Blogging Parents » Toddler Activities

Habit to break

snowy_023 — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:02:34 +0000

Its is normal for a child to suck their thumb at least 2 1/2 years. But as they reaches school age they must not do thumb sucking. Some people worried regarding with kind of scenario. But parents must be aware that it is quite normal and very natural.

Children do thumbsucking because it make them feel secure and happy. it also offers children a soothing way to alleviate some of the negative boredom, hunger, stress, and fear. Children tend to let go of this habit on their own, so it’s best to let process pass with time. When thumbsucking continues into the school years, it may cause problems with proper growth of the mouth and alignment of teeth. Parents must be aware that excessive dependence on sucking behavior can be seen in children whose needs are not being met.

Here are some ways for your toddler to help them stop sucking their thumbs.
1. There are products that you can lace on your child’s thumb that taste pretty nasty. Of course it should be clean and safe food approved by doctor.
2.Praise if the child does not suck their thumbs for specific periods of time.
3. Meet the toddler needs so that they feel secure and response to their cry to soothe them.

There are more ways to help toddlers stop thumbsucking. But the most important thing to remember as a parent is to be being supportive and encouraging to help them break thumbsucking.

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Toddlers’ Imaginary Friend Pals

snowy_023 — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:15:13 +0000

Some parents worry because their childs have imaginary friends that their child play interactively with no one and nothing that perhaps something are not normal. Some people find it unusual, but the truth is two-thirds of toddler have imaginary friends and this is healthy behavior at some point. And this is normal part of growing up.

One of the reasons why child have this what we called imaginary friends is because , it help build the child’s sense of security and comfort and a chance to exhibit confidence and bravery. And also imaginary friends provide companionship that’s not available always from real friends.

So instead of worrying to your child’s imaginary friends, think of the reward, and help your child reap the benefits of welcoming friends into their life.

So, who’s your imaginary friend?

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A Home-Based After School Program

Jacaranda — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:09:41 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Having an extra activity after school is a good thing for any child. These kind of toddler activities are an excellent source for an extra knowledge and fun!. So, having an extracurricular activity for your child is almost a must!

What if your son’s school does not offer any extracurricular activities. You are probably be worried of depriving your child of, like I said before, all that extra knowledge and fun. What should you do?

Most of us parents think that after school activities are always thought in schools. Well, it’s not. After school extracurricular activities need not be taught in a school-like environment by professional teachers in a structured and timely manner.

There is a lot YOU can do to support your child’s academic, physical and social development. Do not be too concerned about formal programs, as many of our children are already over-scheduled.

Obviously, school is top priority for children. They need to go to school, and finish their homework. They should then do their daily reading or writing work etc. This may take about 30-60 minutes. In the course of his daily work, your child may develop certain academic preferences and interests. In that case, you can try and find a program in a college or a community center that will help him and encourage him. In the age of the
Internet, information is really not a rarity. Allow him to use the net to find more information about thing that he likes. Encouraging the child to do independent research to gain in-depth knowledge is something that no
formal program does.

The first thing that a parent will be worried about is that their child may not have the social life. If you are concerned about it, enroll him or her in a club. There are all sorts of clubs available for kids. Or they can visit public libraries or even the theater, if your child is interested. It is not necessary for your child to make
friends with children his own age. A parent-child book club is another interesting option. If you can round up a number of like-minded children and their parents, you may well start your own after-school program… but of course, that is a little leaning on the side of the parent and not on the child.

There are instances that there is no organized group activity. Another good place to check out is your community. Many children love to get involved in social problems. They get their first real taste of suffering, charity and community help from such experiences. Volunteering for clean-up sessions, adult education programs etc could be a real eye-opener for your child. The lessons thus learnt are invaluable.

If physical activity or the lack of it is your major concern, enroll your child for some dancing classes. If organized sports are impossible to get, try to enroll her in a gym. She may find friends there and may take to the treadmill.

