Fostering a Love of Learning

     Fall is here, meaning class has been in session for several weeks and summer is long gone! The initial hype of returning back to school is often felt by even the laziest Neopet. Who doesn't like seeing their friends after summer vacation and shopping for new clothes?! However, if your neopets are at all like Mycou (my hyperactive preschooler Mynci), the glow has worn off and the humdrum of homework is setting in. Education is critical for young neopets but it is not enough. We must teach our neopets how to foster a life-long love of education! This article serves as a resource to provide a few ideas to continue the learning process with your pet and curate a love for learning in your neohome!

     1. Daily Reading Time

     One of the most obvious ways to increase your neopets intelligence is to read books together! By using jellyneo you can easily create a list of all the regular and booktastic books your neopet has yet to read. Set goals for you and your neopet to tackle together. Some great examples to get you started include:

     -Read every book!!! (Wow, prepare to shell out a lot of neopoints!)

     -Read all books under 1k (or whatever price point you want to max out at).

     -Read at least 5 books a day.

     -Read a book first thing when you log on and right before you log off (What a great way to start and end the day!)

     -Read every book related to their species.

     2. Work on Critical Thinking

     The faerie crossword and daily puzzle are fun breaks from regular homework assignments and great brain teasers. Trying to figure out the answers together may require some research and digging around, however, the prizes are well worth the effort. Not only will you earn a few neopoints and unlock a secret avatar, but your pet will gain knowledge about Neopets lore and culture.

     3. Check out the Neopedia

     Speaking of culture and lore, the Neopedia is chalk for of fun tidbits and stories that will keep your pet entertained for hours! Is your pet a musician? Read up on Neopia's best bands! Are they chocolate obsessed? Find out more about the mysterious Kiko who owns the chocolate factory... It is important for pets to read for fun, alongside reading for school. Understanding what is interesting to them is the first step in reaching this goal.

     4. Bend and Flex Number Skills

     Roodooku and Math Nightmare are the perfect games to practice math skills! As an owner who… er… struggles in the math department, I am extremely thankful for games that help Mycou grow in this area! Working together to solve these problems provides great bonding time, while setting a good example for her. How wonderful is it that learning can be fun? As a bonus, a secret avatar is awarded for Math Nightmare if you score within the top 50. This is a great incentive to become a master at division, addition, subtraction, and multiplication!

     5. Prioritize Puzzle Solving

     Puzzle solving engages your pets brain in a different way, promoting problem solving and patience. There are close to 100 items you can purchase to play with your pet and build these skills! Reading puzzle solution books and fighting over who places in the last puzzle piece will provide hours of learning and fun. If you visit the games room you will find an entire section dedicated to puzzle type games (many of them offer secret avatars!). Why not introduce your pet to some different puzzle techniques, you may surprise yourself after a bit of practice by earning a trophy! A few of Mycou’s favorite puzzle games include Cellblock, Sewage Surfer, Snot Splatter, and Wingoball!

          6. Value Play as Learning

     Although this item is especially important for all ages of neopets, it is most important for littles. Incorporating play into your pet’s daily routine boosts their creativity, energy levels, and engages them to discover new processes. Explore far away islands, go digging for treasure on Krawk Island, bounce with King Roo, attempt to discover Jellyworld! Playing with your pet allows for new experiences filled with learning! It is easy to fall into the mundane of logging on simply for dailies and old, solidified habits. Spice up your neo-adventures and do something new your pet. You both might learn something! Another avenue of “Play as Learning” includes role playing. Visit the role play neoboard to engage other users in this area of play, it’s entertaining and you explore different avenues of your neopets personality! Creating petpages dedicated to their character, writing stories detailing their adventures, and world building all fall under this category as well. Playing leads to exploration, both physically and mentally. Finally, all of those toys you have stuffed into your safety deposit box or gallery—take them out! Play with them! Take some time to restock in the toy shop and snipe a few shiny new items to play with your pet, their excitement is definitely learning!

     Although learning is often thought of in terms of school or reading, there are many other worthwhile opportunities to explore. My wish is for this article to inspire you to engage your pets in creative, educational endeavors and through the process discover something new! Even though I wrote this article, there are items I still need to grow in and explore with my pet! I challenge you to seek out a new avenue of learning to grow alongside your pet with. I argue that it will inspire future endeavors on site. Learning leads to new hobbies, achievements, and happier pets. From trophies to spotlights, learning pays off and is evident among pets well beyond their stats. Look at you, you already learned something new today by reading this article! Now get out there and explore the world of learning with your pet!

     I would like to dedicate this article to my adorably baby Mynci, Mycou. She is the first pet I actively read to and engaged with on-site concerning pet improvement endeavors! Because of Mycou I have become a better player and more inspired. For such a little gal pal, she sure has taught me a lot!