A lot of parents read to their toddlers, which is a great way to encourage their imagination, language development as well as kindling their love for learning. But not a lot of kids will remain curious when they start growing up. There have been multiple studies that have shown that a child’s will to learn drops drastically as they get older. That is why you need to teach your child and encourage them to learn.
a) Surround your toddler with books
Different studies have shown that providing your child with consistent access to books can increase their motivation to read. They revealed that those who grow up to be proficient readers than to be kids who grew up in homes that were stocked with different types of reading materials.
To foster that affection for reading, make sure that all the reading materials are available for them and easy to reach, even if they are too advanced for them. They will flip through the books, encyclopedias, or old magazines. Another thing that you can do is pick a daily read to read together. It’s important that you talk about what you read and analyze the material. By promoting active participation, you will boost their understanding and keep things fun.
b) Build on your toddlers’ interests
Follow your toddlers fazes, always acknowledge their interests. If they are going through a dinosaur phase, take them to a dinosaur museum. Give them books about dinosaurs as well as toys or models that you can assemble together. But make sure that you don’t overdo it. Kindling their fascinations will keep their spark for leaving going.
c) Know when to leave them alone
One of the best things you can do to motivate your children is not to micromanage them and not to put pressure on them. Instead of hovering over them and letting them how to do things right, let them figure it out on their own while showing them support and guiding them. When they learn how to figure things out on their own, they will get a sense of competence, which is something that will encourage them to learn more. Let them do activities that they like doing because they will be motivated to progress and keep learning.
d) Ask the right questions and give them answers
If you have ever been around kids, you know they ask a lot of questions. But the turning point will be when you can actually provide them with answers and fuel their excitement for learning. But it’s also great to ask them questions too. That will spark the conversation and introduce them to interesting concepts.
The key is not to turn their life into pop quizzes. Don’t try and show off their knowledge around friends and family. Early learning child care is something that will let them stay excited about learning. It is one of the best ways you can help them stay excited about learning. If it happens that you don’t know the answer to the question, look it up together and make it a fun activity.
Take time to explain things to them instead of just brushing them off. Teach them how to have valid arguments instead of just telling them yes or no.Â
e) Avoid rewards and punishments
There have been many studies that suggest giving your toddler rewards and punishments. Whether it’s for doing a chore or finishing their homework, it can undermine the pleasure of doing that activity. That is not good because over time, if you don’t give them rewards they won’t enjoy doing the activity even if it’s something they loved doing. Toddlers are really curious, and they will learn best if they are able to act on their curiosity without worrying about rewards or punishments. Rewards or punishments will undermine that.
Let them explore things and give them words of encouragement or let them know that maybe that isn’t the best way to do that. It is important when you want to encourage them to learn and enjoy it.
f) Focus on the whole process, not the outcome
A lot of parents are too focused on their toddlers’ future and are too achievement-oriented. And let’s be honest, it is a really easy trap to fall into. You will worry about how your toddler will do in preschool, and when they get older, you will worry about how they will do in kindergarten, and that is natural.
However, it is normal to prepare your toddler for what’s ahead; if you push them to learn too fast or pressure them on their accomplishments, that will take away the magic and their will for learning.
Your goal as a parent is to foster their love for learning, not make it something that they have to do. You need to be interested in activities they are doing, and that will be the best motivator to keep them learning.
g) Introduce organization to their lives
Another great way of keeping your child interested in learning is by adding organisation to your home and involving them in the process. Even though it will prolong the process of organising you need to embrace the quality.
One of the best ways to do it is to label things around the house and put the items that go there as you are asking them what they think about what goes where. It is basically playing a guessing game. Ask them where they think something belongs or to make it fun and place things in the wrong places and let them figure out what goes where.
By challenging them to fix your mistakes, they will be eager to know what goes where and show you that they know. That will not only teach them responsibilities but will also keep their minds occupied and wanting to learn.Â
One of the most important things that will encourage your toddler to learn is letting them know you believe in them. Tell them that often, letting your child hear those words will help them believe in their abilities to do well.
