If your child’s homework is starting to feel like a chore, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for children’s motivation to start to dip as they get older, their schoolwork gets harder, and workload increases. But there are plenty of ways to help your child rekindle their enthusiasm for learning! Here are Atom’s Education Experts’ top tips for keeping your child motivated as they begin the Key Stage 2 national curriculum.
1. Show real world examples
Despite their young age, it's important that your child recognises the value of learning and working hard. Show your child how they'll use what they're learning for the rest of their lives through regular, honest conversations.
For example, when counting out money, or explaining to your child how the cashier knew how much change to give you – "We both used addition and subtraction to work those out.”
Speak openly with your child about how they may find some things more difficult to learn than others. Explain to them that this is OK and that everyone has something they find challenging to begin with. The key to overcoming these hurdles is through practice – like learning to ride a bike!
2. Make learning fun and varied
Keep learning activities fun and varied. Encourage your child to read a new book, discuss the plot and characters, and make predictions about what is going to happen at the end.
Visit a museum together and quiz your child on the way home about what they found interesting, or about something they learnt which they didn't know before.
Free live lessons with our enthusiastic in-house teachers will stretch their knowledge in some of the most challenging areas of the curriculum.
Variety in learning will spark their imagination, motivating them to strengthen their logic, vocabulary and comprehension skills. This variety will build on the academic foundations taught at school, nurturing your child’s curiosity for learning.
3. Practice little and often
Studies show that children learn best by learning a limited amount of new material at any one time, and answering a high volume of questions based on that new material. Practising little and often allows your child to efficiently process new topics, and avoid information overload.
We recommend that all early Key Stage 2 students study in short bursts – just 10 to 20 minutes at a time – when working outside of school. Atom’s Parent Portal makes it easy to track your child’s time spent studying per day.
It’s important to find study times which work best for you and your child, whether this be before or after school. This learning time can be spent answering questions, revising challenging topics, or watching teacher-led videos.
4. Take an interest in their learning
Taking an interest in your child’s learning is essential for keeping up momentum and motivating them to work hard.
Ask your child about something they learnt at school today, and why they found this particular topic interesting. Use open questions such as ‘What did you find most surprising in your Science lesson today?’ to allow your child to reflect on what they have learnt, feeding their intellectual curiosity and encouraging self-motivation.
Your enthusiasm about what they know will keep your child motivated to learn – they’ll want to tell you all about it!
5. Give praise for effort over outcome
Praise is a fantastic motivator, but be sure to celebrate effort, as well as achievement. When your child makes mistakes, or struggles to understand a topic, help them recognise that they have the ability to improve through practice. This form of praise will help improve your child’s resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.
Equally, if your child has achieved a high score in a test, encourage them to reflect on the skill and effort that went into reaching that score. This encourages a positive mindset around learning as your child will be motivated by performing well, and facing challenging questions.
We can help!
Atom Nucleus motivates your child with a varied workload and allows you to see the progress they’re making.
Your child will work through fun, interactive worlds, answering questions from the Key Stage 2 curriculum to earn points and badges.
Access to a range of visual resources including fun help sheets and engaging short videos will support their learning.
Through your Parent Portal on Atom, you can immediately see your child’s progress, gain useful insights into their strengths and areas for development, and set custom practice activities in topic areas which your child is finding more challenging.
Get in touch
If you have any questions as your child begins Key Stage 2, Atom's Education Experts are on hand to help every step of the way.
Or come along to a free parent webinar for expert advice on how you can support your child to excel academically.
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