Motivate Your 4th Grader
Ever wish there was a secret to unlocking your child's natural love of learning? Try these tricks.
Knowing what excites kids is the key to helping them master new skills and be successful in school. Here's how to tap into your child's passions in a fun way:
4th Graders Love: Role-playing
How It Helps Learning: Children this age still love pretend play, but now it becomes a vehicle for more sophisticated storytelling. "Kids get very excited about re-enacting historical events and scenes from books," says Amy James, author of Fourth Grade Success. Through higher-level play-acting, children can interpret what they're learning in school and bring literature to life. And while they're at it, they're mastering character and plot development, and an understanding of how to use dialogue successfully.
Motivating Activities:
- Read aloud as a family. Fourth-graders are doing more silent reading, but it's still important for them to read out loud with you. You can make it more fun by involving the whole family when reading, and assigning everyone specific roles. Maybe your child will be the narrator, or a particular character from the book. Try keying readings into seasonal events. For example, on Halloween why not record a spooky ghost story (complete with eerie sound effects) to play outside the house when trick or treaters come? On Thanksgiving you can read about pilgrims or Native Americans to entertain your guests before dinner. During Christmas or Hanukkah, put together a family poetry reading, where everyone picks their favorite holiday verse or song. You may just start an annual family tradition.
- Make a movie. Videotape your child and his friends as they perform a scene from a favorite book. As they plan the show, pen the script, and gather the costumes, children are improving writing and organizational skills. Artsy kids can even draw or paint the backdrops. Invite friends and family members to the screening, and be sure to applaud loudly at the end!
- Go to the theater. Watching others perform plays and musicals helps your child develop an appreciation for drama and literature. Check out school plays or local children's theaters for high-caliber entertainment at an affordable price.
- Play a real-life version of store. Set up a lemonade stand, where your child can sell drinks and baked goods to neighbors. Or encourage her to sell old toys at your next yard sale. "Children learn loads about the power of money when they have to set prices, make change, and count up profits," says Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D., a child development psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, and co-author of Einstein Never Used Flashcards.You'll be cultivating responsibility and entrepreneurial spirit, plus helping your child become comfortable handling money in the real world.
One step ahead: Find out what motivates 5th graders.
