40 ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Show It’s Never Too Late To Learn (New Pics)

“How do you fall in love with learning? You don’t. You fall in love with something that you love to do— drawing, kicking a ball, playing make-believe, walking in the woods, reading…,” Lenore, the president of Let Grow, told Bored Panda in an interview via email.

“All of those things involve learning. If they didn’t, you’d be bored and you’d stop doing them. Instead, as a kid AND as an adult, you get into something and do it because each time you get a little better, or try a slightly different technique. In a game, you’re ALWAYS thinking and learning because the ball never comes to you in exactly the same way twice. In the woods, there’s always something new to look at, climb or poke. In play, you have to react to the other person. And you pick up a book to fall into another world and learn all about it,” she explained that part of what makes us love certain activities is that we’re constantly improving and learning. Bit by bit.

According to Lenore, we’ve narrowed down what our idea of learning really is. Nowadays, learning is most closely associated with school and formal education, but this goes against the grain of what was true for most of human history. “We think it’s what happens in a classroom, and the proof is on a test. Considering that most humans didn’t even HAVE school till maybe 100 or 200 years ago, that’s very strange. The species had to be smart enough to survive and it did so by learning to farm, raise kids, fish, build boats—you name it. Our species is built to learn. Curiosity and drive turn that superpower on.”

Lenore put it simply that in order to fall in love with learning, you have to fall in love with something that’s either interesting to you or essential. “The learning comes automatically,” she said.

I was curious whether keeping our kids surrounded with books at home can be a plus. Lenore noted that we shouldn’t discount other learning resources either. “Having books at home can help a child find new things to fall into—but so does YouTube. Remember: every new technology is distrusted at first,” she pointed out that Socrates hated the idea that people had started writing down ideas instead of memorizing them.

“So yes books are great. But don’t ignore all the skills, hobbies, facts, and new things kids can learn online as well. If you’re worried about the bad stuff, install some filters. But learning from a podcast or DIY video is still LEARNING. Think of all the things you have learned since your formal schooling ended. Learning doesn’t only take place in a classroom or book!” she said.

“When kids play without adult intervention (and what is doing a hobby but playing?) they learn all sorts of social-emotional skills we want them to have: Patience, curiosity, frustration-tolerance, focus. At Let Grow we encourage schools to start a Let Grow Play Club before or after school when kids have that crucial time to just figure out how to have fun and make something happen. (Our implementation guide for this is free, too.)” Lenore gave some great advice for school staff.

“Kids need some time to goof up, noodle around, and find their interests. You probably had a chance for all of that when you were young, before we decided that every moment should be ‘teachable’—as in, taught by a wise adult. If you thought you got something from your ‘wasted’ time, please assume your kids will too. Starting now!”

A few months back, I reached out to the team at Age UK to understand lifelong learning, keeping our minds sharp and bright, and how we can facilitate it all as we grow older. Age UK is the country’s leading charity that wants to help everyone make the most of later life.

At the core of keeping our minds healthy lies the fact that we need to take the best possible care of our bodies. What’s more, we have to continuously explore new interests and keep ourselves socializing as much as we can.

"Hobbies add color and variety to all our lives so it’s good to help to inspire others to take up new interests. New hobbies and interests can help maintain social connections and reduce feelings of loneliness and it’s a great way to learn new skills. Taking part in social activities may help us to stay sharp in later life,” a representative of Age UK explained to Bored Panda during an interview.

"If joining clubs and classes are not an option, or your loved one doesn’t feel ready to start going outside yet, there are still ways to help them engage with new hobbies. Making sure older family members have everything they need to take up or continue hobbies, such as arts and crafts or wool if they are a keen knitter, ingredients if they are a budding chef or even the right tools for DIYing, can help," Age UK detailed how we can help seniors in our own lives stay interested in their hobbies. Having all the materials at hand means it’s more likely that you’ll do the activity you want to instead of putting it off.

"Doing activities together such as the gardening can be a great incentive too, or maybe help them research locally to see if there is a neighborly Book Club dial-in they could join. If your loved one finds it hard to stay physically active, or doesn’t know where to start, take a look at Age UK’s information on keeping active, which has ideas of activities for everyone. Even encouraging older friends and relatives to settle in with a favorite book or audiobook, do some cooking, listen to the radio while doing a puzzle, or tuning in to an afternoon radio play can help emotional wellbeing and mental health,” the Age UK representative explained.

"Having a hobby or learning new skills, whatever form they take, is important. And while for many they provide a nice way to spend spare time and an opportunity to interact with friends over a shared pursuit, for those with less social contacts it can give life a real sense of purpose and routine."

We can also exercise our minds by doing mentally stimulating activities. Puzzles and games are great ways to keep our minds sharp while also having a boatload of fun. "If we want our brain to stay in peak condition, we should use it. In fact, one of the theories about reducing or delaying cognitive aging is referred to as the 'use it or lose it' theory. Research shows that things like learning languages helps keep us brighter as we age. It is just as important to look after your brain by exercising your thinking skills, as you would do physical exercise to look after your body."

Have you picked up something new about growing to love learning keeping your minds active as you grow older, dear Pandas? Which of these TIL facts caught your attention the most? What have you learned recently that you can’t wait to share with everyone else? What’s something new that you literally learned today? For example, just this morning, I relearned something that I’d forgotten for a while: how much I love the sound of my shoes crunching over frosted grass, just as the sun’s coming up. It’s a different kind of knowledge, it’s very personal, but, I think, just as valid.