Education is a very important part of every child’s life. In order to get a better grasp on some topics, hands on learning is needed. The use of hands on learning for elementary school children has proven to increase the level of retention that they have regarding certain information.
In addition, with obesity on the rise, it’s very important that young children are taught healthy habits early in life. Hands on activities and exercises can help to promote these healthy habits. Depending on the age of the students, there are countless ways to help create a fun and interesting day in the classroom or a fun mommy-and-me day at home.
Hands on learning can be for children of all ages. Here are four key benefits of child learning in a hands on environment:
1. Personal Guidance – Many hands on activities can be taught to a classroom of students. In these settings teachers are known to be more hands on with the students themselves in a one-on-one environment instead of addressing the entire class as a unit.
2. Greater Retention – By having a hands-on experience, children can retain at least three times the amount of information than if they were just learning from word of mouth.
3. Access – Some students may not have the capacity to understand the meaning of a teachers lecture. However, with hands on software, equipment, or experiences, students can better understand the crux of what the teacher is trying to convey.
4. Stimulated Learning – When a child is working in a hands-on environment they are automatically enticed to touch, feel, and move objects. With these senses stimulating the child’s mind, they will develop a greater interest in the task at hand.
There are many students who gain more knowledge from hands on learning than from reading or listening to lectures. The ages of these students vary from as young as two or three years old to adulthood. Some college courses have implemented hands on learning for their students. The hands on technique to teaching and learning can be used for any age as long as the material and lesson plan creates a foundation for the students to learn.
