Why Multisensory Learning Works So Well for Kids

What If Your Child Just Doesn't Learn the "Normal" Way?

You're not alone if homework time has become a nightly battle in your household. Every evening, the same scene: a tired child, blank worksheet pages, mounting frustration—for them and for you. You've tried logic, encouragement, maybe even bribery. Still, something just isn't clicking.

Before rushing to the conclusion that your child isn't trying hard enough—or worse, can't learn—let's take a step back. What if the problem isn't with your child at all, but with the way the information is being presented?

Enter multisensory learning. It's not a trend or a shortcut. It's a scientifically-supported approach that recognizes one essential truth: children are not all wired the same way. And when we engage more of their senses, we meet them where they are, instead of forcing them to adjust to a system that may not serve them well.

What Is Multisensory Learning?

Multisensory learning involves engaging more than one sense at a time—sight, sound, touch, motion—in the learning process. For example, reading words out loud while tracing them with a finger, or acting out a historical event as it's being told. These approaches aren't just more fun—they're often more effective, especially for children who struggle with traditional classroom teaching.

Think of your child’s brain as a web of connections. When learning taps into multiple senses at once, it activates more areas of the brain. This not only makes the experience richer but also helps the brain create stronger, more lasting memory pathways. If you've ever wondered why your child remembers dance moves but forgets multiplication tables, multisensory learning may be the missing key.

The Science Behind Why It Works

Research shows that children between the ages of 6 and 12 are still developing the cognitive flexibility needed to manage abstract concepts and memory tasks. Their brains are programming themselves via experience and repetition. Multisensory input enhances this developmental process by reinforcing information through different channels. Want to go deeper into your child’s cognitive development? You might find this article helpful: Cognitive Development Between Ages 6 and 12: What Every Parent Should Know.

Imagine trying to learn a new language by reading a book versus reading it, hearing it, and speaking it aloud. Which do you think would work better? That same principle applies to your child learning a math concept or understanding a science topic. The more senses involved, the greater the retention and comprehension.

Real-Life Story: When Learning Came Alive

Stéphanie, a single mom from Lyon, told me how her 9-year-old son, Léo, was devastated every time he got a math quiz back. "He's bright, I know he is," she said. "But he couldn't remember the formulas. He would cry and tell me he felt stupid. It broke my heart." Then a teacher began encouraging students to model problems using clay and movement—turning fractions into pizza slices, using jump-rope rhythms for multiplication tables.

"He came home excited," Stéphanie said. "He even taught me his new dance for the 7 times table. His grades started improving, but more importantly, so did his confidence.” It’s stories like these that illustrate the transforming power of multisensory learning.

Making It Work at Home—Even If You’re Exhausted

As a parent, you don’t always have hours to build elaborate lessons around every subject. But incorporating multisensory approaches doesn’t have to be exhausting. Here are a few ideas you can use intuitively:

• Audio learning during downtime: Turn written lessons into audio format. Kids who struggle to focus visually often thrive with sound. Listening to school material while in the car or during evening wind-down time can be remarkably effective. Here's more on how audio can unlock learning for your child.
• Kinesthetic play: Use puzzles, Legos, or even simple kitchen items to act out problems or tell a story. A muffin tray becomes a sorting tool. Measuring cups become math props.
• Story-based exploration: Turn learning into an adventure where your child becomes the main character. This taps both imagination and emotional engagement, making learning feel natural and exciting, not like a chore.

Some apps now allow you to do exactly that—like transforming your child’s history lesson into a narrated story where they’re the central hero, even using their name. This kind of experience can be incredibly powerful, especially for children who struggle with attention or motivation. (Skuli, available on iOS and Android, allows you to do just that, converting lessons into customized learning formats that fit your child’s unique style.)

Creating a Thoughtful Learning Environment

We sometimes forget that academic success is tied to so much more than test scores. It’s about engagement, self-worth, and a sense of capability. If your child is falling behind despite your efforts, I invite you to read this piece: My Child Is Bright but Falling Behind in School: What Can I Do?

You see, when a child feels successful—even in small ways—it fuels their motivation to keep trying. If they feel like every effort ends in failure, they retreat. Supporting a child who learns differently isn’t simple, but the payoff is profound. This is especially important if your child has underlying cognitive challenges. For more insights, here’s a helpful guide on how to support motivation of a child with cognitive struggles.

It's Not About Doing More—It's About Doing Differently

If you're feeling like you're spinning your wheels, take heart. Your love, patience, and openness to trying new approaches already make you the best advocate your child could have. Multisensory learning isn’t a magic fix, but it is a powerful step in the right direction—toward less stress, more understanding, and a more joyful connection with learning.

And remember, education doesn’t have to stay inside the textbook. It happens when kids engage, move, sing, explore, and feel. That’s when they light up—not just with knowledge, but with confidence.