Your child does not necessarily have to be a part of an organized group to benefit from after-school ctivities. There are various avenues open in front of you. Roping in the enthusiasm of your children in daily household
activities like cooking, cleaning etc can also provide them with a refreshing extracurricular experience. Moreover, it will improve family ties too.

Toddler Reading Activities Suggestions

Jacaranda — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:01:48 +0000

Many parents are worrying that today’s kids are no longer interested in books and in reading. It may sound true in some way, that they maybe swaying away from books but with today’s modern technology, ebooks is a viable substitute for physical books. But still, with so many things, so many activities to do online, it may also be true that kids of today, the toddlers and teens are reading less and less books.

In a world that is slowly but surely turning away from books and getting glued to monitors or television screens and like I said before, the internet… the importance of having a passion or developing wants for reading cannot be overlooked. Reading is a habit and should be established when the child is relatively young.

As a parent we are the first person to show our kids the value and importance of reading. We must tell them and make them understand that reading can broaden their mind. What can we do to foster this habit and add reading to their daily activities?

Enroll your child for reading classes

There are many well structured after school reading classes that aim to draw the children to books. They help kids with diction, idioms and phrases. For young children, these classes can be fun with animated characters and pictures. Illustrated picture books, rhymes, silly songs and pretend stories all attract the young child. Use creativity to capture the child’s vivid imagination.

Pique your child’s interest
If your child has a favorite character, pick a series of books that features this character. For my son, it was Spiderman. Thanks to friendly neighborhood spidey, my son latched on to comics fairly early in his childhood.

Build a home-library
A skill like reading cannot be learnt in isolation. Do not leave all the hard work to the after school program. Pick up books that you think your child will like. The Internet is also a rich resource of reading games
that will attract little children to the fine art of reading.

The suggestions listed above pertains only to physical books. There are many other ways to give the kids interest in reading if we are to use the internet. Wikipedia is the number one website for information and for kids to know and acquaint them in Wikipedia and other rich of information website will do wonders in their growing up years.

Toddlers and Pets: Lessons Learned

Jacaranda — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:17:14 +0000

My brother and I had a small chit chat about kids’ pets and how having one can have a great impact on a child’s leadrship and social skills. True enough, I read this article about ‘Kids and Pets’

Pets are an important part of childhood. Everybody has a childhood memory involving a pet. If you’re considering getting a pet, be prepared for additional expenses and headaches over who cares for the pet. However, children benefit significantly from caring for animals. It teaches them to be kind, patient and gentle and those traits will carry over to how they treat other people. Developing positive feelings about pets can contribute to a child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Positive relationships with pets can aid in the development of trusting relationships with others.

A happy relationship with a pet can also help in developing non-verbal communication, compassion, and empathy. There are physical benefits such as added exercise (walking the dog!) and the comfort of a soft and furry touch. Children often talk to their pets, so they’re good for releasing private thoughts and secrets without judgment. They reduce anxiety. Through birth and death, they teach children about life.

All kinds of animals can be fun for children, but it is important to choose a pet that is right for your family, your home, and your lifestyle; and one that your child can help care for. Avoid bringing aggressive animals into your home or exotic animals as they are usually harder to care for.

Taking care of a pet can help children develop social skills. However, parents should be aware of the following:

* Since very young children (under the age of 3-4 years) do not have the maturity to control their aggressive and angry impulses, they should be monitored with pets at all times.
* Young children (under 10 years) are unable to care for a large animal, a cat or a dog, on their own.
* Parents must oversee the pet’s care even if they believe their child is old enough to care for a pet.
* If children become lax in caring for a pet, parents may have to take over the responsibility on their own.
* Children should be reminded in a gentle, not scolding way, that animals, like people, need food, water and exercise.
* If a child continues to neglect a pet, a new home may have to be found for the animal.
* Parents serve as role models. Children learn responsible pet ownership by observing their parents’ behavior.

Pets can add to the joy of a family and bring many new experiences for children. They take a lot of work but also bring a lot of love and wonderful memories.

Benefits of Bedtime Stories to Kids

Jacaranda — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:31:02 +0000

It has been a proven fact and many studies have been made that reading stories to your child before going to bed has many good benefits for him.

