How to Motivate Your Child to Study after Vacation

Do you want to motivate your child to study but don't know how? These simple tips will help your child go back to the grind.
How to Motivate Your Child to Study after Vacation

Written by Thady Carabaño

Last update: 26 May, 2022

It’s Monday – the first day back at school after vacation. While you’re preparing everything, your child isn’t so active. Their mind is still on vacation and they’re not very excited about the prospect of returning to their routine. Do you want to know how to motivate your child to study?

Feeling slow after going back to your activities after a vacation is normal. However, there are certain strategies that can help you resume your duties again.

If you’re concerned that your child will have a hard time going back to their normal routine, read this article. We’ll share some tips that will help you out.

How to Motivate Your Child to Study After a Vacation

motivate your child to study

The key to this is planning ahead. You should think about some activities you can schedule for your child before classes start, for their first day back at school, and during their first weeks at school.

Here are some ideas:

Take advantage of educational activities

You can make scrapbooks, play quick-thinking games, and guess words with your child. You can also visit educational sites where your child can play fun games for free.

If you want them to learn Spanish, for example, you can enroll them in a short workshop one or two weeks before they go back to school.

If music is their thing, you could enroll them in instrument lessons to activate their learning habits.

This article may interest you: Signs of Attention Deficit Disorder in Children

Create a healthy learning environment

To motivate your child to study, you should set up a study space for them. It should be quiet, comfortable, and free of distractions. It’s important that they find the space attractive.

If you still haven’t chosen the spot, take their opinion into consideration. Let them decorate it with their favorite objects. If they already have a desk, changing its layout and redecorating it may foster inspiration.

Have fun with school supplies

Buying and renovating school supplies can be very appealing to children, especially if you allow them to choose the backpack, notebooks, and pencil cases they like.

A child's blue backpack.

These school-related activities will reconnect your child with the school and homework that await them.

Spark their relationships

You can invite a classmate to your home or you can set up a get-together with friends in the park or to go get ice cream.

Any excuse will help reactivate their relationship with their school friends.

Don’t let them play too many video games

Your child probably played a lot of video games during their vacation.

Thus, before school begins, it’s important to follow the specialists’ recommendation to not let them play for more than two hours a day. This is necessary because it’ll make it easier for them to go back to their old school routine.

Prepare them for waking up early

It’s a good idea to prepare your child for the fact that they have to start getting up early again to go to school. Going to bed and waking up early is convenient not only for your child but for the entire family.

Getting up early will give you time to prepare your child’s favorite breakfast. This way, they’ll also have enough time to get ready for school without having to rush.

Awaken their study habits

It’s crucial to reorganize a routine that’ll motivate your child to study.

First, display their schedule in a visible place for them. Help them create a study plan during the week that you can tailor to their assignments.

A woman putting up a calendar on the wall.

Your child needs to understand that studying is their responsibility. Although you should help them with their homework, you should avoid doing it for them.

If you want to help foster study habits, pay attention to the following tips:

  • Assign them one hour of study time a day. Be persistent.
  • Allow them to take necessary breaks or pauses during their study time.
  • Listen when your child asks for help, either from you or from a specialist.
  • Try not to lose your patience while you help them with their homework. Just keep reminding yourself not to lose your cool.

Ultimately, it’s never too late to motivate your child to study. Each new school year is an opportunity to improve their relationship with their studies and their chances school success.

As you see, a lot depends on you, so you should start making a plan as soon as possible.


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.