How to Make Learning Stick at Home: Fun, Proven Strategies for Homeschoolers
- Aerika Lewis
- Aug 11, 2025
- 2 min read
If you’ve ever taught your child something one day, only to have them completely forget it the next, you’re not alone. This is one of the biggest challenges parents face when homeschooling — especially in preschool through fifth grade.
The good news? Making learning stick doesn’t mean adding more drills, longer lessons, or extra worksheets. The secret is teaching in ways that match how your child’s brain actually learns best. That means using brain-smart techniques and weaving in play to keep their minds engaged and memories strong.
The Secret to Making Learning Stick
When kids learn in a way that’s active, emotional, and hands-on, their brains form stronger connections.
Movement boosts focus and memory.
Emotions make information more memorable.
Breaks give the brain time to store new ideas.
Multi-sensory activities (seeing, hearing, touching, moving) help lessons “stick.”
These principles come from brain-based learning research — but don’t worry, you don’t need a neuroscience degree to use them. With the right activities, you can apply them at home easily.
Brain-Smart Learning (What That Means for Parents)
Brain-smart, or brain-based, learning simply means teaching in ways that work with — not against — how the brain naturally develops and remembers information.
For example:
Kids focus better when they move their bodies.
They remember more when they connect feelings to a lesson.
They learn faster when they can explore with multiple senses.
When you know these basics, you can design homeschool activities that are shorter, more active, and more effective.
Why Play Is the Best Learning Tool You Already Have
Play-based learning uses play as the main way for kids to explore new ideas and practice skills. This doesn’t mean leaving them to “just play” — it’s purposeful, guided by their interests, and rich with learning opportunities.
Play helps children:
Understand concepts deeply by experimenting.
Build language skills through conversation and storytelling.
Strengthen problem-solving skills by making decisions and adapting.
Stay motivated because learning feels fun and meaningful.
6 Easy Ways to Make Lessons Stick at Home
1. Move and LearnTurn lessons into action games — hopscotch for math facts, scavenger hunts for sight words.
2. Teach Through Their InterestsIf your child loves dinosaurs, use them in reading passages, math problems, and art projects.
3. Make It Multi-SensoryWrite spelling words in a tray of sand or use building blocks to practice fractions.
4. Schedule Brain BreaksEvery 15–20 minutes, pause for stretching, dancing, or deep breathing.
5. Mix in Free Play Every DayBlocks, pretend play, nature exploration — these build the brain in powerful ways.
6. Ask Open-Ended QuestionsInstead of “What’s the answer?” ask “What do you think would happen if…?”
Why This Works from Preschool Through Fifth Grade
You don’t have to overhaul your homeschool plan to make learning stick — you just have to teach in ways that match how kids’ brains grow. Whether your child is learning to read in kindergarten or memorizing multiplication in fourth grade, movement, play, and brain-smart teaching will help them remember what they’ve learned and enjoy the process.
Ready to Make It Stick?
Want an easy reference for your homeschool day? Download our free one-page “Brain + Play Learning at Home” guide and keep it handy for quick ideas that work for preschool through fifth grade.
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