How to Spark Your Child’s Interest in Their School Lessons

Why your child’s motivation matters more than their memory

“I hate homework.” It’s a sentence you’ve probably heard more than once. It’s also one that might leave you feeling frustrated, worried—or just plain exhausted after a long day. You want to help your child, not fight with them. But how do you make your child care about school lessons when every worksheet feels like a battlefield?

The truth is, many children between 6 and 12 are not lazy or disinterested—they’re just not connected yet to the ‘why’ behind what they’re learning. And without that spark, even trying to memorize a few lines of text can feel like pulling teeth.

Motivation isn’t something we can impose. It grows when kids feel curious, capable, and connected to the material in front of them. The good news? With a few meaningful shifts in your approach, you can help light that inner spark—no magic required.

Help them feel like active learners—not passive memorizers

Children often disengage from lessons because they feel that learning is something done to them, rather than something they’re part of. A textbook or worksheet isn’t designed to pull them in emotionally. But stories are.

One mom I worked with told me how her 9-year-old daughter refused to study history because “it’s just old people and dates.” Then she started paraphrasing the lesson into a bedtime story—with the names of the characters replaced by the names of her daughter’s friends. Suddenly, Julius Caesar wasn’t just a ruler, he was “Julia’s older cousin who wore the weirdest clothes.” That small shift transformed a groan into giggles—and curiosity.

Kids learn better when they feel something. This is why some educational apps—like Skuli—offer interactive ways to turn a written lesson into a personalized audio adventure, inserting your child’s own name and voice into the narrative. Instead of just reading about ecosystems, your child becomes the explorer discovering strange new plants and rescuing endangered animals. When your child is the hero of the story, the lesson matters.

Honor their learning style—it’s not the same as yours

Ever feel like your child forgets everything they just “read” five minutes ago? You’re not alone. Memory struggles are normal in growing brains, especially when the information is presented in a way that doesn’t match how they best process it.

Some kids are visual learners. Others are auditory. Some need to move around or talk things out. For auditory learners, reading silently just won’t cut it. One dad told me how his son would bomb spelling tests—until they started recording the word lists as jingles they hummed in the car together. The improvement was immediate.

If your child learns better by hearing, try reading their notes aloud with them—or even better, recording them as short audio clips they can replay later. Some tools now make it easy to turn school notes into audio quizzes or audio lessons they can absorb during downtime—whether in the car, on a walk, or while building Legos.

Make reviewing feel like a game, not a test

The pressure of “studying” often creates resistance. Kids fear letting us down, or they already associate reviews with stress. But what if review time could become playtime?

Start with small shifts. Turn the lesson into a treasure hunt where each correct answer earns a clue. Or try doing a rapid-fire question round during dinner, keeping the tone light and silly (“For each correct answer, you get an extra cherry tomato!”). Many parents I speak with have found that breaking the routine—not the rules—makes the difference.

One particularly handy trick is to take a photo of your child’s homework or lesson and transform it into a short personalized quiz. Apps like Skuli allow you to generate fun, targeted questions from the actual lesson, easing the burden of having to create review materials from scratch. And because it’s about their schoolwork—not some generic quiz—it feels more relevant.

Let them ask the questions

Shifting who “owns” the learning can have profound effects. Instead of asking your child to repeat what they’ve learned, ask them to quiz you. Don’t worry if you get the answers wrong—they’ll love correcting you.

This role reversal builds confidence while reinforcing their memory. It also shifts the conversation from “you need to study” to “you already know more than I do!” And in case you’re unsure how to explain something you don’t understand yourself, this guide can help you stay calm and supportive—even when you’re out of your depth.

Create the right context first—then the content

Sometimes, struggling to spark interest isn’t about the content at all—it’s about timing, energy, or emotional overload. A tired, overstimulated child won’t be open to learning no matter how fun the activity.

Observe when your child seems most alert and focused. Some thrive just after school with a snack in hand. Others need a physical break (or a shower!) before they can tackle homework. Knowing your child’s ideal time to learn can ease a lot of unnecessary tension.

Most importantly, make space for connection. A few minutes of laughter or shared time can go further than thirty minutes of forced reviews. When your child knows you’re on their team—not just managing their performance—they’ll show up differently.

You don’t have to play teacher—you already play the most important role

You’re not your child’s tutor, and you don’t have to be the perfect homework helper. What your child needs most is enthusiasm, patience, and someone who sees their potential, even when the lessons feel impossible.

By helping your child feel curious instead of cornered, brave instead of broken, you open the door to a deeper kind of learning—the kind that lasts a lifetime.