Blog Post Focus: Learning is Accomplished Through Play – Find Ways to Make Your Learning Fun
This blog post is to discuss an aspect of learning that we don’t get much in modern education—fun. If learning isn’t fun, you won’t enjoy it and it will not be so easy.
Introduction—Why is Learning a Chore?
Learning may be something that you are told you have to do. Learning may be something you make yourself do. Why is this? Modern education tells us learning occurs in structured settings and when it is guided by a teacher. This learning may feel like a chore.
However, learning occurs naturally all the time. We are constantly gathering information about our environment and surroundings. We are interpreting and making decisions on this information. When we have fun doing this we call it play.
Learning Through Play
Playing is interacting with the world and learning from it. It has some preparatory component to it that is recognized as valuable by the player. Children have fun running and skipping—getting ready for more running and skipping. People come together to play sports and cards and video games because it is fun – and everyone is learning about that activity and about the people they are with. Everyone is learning and having fun.
Learning can be fun as an adult. Learning can be fun even as a student.
How to Make Learning Fun?
Learning can be made fun if you can find some way to play with the information. You can make games out of the information you are learning. You can think of ridiculous ways to apply the information you are learning. You can make learning social by making a multi-player game out of what you are learning.
A few things that can make learning fun:
- One, make games out of what you learn. This is a skill that you can develop. Your background and your preferences will affect what you find fun and what sort of games you can play with what you learn, but you can be successful in making learning a play experience.
- Two, having a mindset that what you are learning is adding value to your life. Holding this attitude can help you focus on the material and enjoy learning it.
- Three, sharing learning with others.
- Four, rewarding yourself when you accomplish your learning objectives.
Note: little of what is taught in formal education will be what you need to know and learn long-term, but making learning fun is a skill that can serve you at any point in life.
Conclusion—Find Ways to Make Learning Fun
We naturally learn when we are playing. Finding ways to play even as adults aids learning. The learning process is much more enjoyable when it is fun. Find ways to make learning fun whatever stage of education you are in.
Resource
Check out Free to Learn by Peter Gray
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