The Benefits of Experiential Learning for Children
We are moving towards a highly dynamic and innovative world where communication and creativity are of utmost importance. More than bookish knowledge, what matters is the knowledge that one has gained from experience.
Experiential learning is the practice of learning through doing. The main steps of experiential learning are: experiencing, observing, analyzing, and experimenting. Popular forms of experiential learning are outdoor play, music, dance, arts & craft, imaginative or pretend play, exploring nature & more. We’ve rounded up a few key benefits of experiential learning for children:
- Fosters independent thinking
Experiential learning helps children think for themselves and take ownership of their own learning experiences. This way they feel a sense of achievement, which in turn improves their self-confidence.
- Develops problem-solving & resilience
Experiential learning enables children to do something of their own and in their areas of interest. As they come across new problems in real-life situations, they learn about effective solutions, see opportunities in failure, and gain the confidence to take more risks. This makes them more resilient.
- Focuses on collaboration
One of the essential skills experiential learning imparts is collaboration and teamwork. As children study, work or play with other children, they end up collaborating & coming up with strategies to achieve a common goal, rather than following a fixed formula.
- Helps children express difficulties
Children learn about failures or achievements through experiential learning. It enables them to express social and emotional difficulties and teaches them to be assertive, and also learn social skills, leadership qualities, and problem-solving skills and techniques— important soft skills for real-life situations.