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Best Tips to Teach Your Kids to be Mindful and Effective Learners
- Gabrielle Fischer Posted On Nov 1, 2021 | Reading
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Many kids spend their years in school on “autopilot,” looking at their schooling as something they have to do, something that’s expected of them, and something they need to advance in life. This mindset might be good for getting good grades or having perfect attendance, but it doesn’t create lifelong learners. It doesn’t build thriving minds and young adults, and it certainly doesn’t set your children up for lifelong success in everything they do.
To get your kids off autopilot and inspire and empower them to become effective learners, you need to change the paradigm. Not only is it important to stay on top of the latest trends for learning and development, but it’s also important to implement mindfulness into the process and even use technology to spark creativity and a love for lifelong learning. Today, we will put all of this into perspective and define some of the best ways to teach your children to become mindful and effective learners for life.
Define the “why” behind every learning activity
From school to the great outdoors, from TV and the internet to the playground and beyond – children are constantly learning and soaking up new information. Every activity and experience is an opportunity to learn new and exciting things, but that doesn’t mean that your kids will want to learn. Don’t expect your children to have an innate desire for knowledge or that they’ll love school just because they are talented individuals.
For your children to be effective learners and truly love learning, they need to understand the “why” behind every subject and learning activity. Why is math important? Why is chemistry so helpful, and how does STEM change the world? Why should they take an art class, and why in the world should they learn to play an instrument?
If you don’t give your child a broader picture or a deeper understanding of the subject, they won’t feel motivated to learn. On the other hand, if they understand that math is the language of the universe, they will feel incentivized to learn that language to unravel its mysteries.
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A time for studying, a time for rest
No matter how talented they are and no matter how much energy and passion for learning your child might have, there’s only so much they can do in a day – and you mustn’t push them beyond their limits. A child’s mind thrives not on the number of learning activities and extracurriculars, but on a well-designed learning schedule.
Now, don’t force them to create their own schedule, instead, make on with them. Your child will let you know how much they can accomplish in a single day, and you as the parent need to help them create a healthy school-life balance. If you have a work-life balance, then it’s only natural for your child to have one too. Only with a healthy school-life balance can you expect your child to achieve their very best over the long term without succumbing to the pressure.
Teach kids to use online resources
Technology is quickly reshaping the educational sector around the world, and kids nowadays have a unique opportunity to acquire more knowledge than any generation before them. Your child has the opportunity to access the global information pool with a click of a button, but the materials they use should come from reputable online sources.
For example, kids who are finishing high school in Australia and are getting ready to take their Higher School Certificate exams are using HSC study notes from past students to supplement their own notes and textbooks with reliable information and thus enrich their learning experience. This is just one of the many ways your child can get a fresh new perspective, acquire more information, and make learning easier and more enjoyable by simply utilizing online resources and learning platforms.
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Create a healthy learning environment
For your child to become a mindful learner and develop a passion for lifelong learning, they need to be in a healthy environment. Don’t think that your child can focus or feel motivated to study if the place is a mess if they are surrounded by distractions or any form of negativity lingering in the air.
Remember, your child needs a safe, welcoming space where they can study, a space imbued with peace and positivity. Consider your work-from-home lifestyle that requires a home office where you can concentrate. Your child needs the same thing – they own space designed for studying and nothing else. The lockdown is changing the face of education, and while they are stuck at home, try to make the learning process as enjoyable and effective as possible.
Learning through practical examples
Children need to learn by experiencing the world with all their senses. They learn by touching, listening, reading, and sometimes even by tasting something they clearly shouldn’t have put in their mouth. It’s a natural process that doesn’t go away simply because they reached their school years.
If you want your child to become a mindful and effective learner, they need more than to stare at a textbook. They need examples, visual stimulation, and a more creative approach to studying. This is for the teachers to figure out while they’re in the classroom, but when you’re helping your child study at home, you should enrich their learning experience with various examples that will spark their interest, imagination, and the oh-so-important creative process.
Over to you
Children go to school, they do what they’re told, they get good grades, and they never truly realize why lifelong learning is so important, valuable, and transformative. If you want to set your child on a better path through life, then make sure to use these tips to help them become mindful learners, and inspire them to achieve many great things in the years to come.
