How to Help Your Children Fall in Love with Learning

Those of us with small children (and of course those with big ones!), know how critical the first 5 years of our little ones lives are when it comes to learning. It sets the stage for the rest of their lives, so it can often feel like we have to do everything to make sure they will be smart. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard parents say they feel pressured to:

• teach their children a second language

• enroll them in multiple activities at a young age

• teach them to read and write early

• know the alphabet early

• teach their children a musical instrument

Do not feel bad if you either feel this pressure or have done these things for your children. Each child is different. If your child is ready to write their name at 2 years old, then encourage them to do it! But if they are not, don’t try to force it. The last thing you want is a frustrated child who doesn’t think they are smart enough to master a skill you are forcing on them. Now…that being said, teaching our children how to learn often gets a bad rep because of the pressure parents feel to teach their children certain skills earlier than ever before. But did you know that with the right skills and guidance, teaching them can be easy and FUN! Did I just say fun? Indeed I did! I recently had the privilege of meeting Jessica McKenna, proud founder of Books, Bees, and ABCs. With a background in Educational Psychology, Jessica applies a child’s motivation for learning into activities that can easily be done at home.

Jessica’s goal is to make a mom’s life easier - simple as that. We are all looking for the village we had been promised would help raise our children, those who would reach out and support us, especially in those toughest times. With all that we already have on our plate it can feel overwhelming to come up with activities that build our child’s knowledge without investing time in planning and preparation - time which we simply don’t have. Jessica provides just that. Building out tried and true activities and the information that goes along with it, Jessica guides moms through creating a condition for quality play at home.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with her and ask her a few questions. Here’s what she had to share:

1. How did you first get started in this field?

I’ve always loved working with children. From a young age I played the role of teacher to fellow students, took part in programs that supported gifted and special needs children and spent my evenings and weekends babysitting. Finding my way to education seemed the perfect fit. I taught in public schools across Eastern Canada (where I call home) as well as the UK, but something was missing. I felt I was missing that connection to home – a key aspect in educational success, especially in those early years. In 2012 I ran a large study working with Early Childhood Educators and fell in love with the specialty - writing a few publications and continuing to dive in. After the birth of my daughter in 2015, I shaped an Early Years Program that would allow for her and the others I cared for to flourish academically while continuing to have the feel of home. In addition to the day-to-day I was able to connect to each child’s home life, the parents and loved ones who were also looking for support. I was so passionate about the impact I could make that I decided to take it a step further and support others looking for the same guidance and help.

2. What is play-based learning and why is it important?

Who knew that play could be so valued packed? Play is where experimentation and application happens. It’s the safe space where children allow their imaginations to guide them to finding their place in the world. Children are intrinsically motivated to discover everything around them when they feel the safety of play and no specific outcome is expected of them. They are true scientists of the world. In school systems especially, play is viewed as an addition to learning or the reward for having learned something rather than hand-in-hand. But play crosses cultures, language, developmental barriers, and other areas of debate that continue to make headlines in traditional education environments. If you can spark interest, children are driven to learn!

3. How can parents help their children love to learn?

Enriching a love of learning comes from watching those who find joy in learning; Mom and Dad, siblings, friends, teachers, the list goes on. Watching someone we love experience true joy from something; be it a craft, sport, cooking, reading, anything at all and coming to understand the skills that allow that person to do it well. Watching Mom or Dad in the garden can quickly become a science experiment, how the soil changes with water, or how the plant grows roots through the ground. Simply allowing them to take part, and talking through what you are doing has the ability to engage them - letting them get their hands dirty has a profound impact. Learning can be playful and mistakes are not only okay, but they are welcomed as a part of the learning journey. Playing with your children and creating the conditions where what can be learned can be applied in their everyday through helping in the kitchen, helping with tasks at home and turning it into conversation and adventure.

4. What are some tips of have for parents/How can parents make learning easier?

Although we know there is great value placed on math, science and literacy in standard education, this is not the whole of education. Many children will thrive if shown that there is value in their interests, rather than pressuring success in standardized learning. We can show connections to what they are curious about and how this is related to traditional aspect of learning. Through techniques such as STEAM (more about that here) we place value on the many areas of education that cross over into one another, rather than the singular disciplines - a view that causes great anxiety and stress in our little ones. If your child loves comic books for instance, engage in that, enrich it. Show that with art and science, as well as literacy, physical education, math and social studies, you can get a deep understanding of what creates an amazing comic and perhaps do it for a living! Anything is possible with passion and support from parents and teachers. We can take the pressure off education and let children thrive in areas that they already love and use those things to show the value in knowing more about it, and how it all connects.

5. Where can parents get more information and resources about teaching their children?

I believe so strongly in connection to your community and the people within. Allow your child to safely meet those people around them that provide a broad range of interest in the many jobs and activities people take part in day to day. Allow your child to find their own interests and passions. Show them what they can do and encourage them to learn all they can about what they love. Show them the real applications of what they already love. For ideas on how to do this, make the most of it, and provide activities quickly and easily at home, reach out to me for information and ideas that I continue to develop and share with moms looking to encourage that passion in their children.

Want more information about Jessica and her organization? You can find her here:

• Facebook: Books Bees & ABCs

• Website: http://booksbeesandabcs.com

• Email: JessicaMcKenna@BooksBeesAndABCs.com

• Instagram @BooksBeesAndABCs

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