Every child is unique — not just in personality, but in how they take in and process information. That’s why some kids seem to absorb everything they hear, while others need to write it down or get hands-on to really understand a concept.
As a parent, knowing how your child learns best can be a game-changer. It makes helping with homework easier, reduces frustration, and boosts your child’s confidence. The good news? You don’t need to be a teacher or expert to figure it out. You just need to know what signs to look for.
The most widely used model is called VARK, which stands for:
Each style refers to a different way that children prefer to take in and retain information. While your child might show signs of more than one, most tend to lean toward one dominant style.
Visual learners understand things better when they see them. Diagrams, colour-coded notes, mind maps, and images are their best friends. These children often:
Clues you might notice:
They enjoy drawing, like using highlighters, or often say things like “Can you show me?”
These children learn by listening. They’re often the ones who ask lots of questions, remember songs easily, and talk through their thinking process. Auditory learners might:
Common signs:
They talk through tasks, remember what they hear, and may struggle with silent reading or long written instructions.
This group prefers traditional methods like reading text and writing notes. They enjoy working independently and often excel with books, lists, and written exercises. You may notice they:
What to look for:
They enjoy journaling, rewriting notes, or working quietly on their own with a pen and paper.
Kinaesthetic learners need movement and hands-on experience to stay engaged. These children often:
Typical clues:
They fidget when trying to sit still, enjoy sports or crafts, and learn well when the lesson includes a physical element.
Start by watching how they naturally behave during learning or problem-solving situations. For example:
You might also notice how they prefer to study, or how they recall information. Visual learners might “see” the page in their head. Auditory learners remember the way something sounded. Kinaesthetic learners may need to recreate the activity to get it.
Because once you know how your child learns, you can adapt the way you support them. If your visual learner is struggling with written homework, turning it into a diagram might help. If your kinaesthetic child can’t sit still for long enough to revise, breaking tasks into short, active sessions will work much better.
You’re not trying to change how they learn — you’re working with it.
Absolutely. Many children show signs of two styles, especially as they grow and explore different ways of learning. You might find your child is a mix of auditory and kinaesthetic, or visual and reading-writing. That’s completely normal.
The key is to figure out which method helps them learn most easily and naturally, and then use it as a foundation.
You don’t have to guess. The Unify Learning Style Assessment was designed specifically for children, and it takes just a few minutes to complete. It gives you a clear breakdown of your child’s dominant learning style, with simple tips to help you support their development — whether at school or at home.
Every child has their own way of learning. The more we understand that, the easier it becomes to support them — not just academically, but emotionally too. When children feel seen and understood, they’re more confident, more independent, and more engaged.
So next time your child finds something hard, take a moment to consider not just what they’re learning, but how they’re learning it.
👉 Take the Unify Learning Style Assessment today and discover how your child learns best: https://www.usesimplify.co/kids-assessment
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