Valentine’s Day Cards
Looking for a fun and cost-effective way to celebrate Valentine's Day? Look no further! These cards are perfect for bringing a special touch to your Valentine's Day celebrations.
These cards are colorful, fun, and, most importantly, free! You can print as many as you need!
Check out more printable Valentine's Day Card ideas
Printable Dinosaur Valentine's Day Cards!
Check out a unique and fun alternative for candy - using Learning Resources Dinosaur Counters and our FREE Valentine's Day Card Printables.
Cut out and give to friends and loved ones this Valentine's Day!
Big Feelings Pineapple and Learn-a-Lot Avocados Valentine's Cards.
Valentine's Postcards
Make your very own postcard to send to a friend or family member!
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The Language Acquisition Milestones Every Parent Should Know
Plenty of exciting changes will occur to your child in their first few years, but one of the changes you should pay attention to is their communication skills. Adena Dacy of the National Association for the Education of Young Children explains that children are expected to achieve average communication milestones by a certain age. Dacy states that these milestones help parents and teachers assess if a child's development is on track because each stage contributes to the further growth of their communication skills.
So if you want to monitor their progress, you should pay attention to these milestones of language acquisition:
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Emission of sounds
Are you hearing a wide variety of sounds from your newborn? Though they may sound odd, this indicates that they're on track with learning languages.
A study by the University of Würzburg researchers shows that healthy infants up to six months of age vocalize to interact with people or communicate any discomfort. These sounds may sound random to most parents, but the researchers pointed out that this allows infants to expand their sounds by their fourth or fifth month. By this time, they'd add consonant- and vowel-like elements into their babbling in preparation for the next milestone.
Introduction of words
Your baby will continue to make non-verbal replies, or fun animal sounds around their first two years. These sounds are important because they set the stage for the next milestone: words!
The language acquisition milestones listed by Maryville University indicate that babies between six and eleven months will attempt to say their first words. This is also usually when they first say "mama" or "dada," making it an exciting milestone for parents to look forward to. They should be able to name objects or people using two to three words once they turn one and speak brief phrases before they turn two.
Start of expressive language
Kids need to learn phrases before they turn two because typical kids speak in two- to four-word sentences by age two to three. Their progress will get even more exciting by the time they reach five, when they should be able to use different types of sentences.
Our article entitled 'What Should My Six and Seven-Year-Old Be Learning?' shares that their ability to express themselves will expand by the time they reach six and seven. Typical kids at this age could speak in complete sentences and even crack a joke during conversations due to their advanced language skills.
Construction of complex sentences
You still need to pay attention to several language milestones, even when your child can speak in complete sentences. After all, their vocabularies are still expanding as they grow older.
The Verywell Family's article on how kids learn languages shares that kids do not resemble adult language until they reach the age of eleven. So, during the pre-teen years, parents should assess if their kids can create although-type sentences and form more complex sentence constructions. For instance, they may say, "Although I had no money, I looked for ways to help my friend." instead of "I had no money, but still helped my friend."
These language acquisition milestones aren't only fun to look forward to and important for parents and teachers to take note of. You can assess your child's language abilities through these milestones and help them get the proper support they may need.
This article was written by Rosetta Joseph
Exclusively for Learning Resources
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Mid-Summer Minicamp for Five-Year-Olds
Your soon-to-be-Kindergartener was built for summer! There’s so much to do, see, and explore, both inside and outdoors. If you’re looking for some fresh, fun ideas to help keep your rising Kindergartner engaged and learning for the rest of the summer, have we got the activities for you! Read on for three days’ worth of developmental, educational, and social-emotional activities – plus some bonus activities, just for fun. And don’t miss our summer minicamp activity ideas for three- and four-year-olds
Minicamp Day One:
Developmental Activity – Fine Motor Freezer Fun
Kick off your first day of camp with some fine motor fun! Threading is an age-appropriate challenge for four-year-olds, resulting in a colorful creation they can wear or display. Set out some pipe cleaners and pony beads and thread a bracelet, create a beaded pattern for your preschooler to follow, or stick some spaghetti sticks into a ball of molding dough and thread penne noodles to make Stegosaurus. Find more threading ideas here.
