Fun ways to teach kids

How to Make Learning Fun with These 10 Tips

How to Make School and Learning Fun

Most people have fond memories of elementary school. Playing with your friends on the playground, dominating at tetherball or gossiping and giggling on the monkey bars — these are the fun experiences we reminisce about.

Today, we hear a lot about Common Core standards and getting students ready for college. Gone are the carefree days of elementary school, as teachers and parents push kids to excel to even higher learning standards.

Why It’s Important to Make Learning Fun for Kids

Kids need fun at school. When teachers make learning exciting, students are more willing to participate and often find the lesson more memorable.  So how can we make school more engaging and interesting for students?

Read the full article or jump to a specific section:

• Break up Lessons
• Offer Choices
• Incorporate Games
• Have Group Time
• Move Around
• Use Hands-On Activities
• Be Creative
• Plan Field Trips
• Use Technology
• Go Outside

Ready to start designing your playground to make learning more engaging for students? Contact our team of experts today!

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10 Tips for Making Learning Fun and Engaging For Children

Making school fun can give kids a lifelong love of learning. To keep your students engaged and motivated, throw in some variety. Here are 10 ways you can make learning and education more exciting for your students.

1. Break up Your Lessons

Many lessons involve lectures, especially when you’re introducing a new topic. But you can’t expect young kids to stay engaged as they sit still listening to you talk. Breaking up your lesson adds excitement and keeps your students interested.

Give an introduction, then try an activity. Go back to talking, then pull out another group exercise or get students out of their seats for a round of jumping jacks. Finish the class with a discussion. Even a 30-second break every six minutes or so will do wonders. Try to vary what you do for every lesson and how you teach every day. Learning in new ways and doing novel things can help kids pay attention to the material.

2. Give Your Students Choices

Kids don’t get many choices in their daily routine, either at school or at home. Sometimes all they want is to have a say. When kids have the power to choose, it helps them become more engaged and buy into what happens next. Try letting them pick the activity that goes along with your lesson or what homework assignment they will work on that night. Giving kids choices will make lessons more fun, all while instilling them with decision-making skills.

3. Incorporate Games

Games are an incredible way to add instant engagement to your lesson plan. They make learning more fun, from review time to memorization drills. Games don’t need to require a lot of prep time or expense, as there are thousands of free educational games online. Students will look forward to review days and other lessons with gamified elements.

4. Create Group Time

When you allow students to work together, they retain information quicker and longer. Cooperation also helps develop critical thinking and communication skills. Group time breaks up the same routine, making learning and your lesson much more enjoyable.

Here are a few tips to keep group time productive.

• Keep it short: Cap group time at five minutes to keep students focused on the task they need to accomplish. Once time runs out, call students back to discuss their takeaways and answer any questions they may have.
• Assign roles: Give each student a role within their group. Students will know what to expect when group work begins, so they’ll be able to focus easier.
• Provide sentence starters: Jumping into a group conversation with classmates can sometimes be awkward or intimidating. By providing the start of a sentence related to the topic, you’ll give students a jumping-off point to get the discussion started right away.

5. Get up and Move

Most elementary school kids don’t like to sit still for very long. Your kids deserve a break, and so do you. It’s time to get up and get moving.

If you see your kids lagging, give them a brain break or incorporate movement into your lesson to make it more fun and engaging. These breaks are a great way to give your students a quick two minutes of downtime.

You could also incorporate movement into your lesson plans. Here are some effective teaching methods that encourage kids to move around.

• Silent discussion boards: Put up poster papers around the room with questions written on them. Students can walk around the room and write their answers to the question on the paper before moving on to the next question.
• Walking and talking: This method combines group work and movement to create an engaging setting for discussion. Students partner up and discuss the topic while moving around the classroom together.
• Stations: Divide the room into several groups based on different tasks or questions related to the topic. Every few minutes, students will rotate to the next station and begin the next task. This method keeps them engaged and allows them to tackle the topic from multiple angles.

Make sure you offer ample opportunities for movement. When they know a mini-break is on the horizon, your kids will stay more engaged and have much more fun.

6. Incorporate Hands-On Learning

Teachers have long relied on hands-on activities to make lessons fun and engaging. Apply these activities to almost any subject, from a preschool alphabet lesson to math, English and geography.

Hands-on learning, also known as “active learning,” puts students in control. Unlike traditional lecture-style lessons, hands-on activities encourage students to produce original insights, which pushes them to deeper levels of thought. Additionally, they can gain direct feedback from instructors on their projects, which can help encourage them to try hard in class.

An action-oriented assignment like an arts and crafts project is more meaningful to students and will likely be the lesson they remember most.

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7. Be Open to Creativity

It’s easy to teach from the same lesson plans year after year. Once you have something that works, you may be a little nervous about trying something new. But remember — each year, you’ve got a new batch of students with various interests. Variety and creativity are the best ways to ensure learning stays fun.

