Research has already confirmed that laughing can be a source of healing, and yet it can also be a great source of learning math, vocabulary, and numerous other subjects too.
Simply put, laughing has been shown to provoke unique emotional as well as physical responses in our bodies. Those reactions release endorphins and other good chemicals into our bodies and place our minds into a state of heightened awareness Life Story App. The increase in excitement and awareness levels means that we’re more receptive to taking in information from the world around us – and we’re more apt to learning a whole lot more and retaining the information much longer.
The physiological response of laughing almost works as a hormonal label maker – placing an easily accessible big, bright label on each memory or idea we come across for quicker recall. This means that your body has a specially built capacity to learn complex concepts and remember them when a physical and emotional response is provoked. The result: better memories.
Can you think of any examples in your own life where this might be true? Do you remember an old friend’s face when you smell a particular perfume or cologne? Do you recall a very difficult moment and the exact words that were said when you were angry or sad? Do you happen to remember where you were at when someone told you a funny story or a joke? All these emotional responses trigger a physiological reaction that is cemented to your memory and which is easier to remember.
What does this mean for you and your child? Well, it means that if you create fun ways to learn the subjects of English, Math, or Science – and everything in between, your child will be more apt to learning and retaining that knowledge for future use. It also makes sense with other similar studies that compare students’ happiness at school with their overall academic performance. Even health studies have found that people who laugh more, live longer and happier lives.
Slowly but surely this information is getting back towards our schools and instructors, who may or may not change their lesson plans to accommodate this very important finding. And wouldn’t you know that laughter has also been shown to naturally lower levels of fatigue and apprehension of any subject matter that seems difficult for students.
This is great news for the parent who wants to work at home with their youngster. No, you can put the clown suit away. So, with that in mind, let’s begin with vocabulary – whether you are learning word meanings, word usage, or spelling, using laughter and games that provoke a humorous response can be fun and helpful to learning.
So, what’s so funny? Well, anything can be turned into a humorous assignment – it’s all a just a matter of perspective. We can choose to look at an activity and bore the life out of it, or we can have put a little creative energy behind it and really make it shine.
Where to begin? Flash cards make excellent source for learning at any age – from toddler to graduate student. Simply, pick a set of flashcards of your choice and look through them. Draw out what could be fun to work on – colors, pictures, words, or even concepts. Try create a various sorting categorizes you can draw from. Now remember the humor should complement learning and not actually detract from the experience. You can complement the experience of using a number the flashcard sets by collecting real objects that resemble or relate to the pictures or words you are studying.
Next, sit down on the floor, getting down to your child’s physical level and begin constructing a sorting game based on the humor you select. For example, you can decide on a keyword or descriptive phrase that will label each category you happen to work with. Funny looking items, stinky items, or you be a little more inventive by choosing things to sort or categorize that, say, live under water, things that live in outer space, or things that you would want to take a planetary visit. Simply, be creative and have fun! Groups work great for this as children feed off each other’s creativity and laughter.
Your enthusiasm and own personal humor is crucial to the game itself. Have fun and the learning will come! Finding ways to create humor in the subjects your young child is learning will not only increase enthusiasm for them but increase greater results with vocabulary retention and a joyful attitude towards learning in the future.
