Tips and advice to grow your child’s language development
I am fortunate enough to have a husband who is a very involved father. Like most mothers, I tend to be the one who worries about meals, bed times, laundry, discipline, structure and routines. My husband is the one who is more likely to fool around with our children being silly and creating laughs. This is probably why he came up with a fantastic way … Continue reading The Body Bath Time Song
The ability to read is a vital skill for everyone. Those who cannot read are at a distinct disadvantage. Reading is critical for achieving well in school and tertiary education. Developing a child’s love of books will open up new worlds and allow their imaginations to be unleashed without limitations. Reading is essential for most forms of learning, follow instructions and many ordinary day to … Continue reading It’s Never Too Early For Books
Fine motor skill development is a big focus for children age around 2 years old and older and surprisingly there are a tonne of fun games for helping children learn these skills. For this game you will need large (A4)cards with shapes drawn on them with colourful pens. A good starting set would include a circle, a square, a triangle, a straight horizontal line and … Continue reading Play Time: Fine Motor Magic
We have spoken about the importance of manners in previous posts, especially for older children, but at what point can we really start teaching our little ones the intricacies of manner culture? Of course we lead by example and aim to show courtesy in our behavior in front of children, which of course does ingrain in their young minds, but what and when can we … Continue reading Play Time: Manners Managed
Silly soup is a fun game which will help children from 2 years and older to enhance their verbal memory. For this game you will need a large soup pot with a lid, a large wooden spoon and a small basket of items. To start this game, tell the child you are going to make some soup and you’d like their help. Ask the child … Continue reading Play Time: Silly Soup
Toddlers love searching games and this one, suitable for children as young as 18 months old also teaches them the names of colors, objects and counting. To start the game, say to the child, ‘Shall we go on a treasure hunt?’. Give the child a bag in which to collect things in. Where the child is still quite small show the child an object that … Continue reading Play Time: Rainbow Treasure
Its a well known fact that routines help children to feel secure and children also love to mimic and most have a very caring nature about them. This wonderful game allows your little one to act out some of the routines day to day, mimic and practice the art of caring for others, while teaching them how they are cared for, simultaneously building language and … Continue reading Play Time: Routine Ramble
A while ago we posted a delicious article on the benefits of letting children dress themselves. We highlighted how dressing oneself encourages self confidence and a sense of achievement, but did you know that making ‘dressing up’ a game can also enhance and boost their language skills? Try this fancy dress game as a learning tool to play with children from the age of around … Continue reading Play Time: Fancy Dress for Toddlers
Last week we explored the advantages of homeschooling, of course like with any educational system there are potential disadvantages. Today we explore these and how to combat them. Continue reading The Disadvantages of Homeschooling and How to Deal with Them
Sorting games are a wonderful way to improve our children’s vocabularies, as well as visual and verbal memories. These work spectacularly for children from the age of around 18 months and older. Our homes are full with possibilities to sort, resort, arrange and organize things while letting our little ones learn through participation in these activities. Get the kids involved in all the sorting chores. … Continue reading Play Time: Mix and Match
Continuing from last week’s post introducing the exploration of homeschooling, this week let’s take a look at some of the benefits of homeschooling: When a child is homeschooling we have the opportunity to teach children that learning is not a chore, but exciting and fun. We can control what our children learn and when they learn it. While department requirements in terms of content covered … Continue reading The Benefits of Homeschooling
This is a great game you can play when you are out shopping to teach the little one in your care all about sequences. Great for kids over two years old, this game is almost guaranteed to get you past the sweet and toy aisles without the usual breakdown tantrum. Warning; playing this game may invoke rather strange looks from the occasional non parent type, … Continue reading Play Time: The Shopping Song
In South Africa’s current educational climate, with service delivery and comprehension standards rapidly dropping, it’s no wonder that parents across the country are reaching out for alternatives, let’s explore homeschooling. Continue reading Let’s Explore Home Schooling
Did you know you can raise a child’s IQ simply by engaging him or her in regular conversation? Encouraging responsiveness and enjoying their company? Language is our main avenue to learning about the world. Talking and listening to a child is one of the most important intellectual forms of stimulation a child will ever receive. Music too has been shown to boost brain development. The … Continue reading Raising a child’s IQ through Language, Listening and Music
In small ways every day, allow your child to experiment with their self-confidence. If your child is pleased with something he has done, as long as it is not destructive or against a house rule, acknowledge his good efforts. This positive encouragement and praise will uplift his self-esteem and encourage him to keep trying. With time he’ll naturally learn that the zipper goes in the … Continue reading Look Mom, I can Dress Myself!
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