By Jane Sandwood, Freelance Writer

Children learn very quickly at a young age, largely because they have a more malleable prefrontal cortex. Studies conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine have proven that children even use different parts of their brains to adults, allowing them to process new information more quickly. The more a child uses a part of their brain, the faster it develops, so it is important that they pick up good habits early on. This will make the learning process easier and prevent your child from carrying out unnecessary hard work. Before your child begins an online learning course, teach them these 4 hacks for good study and memorization skills.

1.     Learning Style

As a parent, you know that every child is unique. There are many different ways to learn and it’s important you help your child explore the best style for them. There are good tests online to help determine whether a person is a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner. This is a usual start but only provides a basic preference. Try using different resources such flash cards or rhymes and see what your child is most responsive to.

2.     Visualization

Even if your child is not a visual learner, using plenty of imagery is a great way to break up long chunks of text. Whether it’s mathematics, geography or German, there will be huge lists of information that a student needs to memorize for an exam. You can learn new skills such as the “memory palace technique” to consolidate facts and information into the long term memory. The more vivid and absurd the image is, the easier it will be to remember.

3.     Diet

Diet is essential for memory, yet it is often one of the first things to be neglected when a person is undergoing stress, such as during the busy revision period. Young children can easily pick up bad habits and crave junk food when they feel tired. It is important to teach them to avoid too much sugary food as this will ultimately make them feel more tired and find it harder to concentrate. With a diet of whole foods such as fresh fruit, veg, seeds and nuts, students will think more clearly and will be able to remember information much more quickly.

4.     Sleep

Sleep is not just important to help you feel refreshed and alert. It also plays a vital role in the consolidation of memory. This means that pulling all nighters will be a waste of time because your brain isn’t given the chance to process the information that has been learned. Make sure children and teens are getting 9 hours of quality sleep a night to help them store and remember what they have learned throughout the day.

It is important your children understand these four essential study hacks. It will make the process of studying and taking exams more effective, allowing for better results with less overall stress.