Essentially, you should be open to your students’ creativity. Give your class the freedom to modify assignments and projects as long as they run the changes by you first. You may find that their ideas give a unique twist to a lesson. Plus, when students come up with something on their own, it’s more meaningful to them and they can develop confidence in their decision-making skills.

Holding classroom discussions is one way to shake things up. Turning the conversation over to students can help them focus better in class and practice public speaking, which over time can lead them to become more self-assured. Plus, you can gauge their understanding of the material based on how they answer your discussion questions. This tactic works best in humanities or language classes where there is room for open-ended answers, but you can also apply it to math and science topics.

8. Schedule Field Trips

Who doesn’t have fond memories of their class field trips? These treks outside the classroom are an ideal way for your students to connect to the outside world and engage with what they’re learning. From plays and museum exhibits to historical places, these and other field trips will be more memorable than a classroom lecture.

If your school has cut the field trip budget, try taking an online virtual field trip. Or, maybe there’s a cool opportunity within walking distance of your building. No matter how you offer a trip to your students, it’ll be a fun way to learn.

9. Make Technology Part of Your Lesson

Technology is a given in today’s world. From tablets and laptops to YouTube and Netflix, your kids experience an endless stream of devices, sites and software every day. Use technology as a tool to make learning more fun, familiar and accessible.

Stock your classroom with tablets that have exciting educational apps. Or show your kids a short clip on YouTube or TeacherTube. You can even create a PowerPoint or a video of your own. Technology is a great way to meet some of your students’ instructional needs. Additionally, integrating technology into the classroom can prepare students with the skills necessary for the professional world – most careers nowadays use some form of technology, so students must become familiar with widely used programs early on.

10. Take the Fun Outside

Recess — is there any word that brings more joy to a student’s heart? Looking forward to these outdoor excursions can make their in-class time more fun and engaging.

Kids need a break, yet many schools are doing away with recess in favor of academics. However, research shows that getting outdoors, playing on the playground and engaging with friends primes their brains for learning. Along with that, you and your students could enjoy these additional benefits of having class outside.

• Learning about different subjects: Of course, outdoor lessons can be ideal for science classes. But you could also go outside to supplement a reading class focusing on nature or an art class exploring landscapes.
• Improving grades: Taking lessons outside can boost grades. Kids can become more engaged with learning and grow their critical thinking skills, increasing their chances of doing well on tests and assignments.
• Reducing stress: You and your students deserve the chance to relax. Take a break from tests and lectures to spend some time outside and reduce everyone’s stress.

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Get the Benefits of Teaching Outside With Playground Equipment

When you want to make school and learning fun and share the benefits of having class outside with your students, it helps to have an area made for kids. Talk to administrators about creating or enhancing your existing play spaces to give everyone in your school the chance to enjoy outdoor learning and play.

Playgrounds are valuable educational tools that you can use for applied lessons. You can even let kids have unstructured playtime to enjoy the benefits of playing outside, like improved problem-solving skills, confidence, independence, communication and creativity.

Miracle® Recreation Equipment Company would be happy to help you create a play area that promotes those developments and more for your students. We manufacture exciting play structures and components with a commitment to safety that’ll add plenty of opportunities to your school’s outdoor spaces. And with playground structures for kids ages 5 to 12, we’re sure to have something for your students. Consider these Miracle play equipment options to engage kids with learning outside.

• Themed playgrounds: Our themed playgrounds encourage creativity and storytelling. Bring play and your classroom lessons to life with themes from trains to fire engines and anything else you can imagine.

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• Cooperative elements: Features that encourage kids to play together give you the chance to teach a lesson in cooperation and friendly competition. Use the Buddy Rocker to help your students learn about movement through cooperative play. Or choose a dual slide, like the Bump and Glide Slide, to encourage friendly competition.
• Interactive components: The entire playground is an interactive zone, but specific additions lend themselves to outdoor lessons. For instance, consider the Chime Panel and standing Concerto Chimes for an outdoor music class.
• Educational accessories: Add features like fun puzzles or our Alphabet Panel to engage kids with learning opportunities as they play outside. Teach young children about spelling and the alphabet with a quick outdoor lesson before they get back to playing.

To ensure your students get the playground they deserve, invest in high-quality equipment that’s as thrilling as it is safe. With Miracle Recreation, your school can receive a customized playground design that meets all your needs to ensure your kids have the best environment for outdoor play.

Learn more about our thrilling and safe playground equipment for schools. As your students look forward to another fun-filled recess, classroom time will feel more engaging and exciting. Contact us to discuss what works best for your school.

