Do you have a boy who has to move around? Does he need to pace about and is he prone to fidgeting? If so, he may have a bodily-kinesthetic learning style.
Boys with this learning style learn through their body. They need to move and they need to touch and feel things. We have put together a list of boys’ learning styles and the characteristic of each style. You can check there to see what learning styles you think your boy may have.
Getting a boy with this learning style to sit still is a challenge . The very best thing you can do for a child with a bodily-kinesthetic learning style is to honor the way that he learns. Who doesn’t want to learn in the way that works best for them, right?
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Bodily-Kinesthetic Learning Style
When boys are bodily-kinesthetic learners they learn mostly from using their body and their hands. Touching, manipulating, and most of all moving, all come into play with these boys.
These boys have excellent hand-eye coordination and dexterity. If you want them to remember something put it into action. Let them build, touch, hop, skip and jump their way to understanding concepts.
How to Tell if Your Boy Has a Bodily-kinesthetic Learning Style
This learning style is pretty easy to spot and boys are more likely to have it. If they are constantly in motion it is a good bet they lean toward this style.
Do keep in mind that we all have two to three stronger styles so your boy doesn’t have to be climbing trees and bouncing off walls in order to have it. Take a look at these characteristics and see what you think.
- Rarely able to sit still—always moving, tapping, twitching, wiggling
- Figures things out by touching and manipulating objects
- Has gut feelings about answers to questions
- Communicates best by gestures and body language
- Loves physical play
- May be athletic or like dance or acting
- Enjoys hands-on activities such as typing, drawing, fixing things, crafting
- Sometimes labeled if there is not an appropriate outlet for their body movement
- Needs to touch when he talks
- Likes to role-play, do dramatic improv, or creative movement
What You Can Provide if Your Boy Has a Bodily-kinesthetic Learning Style
Get them things to do with their hands and ways to help them move their bodies. They need to move, touch and be active.
- Supplies for woodworking or carving
- Sports equipment
- Hands-on building kits (models, LEGO)
- Gymnastics or dance lessons (if they are interested)
- clay for pottery or modeling
- Martial arts dvds or instruction
- Tools
- Hands-on science experiments
Places You Can Take Your Boy to Honor His Bodily-kinesthetic Learning Style
Bringing him places that he can move, that thrill him, that provide a challenge are all good choices.
- Amusement parks with exciting rides
- Playgrounds
- Obstacle courses and climbing walls
- Hiking trails
- Swimming pools
- Sports events
- Camping trips
- Exploratory museums (children’s, science)
Usually a person has a variety of learning styles with one or two being more prevalent. Go to our Boys’ Learning Styles page to see the other learning styles.
After you determine the main learning styles your boy has, combine ideas and adjust his learning environment the best you can so that it is easier for him to learn. If he is a bodily-kinesthetic learner be sure to give him plenty of hands-on opportunities.
Be sure to check out these related articles:
Learning Styles Writing Tips for Boys
Learning LEGO Math Games (hands-on)
The Ultimate Guide to Boys’ Learning
Does your boy have a bodily-kinesthetic learning style? What do you do to help him? Leave a comment 🙂