Within educational psychology, experiential learning—which stresses learning by experience—is a fundamental concept, as put forth by David Kolb. Given that it fits with children’s innate need to explore and interact with their surroundings, this strategy is very beneficial when applied to children and their development. According to Kolb’s theory, learning happens in a cycle that includes active exploration, abstract thinking, observational thinking, and physical experiences. This cycle encourages students to make the connection between theory and practice, which promotes deep learning.

Experiential learning has proven to be highly beneficial in promoting children’s motivation and engagement in the field of educational psychology. Research has indicated that this strategy increases students’ intrinsic motivation while simultaneously improving academic achievement (Kong, 2021). Children are more likely to find the subject interesting and pertinent when they engage fully in hands-on instruction, for instance, and this increases their enthusiasm to participate and continue in learning tasks.

In a particular study, Kong (2021) found that sixth-grade students’ problem-solving and mathematical inventiveness significantly improved when they learned geometry and arithmetic through experiential approaches. Relative to conventional teaching approaches, the students were able to understand and recall mathematical concepts better because of the practical exercises and examples. This study demonstrates how experiential learning can help children learn more effectively and meaningfully by addressing the disconnect across theoretical knowledge and real-world application.

Additionally, children’s emotional intelligence and social abilities are enhanced by experiential learning. Children learn how to communicate and develop empathy for their classmates through participating in group projects and cooperative activities. These abilities can greatly improve their capacity to function well in a variety of team environments and are essential to their development. Because experiential learning addresses the social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of child development, it is a valuable tool for promoting an integrated approach to education.

Experiential learning has many advantages, but there are drawbacks as well, such tight schedules, inflexible curriculum, and big class sizes. To properly include experiential learning principles, educators must modify their teaching strategies and evaluation procedures. In this way, they may establish a lively and participatory learning atmosphere that enhances academic results while equipping kids for obstacles they may face in the real world.

Finally, it should be noted that experiential learning is an effective teaching method that complies well with educational psychology theories. Its use in education has produced encouraging outcomes for kids, improving their skills and achievement. Increasing the amount of experiential learning opportunities available to students can support the development of more effective and stimulating classrooms as educational systems change.

Kong, Y. (2021). The role of experiential learning on students’ motivation and classroom engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.771272