Early childhood education is critical for the development of a child. It starts between 2-6 years. At this stage, the children are curious about their surroundings and have an innate eagerness to learn. Early schooling enables them to acquire interaction and life skills at an early age. However, keeping them interested in these preschool programs can be an uphill task.
Children get excited about new things, but the energy and excitement may not last. When a child loses interest, they get fussy and do not hide their disinterest. Therefore, it is important to find ways to keep your child motivated and interested in these early schooling programs.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, motivation is the reason why somebody does something or behaves in a particular way. The right type of motivation can energize and sustain the child’s eagerness to learn.
Reasons why your child may lack interest
- A boring teaching approach: Children have a short attention span, and a teacher can lose their attention by not engaging them. At this age, they enjoy fun games and playing with toys. A lot of desk time and textbook classwork can demotivate them. Preschools in Pune have undergone a significant shift as the ECCE demanded that all the teachers should have approved ECCE certificates. These will show that they are trained to handle preschoolers.
- The program focuses on more classwork: A good preschool program incorporates more fun activities compared to classwork. Incorporating fun ways to teach while playing will go a long way in motivating the children
- It takes too long: Many preschool programs are not full-day programs. When the child feels like going to school takes a long time, he/she will lose interest and prefer staying home.
- When the process turns into a routine: Children enjoy a variety. Doing the same thing over and over will lead to them losing interest. Spontaneity in a preschool program will keep the children engaged and excited.
- Shyness: Most children have a hard time connecting with teachers and other students. If a child is shy and does not get the proper encouragement to engage in more class activities, they will keep to themselves. Hence, lose interest in the program.
- When the child is not skilled: Just like adults, children are different when it comes to their ability to grasp information. A slow learner may end up demotivated because of not grasping skills and understanding information at the same pace as other students.
These reasons make it critical for parents and teachers to find ways that motivate the preschoolers.
Tips you can use to motivate your child.
- Encourage honest communication and listening.
- Take note of the child’s interests.
- Incorporate a lot of fun activities and game-based teaching.
- Research different learning techniques.
- Show excitement when they learn a new thing.
- Create a conducive learning environment.
- Do not be frustrated by poor performance and encourage the child.
These tips are vital for ensuring your child enjoys the process and does not feel like it is a mandatory program.
Importance of motivating a preschooler
- It develops an eagerness to learn
When a child can openly communicate about his/her experience with a superior without fear of punishment, they start to engage in more activities. It happens because they are eager to learn new things so that they can tell you all about it. If they learn a new skill in school or learn how to operate a new toy, they are eager to show someone and get a pat on the back. They may not be good communicators, but little children love to talk about everything.
- Improves the child’s performance
A motivated child will excel in school. Encouraging them to keep going even when they do not perform well will boost their confidence, hence improving their performance. When the child excels in an activity, rewarding their effort with a toy or their favourite candy will encourage them to keep working hard.
- Boosts their confidence
When you cheer your child on and reward their smallest achievements, his/her confidence gets a boost. He/she begins to enjoy going to school because of the understanding that the activities at school can get them a reward. They get the confidence to engage more inside and outside the classroom.
- Develops interpersonal skills
Most children are shy when interacting with strangers for the first time. A parent attending the first week of orientation with the child and following him/her as they interact with other kids and teachers will motivate the child to make new friends and learn how to communicate. The games and activities at school also encourage children to learn social and interaction skills.
Motivation is a significant part of a child’s ability to succeed. It drives them to engage more in school and make new friends. Preschool parents and teachers have the responsibility of finding ways to keep the children motivated. The tips above will go a long way in helping you succeed in motivating the preschoolers.
