Kids today are spending
an exorbitant amount of time glued to their electronics. A 2017 survey published by Common Sense Media found that nearly
all children age 8 and under live in a home with some type of mobile device and
spend an average of 2.25 hours a day on screens. This media time only increases
with age—tweens use an average of 6 hours, not including time spent using media
for school and homework, and teens are up to an average of 9 hours daily.
(PUBLISHER’S
NOTE: I didn’t see recent data for 2020
but we can assume that with remote learning and quarantining of families, that
we are spending an inordinate amount of time online. Based on that, it is a
wonderful idea to plan hands-on learning opportunities for our kids.)
Being tied to phones, tablets, and computers
takes away from hands-on learning time, which is unfortunate since these types
of experiences provide so many critical benefits to children as they grow and
develop. As media becomes the go-to teaching tool in
classrooms, it is imperative that we find fun and creative ways for kids to
experience more hands-on, interactive learning opportunities at home.
First,
let’s dive into five key benefits of hands-on educational experiences for
children.
Enhances
Learning
When
children are primarily learning by reading, listening, and watching, they miss
out on a key component of the educational experience that can only happen by doing.
Kids of all ages thrive when they are provided with interactive, engaging,
meaningful educational experiences. According to Brookings Institution, students who are engaged in hands-on
learning are much more likely to remember what they were taught.
Interestingly,
when children are physically engaged in an activity, they process the
information differently and learn more effectively. Simply reading about a
concept in a textbook or watching a demonstration in class is just not the same
as physically experiencing what you are learning about. A research study
from University of Chicago measured this concept using brain scans and found that
students who engaged in a hands-on approach to learning scientific concepts
were more activated in the sensory and motor-related parts of their brain. This
also led to better quiz scores.
Stimulates Curiosity
When children are part of something so fascinating that it fills them with awe, like a science experiment or art project, they get excited about it and want to learn more. Hands-on experiences like these can spur curiosity in children, which is so critical to their growth and success. Even though their constant questions may be exhausting for us at times, their curiosity is exactly what we want to see from them so they can continue to crave and seek out new knowledge.
Improves
Social Interaction
Part
of the problem with all of this technology is that kids are losing the ability
to communicate and interact with others in person. When they hide behind their devices
instead of talking face-to-face with their friends and family, they miss out on
a major chance for emotional connection. According to Psychology Today, this kind of communication interferes with
actual conversation and undermines our ability to connect with others. As
children are constantly exposed to these quick impersonal ways of expressing
themselves, they miss out on learning how to accurately convey their thoughts
and feelings.
When
we engage our children in fun hands-on activities, it opens a whole new world
to them in which they need to ask questions, explain directions, and talk to
others about the project. These projects also provide a special bonding time
for parents and children or siblings to take on a challenge and work together.
Whether it’s baking in the kitchen, working on a garden, or conducting a
science experiment, kids will learn so many important social skills from the
experience.
Expands
Creativity
It’s
one thing to observe art in a museum or watch a building being constructed in a
video, but it’s another thing for kids to actually create masterpieces with
their own hands. These types of activities allow children to tap into their own
creativity and explore as they go. It gives them a direct sensory experience,
which offers a more in-depth way of learning about a subject. It also provides
a chance to stretch their imagination as much as possible.
Boosts
Confidence
When
a child has the opportunity to work on a project like a science
experiment from start to finish, they can feel a sense of accomplishment when
they see the results. They then become empowered, which leads to more
confidence when they face the next challenge. They also learn from their
mistakes and failures, which makes them more resilient in the future. If
the experiment does not come out as planned, they will learn to ask why and
make adjustments the next time they work on it. Finally, the encouragement they get from accomplishing a hands-on project increases their self-esteem,
which seeps into all aspects of their life such as sports, school work, and
relationships.
READ MORE: Cooking helps kids develop cognitive and hand skills
Fun
Hands-On Learning Ideas For Kids
There
are a number of ways for us to share hands-on learning experiences with
children of all ages.
Science experiments. Working on science
experiments is one of the best ways for kids to get excited about STEM in a
hands-on manner. By working together on the experiments, your children will
have the chance to get creative, follow directions, work with new science
tools, challenge themselves to learn something new, and have fun being
fascinated by science.
Doing
science experiments at home is a great way to demonstrate that science is all
around us. A good experiment shows kids that science is fundamentally about
understanding the world.
Gardening. Working on a family garden together is
another great way for children to grab some hands-on learning. By getting their
hands dirty—literally—they learn to appreciate nature, hard work, and learn where the
food we eat comes from. Because they play a direct role in
growing the fruits and vegetables that they see with their own eyes, touch with
their own hands, and taste with their own mouths, they are filled with accomplishment and joy.
Arts
and Crafts. Art projects are one of the easiest ways for
children to experience tactile learning. Yes, they can color on an iPad by
swiping their finger from side to side, but that does not compare to actually
holding a crayon in their hands and using different types of pressure to
transfer colors onto the paper. Arts and crafts help stimulate a child’s
creativity and imagination that can’t be replicated by any electronic program.
Baking and Cooking.
Inviting the kids into the kitchen to help
cook a meal or bake some treats can be a wonderful hands-on learning experience
for them. Preparing a meal involves choosing a recipe, following directions,
tracking time, measuring, and even working on simple math equations. Kids also
have the chance to touch and feel the different ingredients. Although there are
apps for baking cookies and making ice cream sundaes, nothing beats whipping up
a delicious treat with your own hands!
Sandi Schwartz is a freelance writer/blogger and mother of two. She has written extensively about parenting, wellness, and environmental issues. You can find her at www.happysciencemom.com.