Every child is different; different personality, hair color, interests, style choices, and so much more. This is also true when it comes to learning styles in homeschool.

Every individual is created by God with intentional design and loving care. Though children can grow up in the same home with the same parents, they are each unique and will grow the way God designed them to grow.

As homeschoolers, we become life-learners. This is not just for the kids, but for mom and dad too. We become learners of our children; learners of their personality, temperaments, and their learning styles.

There are three general learning styles or categories: Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic.

Auditory Learner (Learning by Listening)

One type of learner is the Auditory Learner. This student learns best when listening to a story read aloud, a video documentary, a presentation, or an audio book. Online classrooms or in person tours/classes are great ideas for this type of learner. They will especially enjoy a guided tour in the museum or zoo.

A few clues that you have an auditory learner:

• Able to sit through an entire movie (especially at a young age).
• Great at recreating sound effects and copying the noises they hear.
• Loves to sit and listen to books you read to them.
• Able to remember story-lines and details from a story that you read aloud.
• Remembers lyrics to songs (and LOVES music!).

Curriculum ideas for an Auditory Learner!

Visual Learning (Learning by Seeing)

Another type of learner is the Visual Learner. This student loves pictures, illustrations, seeing art, creating art, using colors, and more. The shapes and lines of an object or picture become part of how they remember and learn.

This student enjoys art class, handwriting, writing, and colorful books, places, and things! Not only will they enjoy seeing art and beauty, but also recreating it. They learn best by copying and creating. (In my experience, I have found that she need lots of table surfaces for all of her art work and letter writing!)

A few clues that you have a visual learner:

• Enjoys picture books from a young age.
• Prefers music or activity to reading books together.
• Loves to accessorize their animals and toys.
• Enjoys playing dress up and creating costumes and accessories.
• Creates things with a variety of colors and shapes!
• Remembers things by using charts and taking notes (with lots of doodling too!)

Curriculum ideas for an Visual Learner!

Kinesthetic Learning (Learning by Doing)

The last general category for Learners is the Kinesthetic Learner. This learner loves to be on the move! They enjoy trips out and about, playing at playgrounds, gyms, parks, and playdates, using tools, playing with card games and board games, and simply running!

Some may think sitting still is impossible for this type of learner, but focused engagement with a toy, game, or even a story book is very probable and part of their movement. Using their hands for cooking, fixing, and building will bring this learner great joy!

You may have a Kinesthetic Learner if you find the following clues:

• They pull out ALL of the books off the shelf one by one, flipping the pages to each one.
• They love to spread out a card game and make piles and/or make up a story with them.
• They play with board game pieces both to play the game or just to play!
• This learner loves to do board puzzles at a young age.
• They want to get in the action and help with the car, with the dishes, or with anything!

Curriculum ideas for an Kinesthetic Learner!

Summary

I’ve learned that each child is so different. I’ve discovered clues by watching my own three. I’m able to use these clues to match the curriculum or learning events with their best learning type in our homeschool: auditory (hearing), visual (seeing), and kinesthetic (movement).

An auditory learner will thrive on read-alouds and even video/online learning.

A visual learner will thrive with charts, art work, books with great illustrations, stickers, color, glitter (!!), etc.

A kinesthetic learner loves to touch what he’s learning about: Hands on experiences, manipulatives & counters in math, ABC letters & puzzles, etc.

My oldest is the one who can watch a movie in one sitting, or sit to listen at story hour. He also loves to make sound effects, copying the noises he hears. He is my auditory learner.

My daughter was very different even as a baby. She didn’t enjoy a story at bedtime, so the most I could read was Goodnight Gorilla, which was all illustrations, and not many words. (She actually loved many songs, whereas my oldest loved many books.) As she grew into toddler and preschool days, she would doll up with hats, hair bows, shoes, and more accessories. She would change multiple times in a day, just because she loved to pick out something to wear and showcase it for all to see. She is my visual learner! She is all about the colors!

My youngest was the one who took the time to looked through each book on the shelf and place it next to him on the floor. He plays with the cards of Uno, sorting them by colors, and he loved the board puzzles most of my three. He wants to touch ALL the things! He is my kinesthetic learner. (I’m convinced he learned to count to 100 by playing with his timers!)

These clues are just a sample of the clues and the things I’ve learned by watching my three. And by the way, though a child fits a type of learning, it doesn’t mean they can’t learn by the other types as well. Learning styles can be a guidepost and a help to making your homeschool even better!

What type of learners to you have in your home? How has learning styles impacted your homeschool? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

Keep walking friend,

Christina