How to Make Learning Fun for Kids: 11 Amazing Ideas

Teaching kids is hard. Whether you’re a parent, an educator, or someone else in a caregiving role, you know the challenges that come with teaching kids.

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They get distracted easily, tire out, get bored, and lose interest if you’re not on top of your game.

That’s why it’s so important to find ways to make learning fun.

It can be hard to make learning fun for kids, but it’s definitely not impossible!

Studies have shown that kids learn better when they are having fun (particularly during early childhood education), so it’s a good idea to try and make learning as enjoyable as possible for them.

The good news is there are many different ways to make learning fun for kids!

From using learning apps like HOMER to going on field trips, there are countless ways to put some fun into your educational activities.

Take a look below at how you can make learning more exciting and interesting for your children.

No matter how young or old they are, the possibilities of how to make learning fun for them are endless!

The Best Ways to Make Learning Fun

There are all sorts of different things you can do to make learning fun. Here are some of our favorites based on our experience.

1. Use educational apps to make learning exciting

These days, there’s an app for just about everything, and that goes for learning too. There are math apps, reading apps, coding apps, science apps…the list goes on and on.

The great thing about the best education apps is they let kids learn while playing games they love. In fact, kids don’t even realize they’re learning a lot of the time — they’re just excited to play.

There are plenty of great educational apps out there that will make learning fun for your kids while keeping them engaged. A couple of our favorites include HOMER ( they offer a free 30-day trial) and codeSpark Academy (check out their free 7-day trial).

Many of these fun learning apps are even free or very cheap. And almost all of them offer free trial periods that let you test out the app before signing up for a subscription.

2. Play games with your kids that teach them things

It’s really important to play educational games with your kids that teach them things.

When you play games together, it becomes a fun learning experience for them. They will learn more quickly and easily when they are enjoying themselves.

There are many different kinds of learning games to engage students that teach different things, such as math, science, and how to be a good person.

Rhyming games, car games (like “I Spy”), and listening games are all fun, engaging activities that don’t require any materials to play.

Of course, there are plenty of fun learning games you can buy as well.

One very popular game is called “Sushi Go”. This card game involves sequencing numbers and matching cards to create sets. It’s also something kids can play with their friends as well as family members.

Another great educational game to check out for your kids is “Sum Swamp”. With “Sum Swamp”, students learn how to add numbers in a fun way. They also have to work together with their friends to win the game, which teaches strategy and how to work as a team.

And of course, there are classic games like checkers, chess, and Jenga that all teach critical thinking skills and other lessons.

Board games actually make great educational games because they teach kids to think about rules and parameters while strategically planning how to win.

3. Encourage your kids to explore their creative side

Another great way to make learning fun for kids is by encouraging their creativity.

There are many different strategies you can use to do this.

For instance, when it comes to how to make learning fun in your home, you can decorate a whole learning area with visuals and posters related to the subjects they’re learning about. In their bedroom, you can hang posters of numbers and vocabulary words they’re learning how to spell.

Painting, writing, and building crafts are just a few creative activities that can be used to help kids learn different things.

Creativity opens the mind to thinking in new ways and can be used to help students learn all sorts of concepts and ideas.

4. Do hands-on activities and experiments

Kids learn best when they’re engaged and active, so it’s a good idea to do hands-on activities and experiments with them.

This will help keep them interested and motivated while they learn.

There are many different kinds of activities and experiments you can do with your kids, depending on their age and interests.

For younger kids, you can do things like fingerprinting experiments, coloring, or making simple crafts.

You can also do science like making slime or learning how to make a rainbow.

Older kids can get more involved in hands-on activities and experiments. They can help make dinner, for example, or bake a cake. They can also do more complicated science experiments or build things using wood.

They can also help you in the yard, garden, or with other outdoor chores.

The possibilities are really endless for how to make learning fun through hands-on activities and experiments at home! There are even some great educational gifts you can give your child that include fun activities for them to do.

With a monthly science subscription box like Kiwico, you can get project kits for experiments sent to your home each month with something new and fun for your kids to do. See our Kiwico pricing guide for more info.

5. Create a fun learning environment

It’s important to make sure that your learning area is visually stimulating and exciting for kids. A boring setting will lead to a bored child.

Put posters around the house or in your classroom of things they’re learning about (like animals) so it’s always there for them when they need it!

You can also put out objects from the topics they’re learning to create a more tangible learning experience.

Adding visuals will help your child to learn how to make learning fun and the information stick in their minds better.

6. Make flashcards together as a family and quiz each other on what you’ve learned

Flashcards are a great tool for remembering important information, but you can take this a step further by getting your kids to create them with you.

There are many benefits of using flashcards for learning.

One of the biggest advantages is that they make learning fun and interesting.

Flashcards are also a great way to help kids learn how to spell words and remember important information. They can be used for any subject, and you can make them as simple or complex as you want.

