Schoolwork doesn’t always spark joy, especially when your kids are convinced that doing math is equivalent to climbing a mountain in the rain with no snacks.

But fear not, engaging kids in school work is possible, and it can even be fun if you know the right techniques. Whether your little learner is struggling to stay focused or they just flat out uninterested in the work ahead of them, there are tons of practical and creative ways to boost their motivation and get them actively involved.

One of the secret weapons? Something called segmenting. And no, it’s not a fancy computer term. In the world of reading and spelling, segmentation means breaking words down into smaller, more bite sized chunks and sounds. It can completely transform how kids see language, and that can make English learning language much more fun. But we’re not stopping at phonics here. Below, we’ve put together our top tips for engaging your children in schoolwork.

Turn segmentation into a game.

We’ve already mentioned it once, so we may as well start as we mean to go on. Learning to read is not just about recognizing whole words. Kids also need to hear and understand the sounds within them, and that’s where segmentation comes in. Think of it as breaking words apart, like puzzle pieces. In fact, you could actually use puzzle pieces to do this. Clapping out each sound in simple words, using toy blocks to represent each sound or hop along a path for each phoneme. You can even make DIY word robot voices that say one sound at a time. The more playful you make it, the more engaged your children will be, and they’ll be improving their reading skills without even knowing it.

Create a learning nook.

You don’t need to have a stiff wooden desk setup. Kids will thrive in cosy and creative spaces, so turning a corner of your home into a learning zone with colourful cushions and fairy lights can make all the difference. You can include baskets of their favorite books and their favorite teddies, and you can make them feel comfortable when they personalise it. Get them to add stickers and drawings and you can even ask them to decorate their own name tag. When kids feel like they have ownership over their learning space, they’re so much more likely to settle in and stay focused. And yes, learning in a pillow Fort totally counts.

Break everything into smaller chunks.

One of the hardest parts of engaging children in their school work is the timing. Children are set to longer lessons when they’re in a school environment, but when they’re at home with you, they’re not in a school environment. You can make learning fun in 10 minute long bite size chunks, and they’ll be able to retain more information that way. Schoolwork can be overwhelming, especially when the page looks like a wall of instructions. Children don’t like to adhere to instructions. In fact, they like to adhere to playing games. Using a visual checklist, you can break everything down so that they can check off each thing as they go. As they see themselves making gradual progress, it will spur them on to do the next thing on the list.

Mix movement in with their learning.

If you want to help your children to feel engaged with their schoolwork, get them moving. They can do jumping jacks every time they’re spelling out a word, or they can act out vocabulary definitions. Games of charades are perfect learning tools because they’ll move their bodies and they’ll have to really critically think about how they want to act. You can do scavenger hunts for items that start with certain letters or with certain colors, and you can chuck a ball backward and forward while solving math problems. Kids are just not meant to sit still. And even in the real world, if they have to do that, it doesn’t mean they have to do it in your world at home. When you make learning active, it keeps the energy flowing and their brains buzzing.

Use their interests to your advantage.

If your child is into dinosaurs or superheroes, Minecraft or kittens, you’ve got a golden opportunity on your hands. You can write down math and word problems involving their favorite characters, and turn spellings into comic strip captions. You can ask them to write a letter to a T Rex, or help you to build a costume of a T Rex.You could get them to explore space facts and reel off a whole load of space facts to you. You can even get them to explain how Captain Underpants solves math problems. When schoolwork turns to their passion and their interests, they’re far more likely to engage with you. It’s like sneaking the veggies into a Mac and cheese. Disguised learning is just as fun.

Be silly with it.

The fun thing about helping your children to engage with their schoolwork at home is that you can do it any way you like. You can read instructions in a pirate voice or have their stuffed animals ask them the questions. You could use hand puppets to review their spelling lists. And suddenly ordinary schoolwork becomes interactive and performative. Children respond to novelty and humor and wherever you go the better they feel. If it gets a giggle and some writing done then it’s a total win.

Celebrate every single win.

To encourage children to spur on with their learning adventures, celebrate every win. From finishing a tricky sentence to getting through 5 minutes without distractions, the winds are going to pile up. Don’t celebrate perfection if you can avoid it, but celebrate perseverance and effort. Children love to be recognized and consistent praise can help to reinforce those good habits you’re trying to install in them.

Get them to teach you.

Instead of sitting with your kids and getting through their math problems by teaching them, ask them to teach you what they know already. But don’t put any pressure on this. Kids may not be actively excited about the idea because they may feel put on the spot trying to explain the concept that they don’t quite understand themselves. If they do feel confident enough to teach, you get a few things wrong on purpose so that they feel good about it.

Incorporate technology where you can.

Screen time doesn’t have to be an enemy when it comes to learning. Technology is present in everyday life and in the classrooms today, which means that you need to use technology to help boost engagement. There are learning apps and interactive games, online tools that turn practice into play, and apps that focus on specific things like phonics or word segmentation. Educational videos and audiobooks can also support learning in ways that feel like entertainment, so as long as you balance technology with offline activities, you’re golden.

Songs and games are great for English language learning with kids

You can also use home school time as a chance to introduce or strengthen English skills, especially if your child is learning it as a second language. The key? Keep it casual and fun. Practice simple words around the house—label furniture or stuffed animals with sticky notes, turn snack time into a vocabulary moment (“apple starts with A!”), or sing silly English songs together. When English feels like a part of everyday life instead of a formal subject, kids are more likely to soak it up naturally. You don’t need fancy grammar drills—just lots of repetition, playfulness, and patience. Learning a language should feel like discovering a new game, not sitting through a test. I have some great resources for those teaching English to their kids, check them out here.

Don’t forget to show grace!

Keep everything judgement free when it comes to your children. Not everybody finds school easy, and not everybody finds learning fun, but when you sit together and you put your heads together, you can make this more of a game than anything else. Schoolwork isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress and confidence and building a secure love for learning. This is not something that’s going to happen in or with a stack of worksheets. It happens with creativity and connection and laughter. And most of all, it helps your children to feel secure if they know that you are with them on their learning journey.