Teaching children how to learn in general is a complex process that doesn’t happen on its own. You will need to be patient and make sure they stay engaged every step of the way. It’s best not to push too hard to prevent them from feeling repulsion against learning.

Teach through playing

It’s always fun to learn something new via playing a game, or activity.

• Gives the child a choice about what he or she wants to do
• Feels fun and enjoyable for the child
• Evolves spontaneously, rather than giving kids a script to follow
• Is driven by intrinsic motivation about what the child wants to do
• Creates a risk-free environment where kids can experiment and try new ideas.

For young children, play is often a full body activity that helps them develop skills they will need later in life. Running, dancing, climbing, rolling—these activities all foster muscle development and help fine-tune motor skills. Children also build their mental and emotional muscles as they create elaborate, imaginative worlds rich with a system of rules that govern the terms of play.

During these activities introduce simple word games on a regular basis. Focus on playing games that encourage your child to listen, identify and manipulate the sounds in words. Try to offer interactive activities. When children are given opportunities to act out scenes and express themselves, they improve their social confidence, increase their ability to see the perspectives of others and increase the attention they give to the literature.

It should be fun!

We want to help children learn to ask questions, express themselves, collaborate with others, and take creative risks. We also want them to retain their natural curiosity and to never lose the excitement of learning something new. All those things are achieved by making learning fun for children. Mixing things up with the activities you choose, and letting your child pick out their own creative activities, you’ll give them the best chance at learning in no time.

Here are some books that will help you understand the process of teaching your children how to learn.