For generations, parents have known that bedtime stories help kids relax and fall asleep more easily. But what they probably didn’t know, specially for first time parents or new parent like myself, is that reading bedtime stories do more good than just relaxing them and putting them to sleep.

What are the other benefits of telling toddlers the stories of Peter Pan, Cinderella and the likes?

Reading to them can help develop reading skills and emotional child development. You will notice that toddlers will not only look at the pictures but may also follow the words that the daddy is reading.

Another important thing to note is that bedtime stories are the last thing your child will hear before falling asleep and will play in the subconscious part of their mind all night.

Reading Bedtime stories may also be considered as a form of hypnosis, in a good way. All kids stories has values and lessons to learn from it. Reading them these kinds of stories and poiting to them the good values that the stories have will retain it and will be a big help in their mental and emotional development years.

During the age of child development, and of course the young age of toddlers are the time when they believe in magic, Wizards, Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy, you have a golden opportunity to program them for maximum success. You can boost their confidense and build their self esteem.

Perhaps, the best way to understand the importance of bedtime stories is to look back and recall some of your own favourite stories from childhood. I remember when I was young, my mother used to tell this story about a young boy who is mean to his mother. He then was turned to a lizard.

I will never forget that story.. I love my mother and I don’t need to be told of that story but honestly, I think it somehow made me what I am today, the loving son. And I want my sons to have that same feeling towards us, their parents.

“As an adult, you may even notice that some of the messages in your favourite stories have played out in your life in some instrumental way.” — Exactly!

What becomes clear therefore is the need to be very aware of the suggestions we are giving our children that will have an effect on their adult life. Are you for example through bedtime stories, suggesting to your children that the world is full of opportunity or a scary place?

Here are some other benefits of reading bedtime stories to kids according to the experts:

Bedtime stories aid in speech and language development
Bedtime stories help in the development of healthy sleep patterns
Bedtime stories help children develop listening skills
Bedtime stories help boost a child’s IQ
Bedtime stories help calm the crying
Bedtime stories help children develop a love for books

Do you know of other benefits that reading bedtime stories can do to children? Please share them in the comments below.

Places to Celebrate Birthday for Kids and Toddlers

Jacaranda — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:51:45 +0000

Last Friday, February 26, 2010 is my youngest son’s birthday. He just turned 2 years old and on March 1, his big brother Matthew will be 4 years old. Yesterday we went to a themed park, a place here called Manila Ocean Park in celebration of my two boys’ birthdays. Manila Ocean Park is the Philippines’ first state-of-the-art Oceanarium, open water marine habitat, boutique mall, restaurant row and function facilities all in one location.

Matt and Sean had a good time as well as me and my wife (plus my mom was with us). We saw all sorts of fish and other marine life. What stuck on my memory are the sharks. Sharks frightens me.

Anyway, we spent our Saturday all day in there just enjoying the views and relaxing. Although there are many was to celebrate a child’s birthday, this is how we celebrated the birthdays of my sons.

For those searching for ideas on how to spent birthdays, here are a couple of ideas for you to think about.

Children Parties
Pool parties
Amusement park
Kids Zoo
Theme Parks

If you have any other suggestions on how to spend or celebrate a kids birthday, please comment below and let our readers know.

10 Best Ways to Amuse Toddlers

Jacaranda — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:56:45 +0000

Toddlers usually are self-centered and energetic. Although most toddlers or children are curious about everything, and can’t wait until the next exciting event or fascinating experience, most of them only has an attention span of maybe 5, 10 minutes.

Kids easily get bored and always looking for something new to do. If you need to introduce a new activity for toddler or to amuse them for a couple of more hours, here are 10 ways of amusing toddlers

Pen, Crayons and Papers
Playdough
Baths and Bath toys
Sandbox
Field trips
Educational DVD, Cartoons etc.
Play Tent / Play House
Road Trip
Playground
Yutube!

