Increasing Motivation to do Homework by Making It a Game

Do your kids ever procrastinate on doing their homework? It’s hard for most people to get started on something they don’t really want to do. How can a task like homework be made more fun?

Difficult tasks become more engaging if they involve the attributes of a game:

• Focus on Accomplishing Tasks to Win
• Time Limit
• Scoring
• Prizes

Your kids can make homework more like a game by doing the following:

• Write down the homework tasks that need to be done.
• For each task, write down the time they think it will take.
• Set a timer for a task. If it’s accomplished before the timer goes off, score one point.
• Determine the prize for the points. It can be as simple as running outside and shooting 10 baskets or eating three strawberries.
• Check that item off and go to the next task.

By transforming homework into a game, they will have more fun doing it.  They will also gain the important life skill of writing down what needs to get done and checking it off once it's done.