We’ve compiled six study tips for elementary school children, which can help set a solid foundation for learning. You will need to adapt these studying strategies to your individual child’s learning style and age. Once children reach middle school, their homework routines become more complex and you may find you need a new approach, although these tips may still be useful.

1. Help your Children Create a Studying Routine

Making studying a habit and a routine helps children fight the resistance anyone might have to sitting still and studying after a day at school or in the evening. Get elementary school kids involved in the decisions about studying too; it can help them feel more empowered. If they have a set time and place to do their homework, with all of the needed supplies on hand, and a routine that is tailored to each child, then it is easier to build good study habits. There will also be less friction when it comes time to sitting down and doing the work.

2. Adapt the Routine for each Child’s Needs

Talk with your child and watch how they work – then adapt the routine to fit each child. Some elementary school children do better with shorter spans of time and rotating from one subject to another while others do better with longer blocks of focused time.  Help your child find a match to their own learning style. For example, if one child has trouble sitting still for long periods – encourage short 5 minute dance breaks after completing an assignment or let them run up and down the stairs three times after each chunk of studying or homework is done. This can act as a small reward for a good effort, AND get their brain chemistry flowing in the right direction. Of course, adapt these strategies to what works best for your child. Another child might want to focus longer and get more done, and prefer a quieter reward like playing their favorite song as a break, before returning to the next studying task.

3. Set One Main Studying Location

Ideally, this space should be central enough that you can keep an eye on them and offer support, if needed, but out of the busiest traffic areas to be away from distractions (like TV or a bustling kitchen while dinner is being made). A den, study or breakfast nook can work. Or a corner of the living room, if the TV is off. If older children study in their rooms, perhaps you can check on them occasionally, or find a chore to do upstairs in a space nearby. If you have more than one child, figure out if they study better together, or apart. Do they distract one another or help or motivate each other? Having a small, high-protein snack on hand and water to drink can also help kids focus. Adapt your plan once you see what works best for each child.

4. Have a Plan to Make Sure all Supplies are on Hand in the Study Space

If you see that your children have taken the stapler, calculator or ruler elsewhere in the house, see that they return it to the space before homework time. Tip: Have a checklist of items taped to or near the desk – every couple of days got through the list with your child to see if everything is there. Try to do this not at homework time, but schedule it earlier in the day to avoid procrastination during study time.

5. Encourage your Children Not to Multitask

Multitasking is something parents often feel they have to do to get everything done. But helping your children to focus on one thing at a time will both help them get a task done more efficiently, it also helps kids retain more information from the lesson.

6. Help Children Maintain Good Sleep Habits

Staying up late – whether playing games or studying – is not good for learning and memory. Going to bed late several day in a row can create a “sleep deficit.” This can creep up and cause lack of memory recall and being more easily distracted. Bedtime routines can sometimes be tough to establish, but can really help, in the long run.

What are your Best Studying Tips for Children?

Please share your own best studying tips with our other Aloha Mind Math parents. What has worked for your children, and what hasn’t worked? Leave your ideas below in the comments.