Everyone knows that learning can be fun. Everyone has experienced this once or several times in their life. However, is this a usual or a common experience? Sadly, no. Not a lot of teachers or institutions make an effort to do so.
The real tragedy lies in how little effort it would take to turn this around and make the curriculum immersive and entertaining. With all this in mind, here are the top ten creative ways to make learning fun for kids.
Here’s what you should try out!
Gamify the experience
Remember how Tom Sawyer persuaded his friends to pay him so he’d let them paint his fence? He only persuaded them that something arduous (work) was fun (a game), and it was all over.
You can do a similar thing in education. The thing is that by gamifying the experience, you’re ensuring that kids try more, that they remain focused for longer, and that they never feel fatigued. This alone can help drive far superior results.
Take the class outside
They say that if a person from 200 years ago were to come today, the only institution they would recognize would be the school system. Why stop at two centuries? You see, the first schools were under the open sky for a good reason.
The only reason learning was ever moved indoors is because it was believed there were too many distractions outdoors. Well, today, with all the electronics and tech, it’s the exact opposite. Taking the outdoor class is also great for health, showing kids that you’re doing something different. It shows that it’s not about where you learn but what you learn that counts.
Give more frequent breaks
When we say breaks, we don’t mean taking a moment of pause. We mean a quick, dynamic break for them to walk or jump around the room, get the blood pumping, and reinvigorate their minds and bodies.
The interval learning method is far more efficient. Why not teach for 20 minutes, give everyone a five-minute break, and get back to the lesson? It will be much easier for everyone to follow and stay focused.
Employ more inclusive teaching
The main reason some kids see learning as boring is because, from their perspective, it usually is. Just think about the traditional education and how one-sided it is. The teacher holds a lecture, gives homework, and tells everyone which page to switch to.
A student is not expected to participate except as a recipient. Who blames them for occasionally tuning out under such circumstances? Instead, you need to focus on finding more inclusive teaching methods. This way, you’ll have them deeply involved in the process, which will give them a reason to care.
More art and music
And we don’t mean just teaching them to paint or make music. People’s brains work in mysterious ways, and different stimuli may trigger different memories. Learning a particular lesson while there’s a specific sound in the background might trigger a memory.
This will ensure that your students memorize what you’re discussing, not just absorb the lesson and then eject it from the system as soon as it is over. This way, the memories (knowledge) will be there to stay.
Add movement to the lesson
Everyone knows there are four learning styles, and most guides suggest adding an extra lesson format. When you get a list of suggestions, the tactile (kinesthetic) learners get the least attention.
The concept is quite interesting – the learning is linked to the physical activity. The learner has to move around, reposition, and feel the texture while learning. Teaching a student what silk is is one thing, but bringing a small fragment of silk cloth for them to touch is something else entirely. Which do you think will leave a more lasting impression?
Use their own interests
There’s always an angle to awaken their intrinsic motivation. For instance, ask them what they want to be when they grow up and why that particular career choice. Then, give them an explanation or a situation in which this particular thing you teach today could help them in their future career.
At the end of the lesson, even make a small play where they, acting their older professional self, apply this knowledge to see if they’ve truly understood it. This is a simple trick but an incredibly effective one.
Host a class debate
One of the most interesting ways to teach kids is to give them a chance to “choose sides” and then have them defend their positions. If you never have to defend your arguments, you won’t develop the necessary skills to develop them.
This is also a great opportunity to have the team swap sides or deliberately put some of the learners in charge of defending positions they oppose in private life. This way, they’ll play a devil’s advocate with two positive outcomes. First, it will improve their oratory skills. Second, it will develop their sense of empathy since they’ll learn to look at things from someone else’s perspective.
Use digital activities
Adults always accuse technology for their kids’ lack of progress in school; however, the problem is that technology is just a tool or a trend. How you use it will determine if it’s good or bad. Just think about it: these same adults are reading e-learning materials, taking online courses, and using so many digital tools for professional development.
Just find the right tools, and you might learn that this learning style suits the generation that learned how to handle touch screens before they could walk.
Play a great learning game
Pictionary is one of the most famous learning games; however, it’s underused in classrooms all over the globe. Why not use it to help improve the vocabulary of your learners? There’s no reason.
You can also organize a quiz (or a quizlet), a Bingo-like game (to help them with math), or a board game to keep things more interesting.
Wrap up
The best part is that you can combine these methods however you like. You can explore new ideas, customize old ones, and play around with the learning formats. The results can be astounding with just a bit of effort and creativity.
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