, but rather an embodiment of everything that has made our history progress, and absolutely necessary to the world outside those four walls. It can be hard for children, with necessarily limited life experience, to understand that deeply unless they’re given the chance to explore with you.

Legibility & Accessibility

It’s hard to develop a love for anything if you can’t understand it. For this reason, it’s good to help your child break down their necessary homework tasks, or any extra curricular efforts they go to.

Breaking it down question by question, or a maths problem into constituent elements, or even learning how to spell by breaking words down can be a good way for your child to build that foundational knowledge.

If you’ve ever had a time where the homework your child asked you to help with seemed a little too much for even you, then you might have employed this method also. It’s a good time to teach it. This is also true of compound questions that might expect open-ended responses. 

If your child is having trouble even with this help and your utter goodwill, it’s always important for them to know how to ask for further help from their teacher. At the very least, it’s a skill to learn to point at and describe exactly what you don’t understand, and while this may sound like a relatively noble way to frame it, you would be astounded at how effectively this ability can serve them in adult life. No one begrudges someone trying to learn, and remaining honest about the questions they have. 

Extra Support When Needed

Of course, sometimes ‘developing a love for learning’ is impossible without a little extra support. If your child needs that, then it’s totally fine to do so. Helping your child with their extra curricular assignments, accepting that they may need to head to a special learners class if appropriate, or if not, employing the services of a tutor (if you have the financial justification to do so) can be a worthwhile step forward.

It’s also good to know where your limits as a supportive parent might end, as no parent can be expected to work a full-time job, raise a family, and also be an expert in every academic topic. Depending on your strengths, you may also provide the right kind of help. So for example, you may be skilled at English & Theatre Studies, your partner may be a whizz at Mathematics. For this reason, you understand who to assign to help out with homework during the school week.

Cultural Education

Learning isn’t all abstract theory or too academic in tone. It’s life, and encompasses everything that binds us together and informs us where we’ve been. As such, a cultural education could be considered just as important as any STEM subject. So for example, depending on where you live, heading to historic sites could be a fantastic use of your time.

In some places, you’re spoilt for choice regarding the heritage sites you could enjoy and make use of. So for example, if you live in England, there are so many incredible castle ruins (sometimes even castles preserved and managed by subsidised companies). If you live near Bath, you get to see some of the most incredible Roman bath ruins ever. If you live in the North, you might see fantastic museums like the Royal Armouries weapons museum in Leeds. 

Heading to places like this can be tremendously entertaining and worthwhile. So don’t feel afraid to get started in that direction.

WOW Facts & Experiences

While an exercise or textbook, or even a website can seem pretty simple, sometimes, learning can shake the very foundation of who you are. For example, take a child to a planetarium to help them learn about the solar system and our extended galaxy, The Milky Way. 

Learning about the planets and nearest stars is always fun, but actually seeing it represented or looking through a massive telescope to view the moon up close is absolutely amazing to anyone, especially a young child. As you can see, sometimes the best part of learning is saying, in every which way - hey, isn’t this cool?! Most of the time, it absolutely is.

Personal Projects & Tasks

Now, your child probably has enough on their plate when it comes to school. It might be that adding on top of that can burn them out, and deprive them of energy for their actual measured development.

That said, it can’t hurt to undergo a couple of light projects and educational tasks at your own behest, that’s part of parenthood after all. Note that this doesn’t have to be as formatted or structured. With middle school worksheets, for example, you can manage learning concepts and revision after school.

In addition, taking them to enjoy martial arts training can be a great way for them to develop in confidence, discipline and focus, as well as learning vital life lessons from a capable instructor or sensei. 

You may think that a set of lessons like this is designed to help them mediate conflict and always put themselves into difficult situations, but actually, every single competent martial arts instructor will first spend time telling their children how to avoid a fight, how to prevent one, and how to avoid escalating a situation like that. These lessons of respect can be absolutely incredible for helping your child mature properly.

That all sounds very noble. But the truth is, this approach is a great deal of fun too, and can be incredibly social. As such, your child is sure to look forward to that process of learning.

Discussions Instead Of Dictates

Another great means of moving forward and developing a love for learning involved discussing a topic as opposed to solely learning through questions and answers that have a fixed result.

Learning to think laterally and to justify your reasoning for a response is a good way to learn, especially if you have the freedom to be ‘wrong,’ or to change your opinion based on convincing arguments. 

This doesn’t have to be a specifically engineered session, but it might be good to ask your children open-ended questions in the car with them, and to discuss certain topics with them. This way, learning becomes a conversation, an engaging communicative approach that helps you bond and also learn from one another. You’d be amazed at some of the conclusions children can draw, which in some cases can be utterly hilarious or, most often, wise beyond their years.

Let’s say you visit a museum. It can be good to discuss some of the exhibitions you saw. While you may write nothing down or submit a paper for testing, discussing learning like this will still be educational, and fun to boot.

With this advice, we hope you can continue to develop a love for learning as time goes on.