Overview

Kolb’s Cycle Of Experiential Learning provides a robust framework for understanding how individuals, including young children, learn through direct experience. This handout explores the four stages of Kolb’s learning cycle and the accompanying learning styles, offering insights into how they apply to early childhood education.

The Four Stages Of Kolb’s Cycle Of Experiential Learning

Kolb’s cycle illustrates how learning unfolds as a dynamic, iterative process. The four stages are:

• Doing (Concrete Experience)–Learners engage in hands-on activities, forming the foundation for their understanding
• Reflecting (Reflective Observation)–After an experience, learners reflect on what happened
• Thinking (Abstract Conceptualization)–Learners process their reflections to form ideas or theories
• Testing (Active Experimentation)–Using their newfound knowledge, learners test their ideas.

Children naturally and repeatedly cycle through these stages, refining their understanding and skills.

Kolb’s Learning Styles

Kolb’s framework also identifies four learning styles, which reflect preferences for engaging with the cycle:

• Diverging (Strong in Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation)— These learners excel at viewing situations from multiple perspectives and are highly imaginative
• Assimilating (Strong in Reflective Observation and Abstract Conceptualization)–Logical and detail-oriented, these learners prefer clear explanations and structured approaches
• Converging (Strong in Abstract Conceptualization and Active Experimentation)–These learners enjoy problem-solving and practical applications
• Accommodating (Strong in Concrete Experience and Active Experimentation)–Hands-on and intuitive, these learners enjoy diving into tasks and adapting as they go

Recognizing these styles helps caregivers and educators support children in ways that align with their natural preferences.

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