What’s Your Child’s Learning Style? A Guide to Visual, Auditory, Reading-Writing and Kinaesthetic Learners

What’s Your Child’s Learning Style? A Guide to Visual, Auditory, Reading-Writing and Kinaesthetic Learners

Ever wondered why one child can sit and read for hours while another needs to move around to stay engaged? Or why some kids remember everything they hear, while others need to see it drawn out? It’s not random — it’s their learning style.

Understanding how your child learns best can make a huge difference, especially when it comes to things like homework time, revision, and even conversations at home. And the best part? Once you know their learning style, it’s much easier to support them — without the usual battles.

So, what are the four learning styles?

Most experts use the VARK model, which splits learning into four main types. Your child might lean towards one, or even show a mix — but usually one style will stand out.

1. Visual Learners

These are the kids who love colour, patterns, charts, and diagrams. If your child lights up when you draw things out, or remembers things better with images, they’re probably a visual learner.

How to support them:

• Use mind maps, colour-coded notes, and visual organisers.
• Let them sketch out what they’ve learned.
• Try flashcards with pictures or symbols.

2. Auditory Learners

Auditory learners take things in best when they hear it. They might enjoy reading aloud, talking through their ideas, or even repeating things back to themselves.

How to support them:

• Talk things through rather than just writing it down.
• Let them explain what they’ve learned in their own words.
• Use rhymes, songs, or voice notes.

3. Reading-Writing Learners

These are your little bookworms. They love reading, writing lists, and working independently. They’re often good with spelling, vocabulary, and written instructions.

How to support them:

• Encourage written notes, journaling, or rewriting what they’ve learned.
• Give them books or articles to explore topics further.
• Use lists, worksheets, and written tasks.

4. Kinaesthetic Learners

If your child is always on the go, loves hands-on activities, and learns by doing, they’re probably kinaesthetic. These learners need movement and interaction to stay focused.

How to support them:

• Use physical activities to bring lessons to life — like measuring in baking, or acting out stories.
• Encourage experiments, building models, or moving while learning (yes, walking and reading can go together!).
• Keep learning sessions short and interactive.

How do I figure out my child’s learning style?

Some children are easy to spot — they’re drawing pictures of the solar system instead of reading about it, or building models rather than writing essays. But for many kids, it’s more subtle.

That’s where a learning style assessment can help. It gives you a clear picture of how your child absorbs information — and it’s a handy tool to personalise everything from homework help to screen time choices.

Why does it matter?

Because when kids learn in a way that suits them, everything gets easier. You’ll see fewer struggles at homework time, more confidence in the classroom, and a child who feels understood — not pushed into a mould that doesn’t fit.

It’s not about labelling them or sticking to one method forever. It’s about giving them the tools and strategies that work best for them.

What if my child is a mix?

That’s totally normal. Lots of children show signs of two styles — for example, they might be both visual and kinaesthetic. The goal isn’t to force a single category, but to notice what seems to click most and use that to your advantage.

Final Thoughts

As parents, we often focus on what our kids are learning — but how they learn is just as important. Once you understand your child’s learning style, you can meet them where they are, rather than where the textbook says they should be.

Whether you’ve got a doodler, a talker, a reader, or a mover — there’s no “better” way to learn. There’s just their way.

👉 Want to know your child’s learning style? Take the Unify Learning Style Assessment — it only takes a few minutes and gives you personalised insights to help your child thrive at home and in school.