With all the challenges and distractions that teachers and students can face in the classroom, it can be hard to make learning both fun and exciting. Throw in a healthy dose of squirms, wiggles and giggles, and elementary school children in particular can have a tough time staying on task.
So how can teachers engage elementary school students? Coming up with creative ways to help them learn while also having fun is key. Keeping things exciting in the classroom can make all the difference in helping them to learn and stay engaged, and even look forward to their lessons.
3 Ways to Make Learning Fun & Exciting
Once the creative juices get to flowing, there is no limit to ways you can make learning fun and exciting for grade school students, but to get you started, here are few favorites among teachers and students alike:
Who doesn’t love a field trip? Even decades later, many adults can remember some of the best days from school – and they often revolved around field trips. Leaving behind the classroom for the day, or even just a few hours, can completely shift a child’s mindset and open up countless opportunities for learning.
Museums, aquariums, historical sites as well as local parks, community landmarks and places of business can all provide excellent ways to make learning fun and exciting. Often in these situations, students are having such a great time and are so fully engaged in the experience, they don’t even realize just how much they’re learning while they’re at it!
Although full-blown field trips may not always be possible, just changing your environment can make learning all that much more exciting. Students could participate in a scavenger hunt around the school, conduct a science experiment outside on the playground, go on an expedition if there are trees or gardens on your school property, or participate in a bingo-style search-and-find mission in the school library.
Fresh air can help clear their minds for learning, the chance to have a movement break and doing something unexpected all adds to the benefits of taking them outside the classroom. For the students, it’s a fun and exciting opportunity to leave behind the regular classroom setting and get out and explore.
It’s no surprise that hands-on learning is one of the best ways to teach students new material. Having the chance to try things out for yourself is a sure-fire way to get better connected to the lesson, whether you’re an elementary school student or an employee just starting a new job.
Fun and exciting ways to incorporate hands-on learning in the classroom can include science experiments, arts and crafts lessons, re-enactments and role play. When children get involved first-hand, it can be easier to understand and retain the information they’re learning and have a great time all the while.
Shop Classroom Supplies
To help build on the fun, teachers may want to have student prizes on hand that can be used as incentives or rewards. GEDDES has dozens of options to help make learning even more exciting for elementary school children. Contact us today or request a school supply catalog and learn more about all the options from Raymond Geddes.