How to Use Play to Make Learning More Creative and Engaging

When Homework Feels Like a Battle

You've probably been there—it’s already evening, your child has barely started their homework, and the tension is rising. They fidget, get distracted, complain that it’s boring or too hard. You want to help, but you're exhausted, too. It’s not that your child doesn’t want to learn—they just don’t see the point in the way it’s being delivered. That’s where play becomes more than just downtime. It becomes a gateway.

Let’s talk about how play—the kind that respects your child’s interests and style—can turn learning from a dreaded chore into something more alive, resilient, and… dare we say, even joyful.

What Learning Through Play Actually Looks Like

We often think of play and learning as opposites. But for kids—especially those between 6 and 12—play is how they explore the world. It’s their natural language. When your child builds a LEGO city, narrates a story with their toys, or even invents their own backyard game, they’re problem-solving, testing theories, and developing focus. That is learning in action.

So what happens when we bring that sense of curiosity and autonomy into their academic life? Learning doesn’t have to be confined to pencil and paper. A child who hates reading textbooks may get completely absorbed in a science-themed audio adventure starring themselves as the main character. A child who struggles with memorizing facts might thrive when turning multiplication tables into a rhythm-based clapping game.

In other words, by reconnecting with how your child learns best, we expand what counts as “learning” in powerful ways. Creativity isn't just a bonus—it’s a bridge to understanding.

Start with What Sparks Their Imagination

One parent I met, Clara, had an 8-year-old son, Jules, who couldn’t sit still for more than five minutes of homework. Worksheets were agony. But he loved pretending he was a detective solving mysteries. So Clara turned spelling exercises into mini treasure hunts, where each correct answer revealed a clue to the next one. Spelling became a game—one with purpose and plot. The difference in Jules's attitude was dramatic. And the best part? He started retaining what he was learning.

Learning through play doesn’t have to be complicated. You can build these moments into daily life by:

• Inventing silly word games in the car or while cooking dinner
• Turning math problems into stories or board games
• Letting them draw or build models to explain a school concept

The aim is to make room for their imagination. Because when kids feel like they have agency, they become more motivated, and even the driest material starts to feel more alive. If you're curious about more ways to support this shift, here are simple activities that stir both memory and imagination.

Not Every Child Learns the Same Way

Some children are visual learners. Others are auditory or tactile. Some need constant movement and physicality—what educators call kinesthetic learners. A major frustration for parents is realizing their child doesn’t neatly fit what the traditional classroom expects. But that’s okay. In fact, it’s more common than you think. Here’s what to do if your child doesn’t fit the mold.

That’s where thoughtful tech tools can complement your efforts. For kids who are more auditory—or just tired of staring at worksheets—apps like Skuli allow you to turn a written lesson into a personalized audio quest where your child is the protagonist. Hearing math or history lessons narrated like an adventure, with their name woven into the story, engages attention in a completely different way. It turns passive review into creative immersion.

Let Go of Perfection—Embrace Progress

The goal here isn’t to replace school but to enrich it—especially when your child is struggling. As a parent, it’s okay if you don’t have the time to invent a new learning game every night. Even small shifts—using a playful tone of voice, letting them explain something back to you in their “teacher” voice, or making up a funny story about a vocab word—send a powerful message. That learning is safe, flexible, and theirs to shape.

And yes, there will be evenings when nothing goes smoothly. That’s part of the process, too. But when you consistently create moments where your child feels seen, capable, and engaged on their own terms, you’re building a foundation far more meaningful than a perfect test score.

If you’re interested in exploring some deeper ideas about how imagination supports retention, this piece goes deeper into the science.

Play Isn’t a Luxury—It’s a Learning Tool

At the end of the day, your child doesn’t need a “better brain” to learn more effectively. They need a richer environment—one where their curiosity is met with opportunity. Play, in all its forms, offers that. Not as a reward after the “real work,” but as a path into it.

Creativity isn’t just for weekends. It’s the lifeline that reconnects your child to their own learning. Here's how you can build that lifeline starting today.