The following is a guest post from Hillary at infinitelearners.com.
Children go through phases of interests. Sometimes they are short and sweet; sometimes they last for years. The more we embrace and get involved in our children's hobbies and interests, the more potential there is for learning.
Learning happens all the time whether we are aware of it or not, and taking the time to acknowledge these opportunities can help a child develop important skills while having fun.
You can help your children learn through their hobbies in enjoyable, creative ways. Children learn through play, and encouraging education through their choice of play increases their development, while also strengthening your child-parent bond.
Expand your child's knowledge base by simply becoming aware of their interests, making connections, getting creative and keeping it fun.
• Become Aware: This part is easy. Usually your child's interests are obvious. In fact you've probably heard way too much about one topic. Embrace it! Even if Tonka trucks aren't your favorite, look at it as an important learning phase.
Respecting and enjoying their interests forms an important bond, laying a strong foundation for navigating future experiences together. You want them to respect your interests even if they don't share them--do the same for them. Identify one or more hobbies/interests and find ways to relate.
• Make Connections: It doesn't help to force learning before your child is ready. It's frustrating for both of you and can attach negative emotions to learning. Instead look for skills your child is developmentally ready to explore.
Maybe they like to dress up - wearing an old watch and regularly mentioning a made up time. This could indicate a desire to learn more about time.
Or maybe they love hearing stories about far off places - the "old days" as my five-year-old affectionately calls history. Do they like to count or pretend they are writing? Take note.
• Get Creative: Brainstorm ways your child's hobby and learning stages intersect. For example, if your child's current interest is trains and you think they are ready to explore telling time, you can use a big, easy-to-read learning clock to play trains.
Get on the floor with them and set train schedules. Thomas is due to leave at 3:00, let's set the station clock. Off we go! Or Henry leaves in two hours. It's 3:00 now, let's figure out what time it will be when he leaves.
If it's history they enjoy you could start exploring the history of trains. Learn about different models and talk about how and why countries laid tracks and what the trains carried. Visit a train museum together.
Another example is using music to count. Young children love music - by simply clapping and counting you're introducing them to basic music and math skills. The opportunities are endless!
• Keep it Fun: If it's not fun let it go. Maybe you're pushing too hard or they are just not ready. Respect that and use fun as your indicator. It is important to attach joy and ease to your child's education so they continue to be the life learners they were born to be.
Even if you have a great idea, the timing might be off. Wait and try again in a few months. Trust that your children are learning whether it's apparent to you (or them) and keep looking for ways to expand their (and your) knowledge base.
We have a saying in our family: If it's not fun, it's not working. This helps us be willing to let go of something that is obviously not working even though we might have had other expectations.
The best way to encourage learning is to be enthusiastic about learning yourself. Modeling healthy hobbies and learning opportunities in your own life will by far make the biggest difference in your child's experience.
Learn cooperatively alongside your children and be amazed at how many learning opportunities there are in everyday life and play.
How does your family incorporate play, everyday life, and learning?
***Hillary is an enthusiastic life learner who is now an expert on the many different types of construction vehicles and the various names of dinosaurs, as well as the science of fossils. She credits her two boys to her ever expansive knowledge base and blogs about mindful family living at infinitelearners.com.***
