Why Kids Lose Their Love of Learning (And How to Prevent It)

The natural curiosity of a child is a precious thing. Yet somewhere between early childhood and adolescence, many children lose their innate love of learning. “I walk around and pay attention to kids… looking at whether they look alive, whether they look full, whether they look excited and curious and ready to discover the world,” shares education expert Tess Scholl. “And honestly, for a lot of them, the answer is no, which is really, really sad.”

As founder of Knowledge Seekers, a revolutionary student-led learning microschool in Portland, Scholl has witnessed firsthand how traditional education can inadvertently suppress children’s natural enthusiasm for discovery and learning.

Signs Your Child is Losing Their Love of Learning

“Kids aren’t supposed to sit down and be still,” Scholl emphasizes emotionally. “They’re supposed to be dirty, honestly just discover the world for themselves.”

This disconnect between natural childhood development and modern educational approaches has created a crisis in learning engagement. While five years ago, parents faced a binary choice between public school and homeschool, today’s educational landscape reveals a growing awareness of this problem – evidenced by the rising popularity of microschools, alternative learning programs, and individualized education approaches.

When children begin losing their natural curiosity, the signs often appear gradually but distinctly. Scholl identifies several key indicators:

• Loss of autonomy in daily choices
• Decreased confidence in expressing opinions
• Resistance to structured learning activities
• Diminished excitement about discovery
• Reduced willingness to take learning risks

“When we put them in scenarios where they don’t get choices and they don’t get to be who they want to be in their moments of their day, it squashes something,” Scholl explains. “It squashes self-confidence, self-esteem – the part that tells them they’re valued.”

The Root Causes

The suppression of natural learning instincts often stems from well-intentioned but restrictive educational approaches. Scholl points to several fundamental issues:

1. Limited Decision-Making Opportunities “When we take those little four and five and six-year-olds, and we say, ‘No, it’s not time to play with sticks. It’s time to go to school,’ and we’re all stressed out about it… we’re not actually telling kids they know what they need for themselves,” Scholl observes.
2. Lack of Voice in Education Children often lose their sense of agency in their own learning journey. As Scholl notes, “When you have a voice in what you are learning, you’re more invested in the outcome or how much energy you put into something. And I think that’s really true for kids.”
3. Overemphasis on Structure While some structure is necessary, excessive rigidity can stifle natural curiosity. “I’m not perfect at this with homeschooling,” Scholl admits. “I wish I could just let go of all my stuff and let them do whatever they want, whenever they want.”

How Natural Learning Should Look

Natural learning extends far beyond traditional classroom walls. It involves physical exploration, hands-on discovery, and the freedom to follow genuine curiosity. At Knowledge Seekers, this manifests in unexpected ways.

Scholl shares a recent example: “They all of a sudden decided they were doing a play. There was no plan for it that day… they started working on it based on Hansel and Gretel.” This spontaneous project became a rich learning experience, incorporating writing, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.

The key elements of natural learning include:

• Physical exploration and movement
• Student-initiated projects
• Hands-on discovery
• Real-world problem solving
• Collaborative learning
• Creative expression

Creating a Supportive Learning Environment

Building an environment that nurtures natural learning requires a delicate balance between guidance and freedom. “The idea of Knowledge Seekers is that we don’t do anything in isolation,” Scholl explains. “It’s the job of the teacher to be a guide and help the students have a voice and come up with what they want to learn.”

This collaborative approach focuses on three key questions:

1. What do you want to learn?
2. How do you learn best?
3. What brings you joy?

The Power of Student Voice

When children from traditional schools first enter programs like Knowledge Seekers, they often struggle with having a voice in their education. “If kids are coming from public school, they don’t know what it looks like to have a voice and actually make a choice or say no or have a different opinion,” Scholl observes.

However, this initial challenge transforms into an opportunity. Students learn to:

• Express their interests
• Collaborate with peers
• Navigate different opinions
• Find creative solutions
• Build self-confidence

Practical Steps for Parents

For parents looking to preserve their child’s natural love of learning, Scholl offers several actionable strategies based on her experience:

Give Yourself Grace

Scholl emphasizes that perfect homeschooling doesn’t exist, but consistent, genuine effort does transform lives.

“When we look back, was it our best? No, but did we try to do the best in those moments? Yes.”

Build Community

Finding the right community becomes crucial as children age and face different challenges. “I know that community is going to be really important,” Scholl shares. “Finding the community that makes me and my family thrive.”

Balance Structure and Freedom

While some structure helps guide learning, allow room for natural discovery. Consider these balanced approaches:

• Combine scheduled learning with free exploration time
• Let children help choose their learning topics
• Create space for both individual and group projects
• Allow learning to happen through play
• Embrace spontaneous teaching moments

A recent example involved students spontaneously creating their own play. Some wanted to write everything down, while others preferred memorization. Through guidance, they found ways to accommodate everyone’s learning styles while creating something meaningful together.

Remember: Your child’s natural love of learning is worth preserving. As Scholl reminds us, “Everything we do has consequences whether they’re positive or negative, but I just really want to create a foundation where they feel like they have a voice.”

Learn more about Knowledge Seekers PDX.