Most of the activity listed above are taken from the personal experiences of yours truly. For kids of 4 and 2 years old, the sure hit way of amusing my kids is the internet, that is kidzui and yuotube and and stumbleupon. Playdoh is also a regular toy.

What are you ways of entertaining your children?

Toy Blocks Help Children Learn

Jacaranda — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:16:42 +0000

So true, toy blocks can really help toddlers to learn more! There are different kinds of toy blocks in the market today not just the alphabet cubes or those with numbers on it. The ever popular Lego blocks is the first thing that comes to mind when we say toy blocks but there are many other kinds. You just have to do a little research.

Toy blocks compared to other high tech and electronically powered toy that you find in TV ads and commercials, may not be as sophisticated but they are ideal for learning because they involve the child as a whole. As a whole meaning you get to excite the minds and body. The toddlers their muscles and they discovers how different objects feel in their hands. There is also the mental side of it. Toy blocks makes them thinks about spaces and shapes, and the way she develops thoughts and interests of her own.

Toy blocks vary in name and material by manufacturer, but they are all based on the proportions 1:2:4. These blocks must be sturdy and accurately cut so that children of all different ages and levels of learning may use them to create, solve problems, and challenge themselves.

Blocks help children learn

Socially—Blocks encourage children to make friends and cooperate. They learned also the value of sharing by playing with other children. Large block play may be a young child’s first experience playing in a group, while small block play may encourage an older child to work with others in solving problems.

Physically—When children reach for, pick up, stack, or fit blocks together, they build strength in their fingers and hands, and increase eye-hand coordination. Around two, children begin to figure out which shapes will fit where, and get a head start on understanding different perspectives—skills that will help them to read maps and follow directions later on. Blocks help kindergarten and primary grade children develop skills in design, representation, balance and stability.

Intellectually—Blocks help children learn across many academic subjects. Young children develop their vocabularies as they learn to describe sizes, shapes, and positions. Preschoolers and kindergartners develop math skills by grouping, adding, subtracting and eventually multiplying with blocks. Older children make early experiments with gravity, balance, and geometry.

Creatively—Blocks offer children the chance to make their own designs, and the satisfaction of creating structures that did not exist before. Beginning at the age of two, children may use a variety of blocks for pretend-play. Children may become life-sized actors in large block structures, or use figures to create dramas in miniature landscapes.

Children value their own block structures whether or not they represent specific things. Rather than asking a child, “What did you make?” say, “Tell me about what you made.” This will encourage a dialog and offer the child new opportunities to explore.

Preschool Toys – Useful tool for Preschool Activities

Jacaranda — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:09:12 +0000

Child development toys are wonderful means of attracting children to the world of learning. Toys designed especially for preschool toddlers emphasize on memory skills, patterns, and matching activities. Creative skills and artistic abilities of preschool kids are also enhanced by some of these toys. Moreover, preschool toys can be designed to cater to a kid’s imagination and interest in a specific field.

Preschool toys help toddlers get acquainted with colors, numbers, and letters. They also enhance the interactive skills in children, improve their eye-hand coordination, as well as encourage muscle and finger movements. The right kind of preschool toys encourage children to engage in basic activities like reading and writing. Playing with preschool toys can also enhance a child’s ability to communicate with the rest of his/ her play group members.

Importance of preschool toys:

Preschool toys act as important accessories in the toddler’s world of imagination. They help children imagine all kinds of situations and act it out in their mind’s eye.
When children play with preschool toys, they learn the basic motor skills. Play also helps improve their visual and auditory senses.
Toddlers acquire the ability to solve problems while playing with toys.
Preschool toys have the ability to improve the memory and increase concentration levels in children.
Playing with toys makes a child more acutely aware of his/ her surroundings.
Preschool toys focus on improving the child’s innate cognitive abilities.

Preschool age is the time when children start interacting with their surroundings and gain valuable knowledge in the process. The stage is marked by a dominant urge to explore and learn. Preschool toys are vital tools in inculcating this sense of exploration and learning. These educational toys aim at developing essential social and personal skills that eventually help in the overall development of children.

(Source:- www.educationaltechnologies.com)