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As a homeschooling parent, one of the most beautiful parts of teaching your child at home is seeing them light up with understanding—those moments when something clicks and their face beams with pride. But let’s be honest: it’s not always smooth sailing. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, kids seem bored, frustrated, or just not absorbing the lessons. The key often lies in understanding how your child learns best.
Every child has a unique learning style, and recognizing it can transform homeschooling from a daily struggle into a joyful adventure. Today, I want to walk you through the five learning styles every homeschool parent should know and share practical strategies to help your child thrive.
Why Understanding Learning Styles Matters
Before we dive into the learning styles themselves, let’s take a moment to talk about why this matters. Kids aren’t one-size-fits-all. Forcing a child to learn in a style that doesn’t suit them is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole—it can lead to frustration, lack of motivation, and even feelings of failure.
When you understand your child’s learning style, you can:
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Customize lessons to match their natural strengths.
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Reduce resistance and boredom.
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Boost retention and comprehension.
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Foster a lifelong love of learning.
The great news? Homeschooling gives you the flexibility to tailor your teaching in a way that traditional classrooms often can’t.
The 5 Learning Styles
Researchers and educators generally recognize five primary learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Reading/Writing, and Multimodal. Let’s explore each one in detail and talk about how to make homeschooling more effective for your child.
1. Visual Learners
Who they are: Visual learners understand and remember information best when it is presented in pictures, diagrams, charts, or colors. They often enjoy drawing, creating mind maps, or watching videos.
Signs your child might be a visual learner:
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They love doodling or drawing during lessons.
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They remember faces and places better than names.
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They ask questions like “Can you show me?” or “What does it look like?”
How to teach them effectively:
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Use colorful charts, infographics, and visual aids.
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Incorporate videos, slideshows, or educational animations.
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Encourage note-taking with diagrams or mind maps.
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Use flashcards for subjects like vocabulary, history, or science.
At-home activity idea: Turn a science lesson about the water cycle into a hands-on visual project. Have your child draw and label each stage, or use colored beads in jars to represent evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
2. Auditory Learners
Who they are: Auditory learners absorb information best by listening and speaking. They often enjoy storytelling, discussions, and reading aloud.
Signs your child might be an auditory learner:
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They remember information better when they hear it.
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They talk through problems or explain concepts to themselves.
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They enjoy music, rhymes, or repeating things aloud.
How to teach them effectively:
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Read lessons aloud and encourage your child to do the same.
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Use educational podcasts, audiobooks, and songs.
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Discuss concepts and encourage questions.
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Incorporate repetition through verbal quizzes or recitation.
At-home activity idea: For a history lesson, read a chapter aloud together and then act out the events. You can even record your child summarizing the lesson in their own words.
3. Kinesthetic Learners
Who they are: Kinesthetic learners are hands-on learners who need to move and physically interact with the material. They learn best through touch, movement, and doing activities.
Signs your child might be a kinesthetic learner:
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They fidget, move, or pace while learning.
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They enjoy building, crafting, or experimenting.
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They remember things better when they perform an action.
How to teach them effectively:
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Include hands-on experiments, role-playing, or building projects.
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Use manipulatives for math and science concepts.
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Incorporate movement breaks into lessons.
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Let them write or draw as part of their learning process.
At-home activity idea: Teaching geometry? Have your child build shapes using toothpicks and marshmallows, or act out a scene from a historical event to internalize the information.
4. Reading/Writing Learners
Who they are: Reading/writing learners excel through reading text and writing notes. They thrive on lists, instructions, and written explanations.
Signs your child might be a reading/writing learner:
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They prefer reading textbooks and taking notes.
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They enjoy journaling, writing stories, or researching online.
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They remember information better when it’s written down.
How to teach them effectively:
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Provide worksheets, journals, and reading assignments.
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Encourage note-taking and creating written summaries.
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Use written instructions instead of only verbal explanations.
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Have them research topics online and write reports.
At-home activity idea: Assign your child a science or history topic to research and write a short essay or report. Encourage them to use headings, bullet points, and diagrams to organize their work.
5. Multimodal Learners
Who they are: Multimodal learners use a combination of learning styles. They might switch between visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing depending on the topic.
Signs your child might be a multimodal learner:
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They adapt their learning style based on the subject.
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They enjoy mixing activities, like listening to a story while drawing a diagram.
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They can get bored if forced to stick to only one learning style.
How to teach them effectively:
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Rotate teaching methods to keep lessons dynamic.
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Combine activities: for example, read a text (reading/writing), discuss it (auditory), and create a related project (kinesthetic).
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Observe which combination works best for each subject.
At-home activity idea: For a lesson on ecosystems, start with a short video (visual), read a passage (reading/writing), discuss it (auditory), and then create a diorama (kinesthetic).
How to Discover Your Child’s Learning Style
Understanding your child’s learning style doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some simple ways to discover what works best:
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Observe how they naturally approach tasks. Notice whether they prefer to read, listen, move, or draw when learning something new.
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Try different methods. Rotate teaching styles for the same lesson and see which one sparks excitement and engagement.
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Ask them. Sometimes kids know what works for them and can articulate their preferences.
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Use quizzes and tools. There are free online learning style assessments for kids that can give you a helpful starting point.
Once you know your child’s style, you can structure lessons, activities, and routines around it. And remember, it’s perfectly normal for children to be a blend of two or more styles. The key is flexibility.
Practical Tips for Homeschooling with Learning Styles in Mind
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Create a flexible learning environment: Have spaces for reading, hands-on projects, and quiet study.
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Mix up the routine: Rotate activities to engage different learning styles and keep boredom at bay.
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Use tech wisely: Educational apps, audiobooks, and videos can support multiple learning styles.
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Encourage self-awareness: Help your child recognize their learning style and use it independently.
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Celebrate progress: Praise effort and creativity, not just results. Learning is about growth, not perfection.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Even with learning styles in mind, homeschooling isn’t always easy. Here are a few challenges and strategies:
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Your child resists learning a subject. Try teaching it in a different style—sometimes a math lesson becomes more interesting as a hands-on game.
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They get bored quickly. Break lessons into shorter segments or mix activities that appeal to multiple senses.
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They have multiple learning styles. That’s okay! Use a variety of teaching methods, and let your child choose what works best in the moment.
Final Thoughts
Understanding your child’s learning style is one of the most powerful tools in your homeschooling toolkit. It transforms learning from a task into an adventure and gives you the freedom to teach in a way that actually works. By recognizing whether your child is a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, reading/writing, or multimodal learner, you can design lessons that keep them engaged, confident, and excited about learning.
Remember, the goal isn’t to force your child into a particular style—it’s to meet them where they are and let their natural curiosity flourish. Homeschooling is a journey, not a race, and every small step toward understanding your child’s learning style is a step toward lifelong love of learning.
Leave a Comment!
I’d love to hear from you! Which learning style do you think your child fits into? Or maybe your child is a little bit of everything! Share your experiences, tips, or challenges in the comments below—I read every single one and I’m always here to support your homeschooling journey.
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Thank you for reading my blog! Stay tuned for more tips, resources, and printable materials to help make your homeschooling experience enjoyable and effective. Check out my store for a variety of educational products and printables to assist you on your homeschooling journey.
Nancy at Cleverly Kindred ❤️
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