Let’s face it, school is hard. With growing academic pressure, especially as children get older and their academic successes become more tied to their future prospects, it’s easy for kids to check out.

Worst case scenario, kids stressed out about school may be more vulnerable to developing behavioral issues, anxiety, or depression.

Parents are the best role models to keep their kids interested in and excited about their school work. Teach them how to manage their hesitancies about keeping up with their studies, making and nurturing healthy friendships, and developing hobbies through extracurriculars.

These are the best ways to keep kids excited about school, no matter what their age.

10. Prepare a healthy breakfast

A good start to the day begins with a nutritious and filling breakfast. Prepare a special meal each morning for your child. Treat them on a hard day, such as an exam day, with their favorite food like chocolate chip pancakes or cinnamon waffles. Not only will your child be better focused in class until lunchtime, but they’ll also carry their morning happiness into the rest of their days. Make breakfast a motivating factor for your child to get out of bed with excitement.

9. Schedule study dates

When your child is feeling unmotivated about homework or studying, get them a study buddy. This is also a great way to grow existing friendships or begin new ones. For younger children, call a few parents to schedule a play/study date for a group once this year’s class roster is released. Let older children choose and contact their own study friends, but set up their study corner with healthy snacks and educational games.

8. Create a dedicated work space

Provide a dedicated area of your house to your child’s study needs. Let them decorate and organize all of their school supplies at a desk or nook. Getting your child involved with the makeover process, will have them feeling accountable to use said space for studying and homework time.

7. Let them pick out their own school gear

Backpacks, notebooks, organizers, and clothes–anything that might help your child walk into school looking their best and feeling prepared to take on any academic challenge. Besides what’s more exciting than shopping for back-to-school supplies each semester? Let them pick any color or style, such as a unicorn notebook or dinosaur planner, that will encourage them to actually stay organized throughout the school year.

As an added bonus, give your child a strict budget and a shopping list and let them practice their math skills by sticking to the plan.

6. Sign up for extracurricular activities

It’s normal and alright for your child to get bored of school. We all had a least favorite subject, back in our time. Get them involved in an after-school activity that furthers their education in something they actually like. For example, a child who loves English class might like to join the school paper or a poetry club. Kids who can’t seem to sit still in class might just have more energy than their peers and need to run it out with a sports team after school. Not only will they gain friends, develop their interests, and learn valuable lessons in teamwork, responsibility, and prioritizing, but school-related activities might foster a sense of school spirit. Now that’s a cause we can all get behind!

5. Supplement their studies with lived experiences

Inside the classroom, your child’s teacher does an excellent job of using different activities and media types in their lesson plans. You’re lucky if your child will be privileged to take a couple of school-sponsored field trips throughout the year, as well.

Take matters into your own hands to continue your child’s education outside of the classroom. Lived experiences are the best supplement to their studies. Go on your own field trips to the library, museums, historic sites, and event venues.

If you’re able to, leave your state with a road trip or a flight! Just make sure that there is an educational component that your child will be able to appreciate, such as historical tours and cultural monuments.

4. Download the app version

While some parents are concerned about the number of times children are exposed to screens, others are embracing the educational functions of technology. Not all video games or apps are mindless. In fact, there are lots of games available for kids of all ages that focus on teaching a particular subject in an interactive, and enjoyable way.

Try sing-along songs or matching games for younger children and more technical role-playing games for teens.

3. Count down on a school year calendar

What better motivating factor to make it through the school year than counting down to summer break? Turn each weeknight into a celebration of another successful day complete with marking off a countdown calendar.

2. Scrapbook the big memories

Before you know it your child will be graduating high school and off to college where they will make new memories as a young adult. Capture all of their best memories until then with a creative scrapbook. Not only will this be a lasting memory for the future, but a scrapbook is a great way for your child to reflect on their favorite parts of the year as they work to make it.

Print out photos, keep tickets and awards, and buy lots of decorative elements to make the experience of making the scrapbook almost as fun as the memories being documented.

1. Continue learning over the summer

School may be out for the summer, but don’t let the learning stop. If your child spends their summer months in a state of the cycle of sleeping and video gaming, then it will be that much harder for them to get back into gear when school starts in the fall.

Create fun summer challenges, such as a reading list that encourages your child to read for rewards. Local libraries may have their own summer reading programs, too.

Take a family trip over the summer to build upon what your child learned in school. Did they just learn about the branches of government? Then a road trip to your state’s capitol building. Similar to the United States Capitol–the White House in D.C.–each state has its own government housed in the state capitol building. Teach your child that this building houses a government concerned with matters specific to your state.

by Catalogs.com Info Guru Samantha Rose