Parents, teachers, and students all have rough days. So, how do we motivate kids to love schoolwork even on those rough days?

Recently, it seemed like I was having more rough days than good days.

A couple of months ago, two other teachers and I had to present on a professional development day. As we were planning for our presentation, something struck me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about this saying.

Every day we should send our kids to Disneyland rather than Chuck E. Cheese. At first, I thought, well, aren’t those both fun places?

Yes, they can both be fun. However, there is a huge difference between Disneyland and Chuck E.Cheese.

How to Motivate Kids to Love Schoolwork 

Disneyland is a place full of magic. When you look at the pictures, the world seems to stop in Disneyland. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.  

It has been a while since I have been to Chuck E. Cheese. But let’s be real with each other. You and I both know that Chuck E. Cheese can be a little crazy and overwhelming at times. There are so many people in that small place with kids running around. 

As a teacher, I love a good analogy or saying. When I think about Disneyland, I think about the amazing experience that location has to offer. In life, children should always feel that they are experiencing the magic. 

Last year, I went to a conference called Get Your Teach On. At this conference, they talked about engagement and providing excitement to kids each day. 

Teachers need to be engaging, passionate and loving to their students at school. This motivates kids to love schoolwork. 

Magical Moments for a Teacher to Motivate Kids to Love Schoolwork 

• Always start their day off right
• Love students for all that they are
• Greet students each day with a smile
• Provide engaging lessons to make learning fun
• Create room transformations that take children to another place

How I Did this in My Classroom

Last year, my students were struggling to understand some of the reading curricula. I came up with a lesson where they had to investigate and find out who kidnapped me. 

The children read passages, watched videos, and used their clues to infer who had stolen “Miss Fulcher”. 

I had never seen such excitement from the kids! I loved seeing their “light bulb” moments when they understood the reading skills we were discussing.

Ways a Parent Can Make Homework Fun

As parents, you usually have to help out when it comes to homework. Here are some simple ways that you can motivate kids to love schoolwork at home. 

Playing Games

You can play games to review concepts such as:

• Vocabulary words
• Sight words
• Math problems
• Spelling lists

One of our most fun games is Tic Tac Toe. Watch out kids can get pretty competitive! 

Offer Incentives

Another easy way to increase their love for homework is by offering some weekly incentives. Children love incentives and rewards for having a good week homework wise. 

Examples of Rewards or Incentives

• Earning tv or electronic time
• Dinner or ice cream out
• Itunes song download
• App or game on their tablet

Provide Encouragement

Lastly, sometimes just letting them know how proud you are for completing their homework is all they need. Most kids feed off of positive reinforcement. 

Additional Resources for Making Learning Fun

The sad reality is that most curriculum and homework that children are doing can be boring. When children are bored, they are not interested in the material, and some may not do their best. 

If you give them some magic, they may enjoy school and homework just a little bit more. Here are some more ideas and resources to provide them magical learning experiences. 

• Fun Resources To Boost Your Child’s Learning
• Learning Activities Your Child Will Love
• Common Summer Excursions Made Educational

What’s your favorite way to motivate your kids to love schoolwork? Leave your ideas in the comments below!

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