Want to make sure your child has some motivation for studying over the school holidays?
We all deserve breaks throughout the year. But if your child has exams coming up after their time off, they may need to factor in some study time. With lots of distractions and unstructured days, any student’s motivation might be lacking. How can you keep them on track?
Holiday Study Tips
Without a clear plan, getting some studying done over holidays can be a challenge.
Here are some holiday study tips to help them find a good balance between homework and downtime.
Set up a comfortable study space
A dedicated study area with comfortable seating can boost a student’s motivation for studying. If you have other children who don’t need to study over the holidays, make sure your child has a quiet space away from the hustle and bustle (and where they won’t get distracted by all the fun!).
Eliminate distractions
We’re all guilty of getting distracted from work. If your child is trying to study away from their normal learning environment, it will be even easier to procrastinate. Eliminating as many sources of distraction as possible will help your child use their study time effectively. Ask them to put their phone, tablet, or other devices away.
Create a schedule
Many children struggle with motivation during the holidays because of a lack of routine. Your child may find it helpful to set a study schedule so they can keep a sense of regularity over the holidays. They might like to write out the schedule and put it on the wall so they can see what’s coming up next.
Prioritise tasks
Is there a particular area your child needs to focus on? It might be tempting to cover the elements they enjoy more and leave the challenging parts to the end of the break. But getting the tough stuff done early on means it won’t be hanging over them all holiday.
Ensure they take regular breaks
Another top study tip is to take breaks. Long stints of work can become boring and draining. When establishing a schedule, make sure your child pencils in regular time outs. A break every hour or so will give them the chance to get up and stretch their legs, and refresh for the next study session.
Set realistic study goals
It might be helpful to break large areas of learning into more manageable steps. Can you help your child establish learning objectives for each study session?
Track progress with technology
We mentioned earlier about eliminating distractions from devices. But technology can also be a great help when it comes to boosting motivation for studying. Some education platforms enable you to assign your child tasks and track the time they spend on each one. Closing the completed task can be very satisfying!
Develop a reward system
Positive reinforcement is an excellent motivator. Why not stock the cupboards with a few of your child’s favourite treats? Or maybe you can play their go-to game together during their breaks?
Don’t push them to overdo it
It’s great that you want to support your child and ensure they get the best education possible. But remember that they need their holidays to reset just as much as you. Placing too much pressure on them to study and not enjoy the time off can backfire and cause your child to abandon their studies. Balance is key!
Consider a study group
If your child struggles to find motivation for studying on their own, they may work better in a group setting. You could try inviting some of their classmates to a study session so they can work through tasks together.
Get support from Threshold Education
Whether they’re working on Maths, English, Sciences, Modern Languages or another subject, many students find mustering motivation for studying over holiday periods to be challenging. Hopefully, these study tips will help your child establish an effective homework routine over the holidays.
But if you need more advice or would like to organise tutoring for your child, please get in touch with the team at Threshold Education.