Education Expert Reveals 5 Ways to Boost Children’s Success in 2026
The start of a new year is the perfect time for a reset and to really establish healthy learning habits. However, with 86% of parents feeling anxious about their children’s return to school after the festive break, parents may feel the need for more guidance around establishing routines and resetting for the new year, especially when it comes to learning.
Understanding the ‘why’ behind learning transforms student engagement. When children connect their studies to real-world impact, their motivation soars. Combining this with tailored goal setting and creative teaching methods can help improve both confidence and academic performance.
To help children reset after the holidays, we teamed up with leading tuition provider Explore Learning to share five lesser-known techniques to help set them up for success.
From turning screen time into study success to unlocking the power of ‘dream big’ goals, here’s how parents and caregivers can help.
1. Set ambitious goals
One surprising habit can make students 42% more likely to achieve their goals: writing them down. In fact, adding a touch of ambition can make this practice even more powerful. Consider encouraging your child to include one “dream big” goal – whether that’s writing a novel, inventing something new, or becoming a chess champion. This ambitious thinking can spark creativity and determination. Alongside this aspirational goal, students should focus on two specific, achievable targets that could help them on their journey. These might target areas that need improvement, particular subjects, or build on existing interests.
2. Turn screen time into success time
Instead of limiting screen time, parents can transform it into a powerful learning ally. While research shows that gamified learning leads to an 89% improvement in student performance, other digital activities can also support learning and well-being. Video games can enhance problem-solving skills and strategic thinking, while educational YouTube channels can bring subjects to life. This balanced approach to screen time can help maintain motivation and provide much-needed breaks between study sessions. The key is finding the right mix of educational content and entertainment that works for your child – whether that’s practicing times tables through apps, watching historical documentaries, or unwinding with age-appropriate games.
3. Establish a family reading and writing culture
Set aside time for shared reading experiences and book discussions to enhance reading comprehension. Explore the “BookTok” side of TikTok and search recommendations on social media, ensuring you’re looking for age-appropriate reading inspiration. Consider creating a family newspaper or blog, involving children in writing, editing, and researching current events or family activities. These activities all improve literacy, expand vocabulary, and develop critical thinking skills.
4. Break learning into bite-sized chunks – with a twist
Modern attention spans and increasing mobile technology use have led to the rise of micro-learning by delivering content in small, focused segments. You can help to build their attention span with ‘interleaving’, a technique where students mix different but related topics in each study session. Parents can implement this by breaking homework into 20-30 minute focused periods, alternating between related subjects or concepts, followed by short breaks. This approach strengthens children’s attention spans and helps them make connections between topics and retain information more effectively.
5. Help children understand why they’re learning
Students perform better when they understand how their learning can benefit others, not just themselves. This approach moves beyond exam motivation to real-world scenarios – for example, showing how scientific studies can help animals or how new technologies can benefit society. Connecting learning to real-world outcomes creates deeper engagement and can boost motivation for children throughout the academic year.