Educational Activity – Learning You Can Count On
Download this free, printable worksheet, grab some counters, and practice numbers and counting with your kiddo! Count the letters in their name (writing it out on a sheet of paper might help), their age, the number of siblings they have, and more!
Social Emotional Learning Activity – Paint a Rock
You may have seen the pretty, painted rocks people are leaving around neighborhoods across the country as a symbol of kindness. You can do the same! Take a walk and find some medium-sized rocks with nice flat or rounded surfaces. Clean them off and pop them in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes – you can use the time to talk about things that make your kids happy as inspiration for what they might draw. Let the rocks cool just a bit, then use crayons to draw their ideas! When the rocks are dry, use a Sharpie to write caring messages like “Kindness”, “Love”, or “Joy”. Then place them in your neighbors’ gardens to brighten up their days! Find other kindness activities here.
✨ Bonus Activity – Cool Down with a DIY Snowstorm ✨
End your first day of minicamp with another cool-down activity – making a snowstorm in a bottle! Gather a glass or see-through plastic jar, vegetable oil, white paint, glitter, and an Alka-Seltzer tab, and follow these instructions to make it snow inside!
Minicamp Day Two:
Developmental Activity – Get a Grip
Using the proper pencil grip is the key to legible writing. Help your kiddo practice this summer by providing a sheet of properly formed capital letters to trace using a variety of differently sized crayons, markers, and pencils. Around age five, kids should be able to manipulate a writing utensil with three fingers rather than move their wrists or arms. Learn more about proper pencil grasps here.
Educational Activity – Go on a Math Scavenger Hunt
Brush up on those math skills with a scavenger hunt around the house! Print this list of things to look for and set off to find everyday math items, including number words, items of certain sizes and shapes, pairs of things, and more!
Social Emotional Learning Activity – Create a Gratitude Wall
Playing school is a wonderful way to build your child’s creativity and imagination. It also allows your soon-to-be-scholar to mentally prepare for going to school and build the confidence they’ll need to thrive there. Set up some school-ish materials, like a chalkboard or easel, books, paper and crayons, and stickers, and follow your little one’s lead. Will they read to their stuffed animals? Teach you letters and numbers? Draw a picture?
✨ Bonus Activity – Build a Fort ✨
Nothing is nicer after a day of summer minicamp than a delicious popsicle! Follow our favorite recipe for fruit and veggie pops, working together to squeeze the lime, drop the ingredients into the blender, stir the elements, and insert the popsicle handles. Talk about the foods as you work with them – what color are they? What is their texture like? What letter does that food start with? How might it taste?
Minicamp Day Three:
Developmental Activity – Brew a Batch of Slime
Stretchy, sticky, and squishy, you probably know that slime is awesome. But did you know that slime also helps builds fine motor skills? Measuring, pouring, mixing, stirring, squeezing, smashing, rolling, and twisting are all great ways to strengthen hand muscles and build fine motor skills! Start your last day of minicamp off with some slime, using our favorite recipe.
Educational Activity – Print Letters in Playdough
Practice letter identification, letter sounds, and word building with this simple stamp-and-learn activity! Set out some molding dough (or make your own – another fun minicamp activity!), tools like plastic rolling pins, cutters, kid-safe scissors, and letter blocks or magnets. Then show your child how to flatten the dough and stamp a letter into it. Say the letter name as they stamp, make its sound, and say a word that starts with that letter. See if your child can find the letters in their name and stamp them all in a row.
Social Emotional Learning Activity – Have Fun with Physics
The forces of physics are all around us, and summer is a great time to see them in action. Floating in the pool, rolling a ball, and dropping an ice cream cone (oh NO!) are perfect examples of buoyancy, motion, and gravity. These simple activities will demonstrate some of the most fundamental properties of physics in a fun way – and you can follow up your lesson by making a simple machine (instructions included).
✨ Bonus Activity – Job Talk ✨
Print this free career worksheet, cut out the word cards and images, and match them up! Talk about each job, the responsibilities of each job, the qualities each requires, and which one interests your child the most (and the least).
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