Harnessing your child’s interests is the most powerful way to inspire their learning

Children are far more likely to engage in activities that are linked to something that interests them. And this can be used to your advantage, especially when you’re trying to encourage them to learn a skill they've not seemed very bothered about so far.  

This might be anything, but one of the questions we are most often asked by parents is how to get children interested in writing when they simply don’t want to hold a pencil or learn about letters.  

Our answer – always start with what they ARE interested in! 

Think about it in terms of your child being just like you – if you have to sit through a training session you will be much more likely to remember what you hear – and use the information – when it aligns with your interests and so has a clear reason for being useful for you. We are all more likely to pay attention to things we see value in.  

It’s the same for your child – they are so busy learning about the world, and about themselves, that their attention and focus is a precious resource.  

They will make choices, often without realising it themselves, about what is important to notice, learn and remember. By harnessing the things you know they already like, so already value, you can introduce new skills and ideas in a way they are more likely to be interested in.  

When it comes to the skills your child needs for writing, there are endless ways to help them learn while focusing on what they really enjoy. 

Get creative and think of ways to make their interest overlap with the skills you’re hoping they practise as they play.  

If they are really into construction and toys like trucks, and you want to get them to think a little more about writing, then try setting up a space where the vehicles are getting ready to drive around a large piece of paper or card with roads drawn on, and provide pencils and crayons for your child to complete the roads.  

You might try using the vehicles wheels dipped in paint to drive along a page, or pavement, and create artwork this way; or even suggest your child puts names (or other information) for each vehicle onto a sticker, or sticky-note, to be added to a special shelf or box all about their favourite toy(s).  

Remember, writing is not all about holding a pencil and working away at a table.  

Before children are able to do this with confidence, or for longer periods, they need to develop and build up the skills that make it possible – this includes their fine and gross motor skills, their ability to focus and think about and plan for what they want to write. 

In this example, if your vehicle-loving child is not interested in the idea of incorporating pencils into their play just yet, focus on these other skills by giving them lots of time to play and develop them. You could take the vehicles outside with you and encourage your child to pick up stones and mud and place them into the truck – this is working exactly the same muscles in the fingers and hands as writing will. 

Using these muscles will help them to develop the strength and control they need to feel more comfortable in using mark-making tools in the future.