Another great thing about flashcards is that they can be used anywhere. You can take them with you on trips, to the doctor’s office, or even to bed. This makes it easy for kids to continue learning even when they’re not in school or doing homework.

There are many different ways to make your own custom flashcards.

You can find a template online, design them together on the computer, and print them out.

Or you can get some index cards and make your own by hand.

You can also get creative and use different shapes of cards, such as the alphabet.

The possibilities are endless for how you can make learning fun through flashcards at home with your kids!

7. Make learning fun by incorporating it into their everyday life

One great way to make learning fun for kids is to incorporate it into their everyday life.

There are many different ways to do this, depending on their age and interests.

You can also have them help you with regular tasks around the house, like cooking or cleaning. This will help them learn how to do chores and also give them a sense of responsibility.

Or you can take them with you to the store and have them add up the price of different items as you fill up your cart.

For kids just learning how to read, you can have them read street signs and other important information as you’re out and about running errands.

No matter what it is that you’re doing, there’s an opportunity to turn it into a learning experience.

8. Let your kids work together with others

One of the best ways to make learning fun for kids is to let them work together with others.

This can be in a classroom setting with other students or even at home with a sibling or friend.

There are many different benefits to letting kids collaborate and learn from each other.

One of the biggest advantages is that it helps them learn how to socialize and work together effectively as a team. These kind of communication skills are some they will use throughout their lives.

Collaborating also helps kids learn how to share and take turns, both of which are essential skills for cooperation.

Working with others allows kids to get more out of the learning experience. They can share ideas, ask questions, and help each other understand the material better. This makes learning more fun and interesting for them.

Collaborative learning can be used in almost any setting, including the classroom and online. There are many free collaborative learning programs that you can download to your computer or tablet for easy access. Or you can create your own project with kids using Google Docs or another similar program.

9. Give plenty of breaks

Kids need a regular brain break when learning. Their attention span is only so long, and if you push them too far, they’ll shut down and start to get frustrated.

Their minds will also work better afterward.

Most kids will need a short break every 30-60 minutes.

You can also combine breaks with fun activities, like playing a game, doing some jumping jacks, or going for a walk (getting them moving is very important!). This will help refresh their minds and make learning more enjoyable.

10. Get out on a field trip

Field trips are a great way to make learning fun for kids. They can get out of the classroom or house and explore new places while learning at the same time.

There are many different types of field trips that you can take your kids on.

You can go to a museum, park, or historical site. You can also go on nature walks or hikes, visit a farm, or go to the zoo.

Field trips offer a variety of learning experiences that kids wouldn’t normally get in a classroom setting. They can learn about history, science, nature, and more.

They can also see things in person that they’ve only learned about in school. This helps them make connections between what they’re learning and how it can be applied in the real world.

You can plan a field trip with your kids and their classmates or just go by yourself, taking them on some of those alone time activities that they need every now and then.

11. Keep lessons short

Kids don’t have the patience or interest to sit through an hour-long lecture. It is important to keep your lessons short.

This will help keep your kid’s attention on what you are teaching them.

If the lessons are too long, they might get bored and not learn anything.

That’s why microlearning has become so popular in recent years.

With microlearning, it’s all about how you can fit large amounts of information into several small chunks. This makes learning more digestible for kids, which is important when they are first starting to learn how to read or do math.

This will help kids stay engaged in what they’re learning.

Final Thoughts on How to Make Learning Fun for Kids

Understanding how to make learning fun is a complex process that can be difficult if you don’t have the right experience.

Fortunately, there are many different ways to keep kids engaged and interested in what they’re learning by making it more interactive and interesting for them.

Whether your goal is just to get through school with less frustration or create lifelong learners who will succeed professionally, these tips should give you some ideas on how you can use games and activities as an education tool that makes kids excited to learn.

What are your best tips for making learning fun for kids? Share them with us by leaving a comment below.

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Scott Winstead

Hi, I’m Scott Winstead, an e-Learning technology geek with 20 years of experience. Follow this blog for opinions on blended learning and flipped classroom techniques, reviews of home studio equipment, and tips for voice-over actors and digital audio content makers, technology how-tos, and more!

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What letter is this?

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Look for a letter! If the child likes to trace and paint over, then write on a piece of paper 15 letters similar in spelling, but of different sizes and colors: A, P, N, L, D, G, or W, E, W, H, C, Y, or B, C, F, R, I, S. You can come up with a variety of tasks - circle only A, or circle all the same ones in the same color, or connect the same letters with paths, or underline some, circle others, and cross out others ...

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What letter does it begin with? We mastered this game in three years. At first, I specifically singled out the first letter (more precisely, the sound): "Ah-a-a-watermelon, what does it start with? And what letter does u-duck begin with? And sh-sh-sh-hat?"