fun learning

For children, play is learning. When they are in the playground, their brains are a hive of activity, learning how their bodies move, socialising with playmates, using language. When they play with building blocks they are learning about colours and shapes and gravity and so much more. For this reason, much of early childhood education focuses on fun learning. And with the increase in remote learning and online lessons, how can parents continue to keep children engaged?

Why Is Fun Learning Important for Young Children?

Positive Experiences Lead to Better Memory Retention

Take a moment to recall your favourite teacher from when you were a child. Chances are, you remember them because they knew how to make learning fun and exciting. This is not just a coincidence. Studies show that the human mind retains and recalls memories better when it is associated with events and emotions1. Positive, safe, and fun learning modalities foster well-being and help children see education as a joy, not simply an obligation2. Learning is fun for children when they are not anxious or scared of making mistakes.

Preventing Mental Burnout in Children

In Singapore, we take pride in having many of the best and brightest minds in the world. Quality education is a must, however, fierce competitiveness and overwork seem to have become part and parcel of the system. Young children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable to depression and anxiety when they are pressured by their parents to be perfect2.

While having fun learning may seem contradictory, nothing could be further from the truth. Modern parenting and education styles are departing from the traditional, pedagogical methods of the past. And in these modern methods, maintaining good mental health is just as important as academic excellence1, 2, 3. After all, what good are high grades when a child’s mind and body suffer in the long run4?

Improved Attention Span During Home-Based Learning

Unlike their parents and grandparents, the current generation of kids has grown up with gadgets from the get-go. Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world relies on technology more than ever. For safety reasons, many schools have shifted to remote learning5.

Even before the pandemic, homeschooling has attracted many students. There are many unique benefits to remote learning and homeschooling, especially for children with special needs. However, in a busy household, your child’s attention is divided between distractions such as siblings, pets, gadgets, and toys.

Fun learning methods are a great solution to overcoming these challenges. When educational games and interactive tools are used, children are more engaged and almost forget that they are doing schoolwork3. Additionally, many activities help children improve multiple intelligences and keep them physically active.

Special Challenges for Parents

The COVID -19 pandemic has left many parents and teachers wondering how to make learning fun during this stressful time. For busy parents, the need to work from home has provided an opportunity to spend more time with their family. While this can be beneficial, the blurring of the lines between work and home life can be difficult to manage. The same goes for children who need to adapt to home-based learning.

Some ways for everyone at home to have a fun learning (and working) experience include6:

  • Setting a daily routine or schedule for each member of the family

  • Taking regular breaks from sitting and looking at screens

  • Periodically monitoring your child’s computer and internet usage

  • Avoiding work or study periods in noisy or distracting areas of the house

  • Doing short stretching and aerobic exercises each day

  • Having shared meals throughout the day

  • Treating weekends as work-free days

How to Make Learning Fun for All Ages

Fun Learning Activities for Kids 1 - 2.5 Years Old

If you have a toddler, you already know how they can be a handful. Despite being so young, many toddlers show signs of intelligence that surpass their age. While they may be too young for formal schooling, grab the opportunity to let them have fun learning whenever possible.

It can be tempting to set your toddler in front of the television or a tablet, but experts warn against making this a habit. Children between 2 to 5 years old should only have up to one hour of supervised screen time during weekdays. The content of the media they consume should also be of high quality and appropriate for their age7.

During this new normal, finding indoor activities for toddlers in Singapore is a must. Examples of fun learning activities for toddlers include:

  • Drawing and finger painting

  • Making and playing with edible clay

  • Telling stories with picture books

  • Dressing up and role-playing

  • Indoor or backyard camping

  • Learning simple phrases and words in different languages

Fun Learning Activities for Kids 2.5 - 6 Years Old

School-aged children require different approaches to learning. Whether a child is learning from home or returning to the classroom, parents and teachers alike need to know how to make learning fun. Here are some fun learning activities for kids to do:

Simple Science Experiments

Science is all around us. Spark your child’s curiosity and love for science by letting them observe and conduct experiments. A concept like the phases of matter can be easily taught by using water. When water freezes it is a solid, when it melts it is liquid, and when it is boiled it becomes vapor or gas.

Other easy science experiments that can be done at home include:

  • Planting seeds and growing plants

  • Creating a baking soda and vinegar volcano

  • Discovering how magnets work

  • Making edible rock candy

  • Building a potato or lemon battery

Learn to Cook

Learning is fun when you allow kids to get messy. Cooking is a good way to teach kids essential life skills and become self-sufficient. In addition, many cooking activities double as simple science experiments.

It would be unrealistic to expect a child to create a full course meal. Instead, start them off with small snacks and ingredient prepping. There are plenty of no-bake, easy-to-do recipes available on the internet to try.

Give your child the freedom to be creative. However, keep them safe by observing them at all times. Be alert when they are handling hot food, sharp utensils, or small objects that pose a choking hazard.

Create Picture Books or Comics

Superhero movies and cartoons are popular with the young and old nowadays. Children enjoy dressing up as their favourite characters and reenacting scenes from their favourite shows. Let them have fun learning how to unleash their creativity and imagination through art and storytelling.

Creating comics and books give children a chance to express hidden talents without having to leave their room. Afterward, their creations become precious keepsakes for years to come.

Learn to Play an Instrument

A classic and fun learning activity for children is playing an instrument. Aside from being pleasing to the ears, learning to play an instrument stimulates the mind, improves dexterity, and reduces stress8.

There are a variety of instruments to choose from, ranging from the piano to the ukulele and everything in between. If you or a relative are already proficient playing a particular instrument, now is a great time to pass on the hobby.

There are also inexpensive ways to introduce instruments into a child’s life. With cardboard tubes, small boxes, and rubber bands, you can even create a DIY guitar.

The Role of Nutrition in Making Learning More Effective

Nutrition plays a direct role in brain health, affecting your child's ability to learn. Because of this, it is essential that your child receive a well-balanced diet. Among the food your child needs for a healthier brain are green, leafy vegetables that promote cognition9. Fatty fish also contain omega-3 fatty acids that help support brain health. Walnuts and other nuts also contain healthy fats that may help with improving memory.

But as your child is still growing, it is also important for them to receive nutrients that support mental development in children.

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Alongside providing good nutrition, knowing how to make learning fun can help your child as they develop into toddlerhood and beyond. Discovering how to make learning fun can be challenging but it is definitely well worth the effort. Learning is fun when the whole family is involved — even when you are stuck at home!

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REFERENCES:
1 The Paradoxes of Student Well-being in Singapore,
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2096531120935127
Accessed August 14, 2021.
2 Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development,
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791
Accessed August 14, 2021.
3 Pedagogy of Play,
http://www.pz.harvard.edu/projects/pedagogy-of-play
Accessed August 14, 2021.
4 Resilience Boosters,
https://www.moe.gov.sg/-/media/files/programmes/gb-resilience.pdf
Accessed August 14, 2021.
5 FAQs: COVID-19 related matters,
https://www.moe.gov.sg/faqs-covid-19-infection
Accessed August 14, 2021.
8 A Prescription for Music Lessons
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368928/
Accessed August 14, 2021.
9 Foods linked to better brainpower,
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower
Accessed October 22, 2021