How Parents Can Help Early Childhood Development
Early childhood development refers to stimulation of learning skills at an early age, which is essential in building the foundation for future academic success. Much of our nation's population has come to rely on schools to teach our nation's children. In many families, both parents are working to keep finances afloat, and there simply isn't time to sit down for a rigorous teaching routine with your toddler at home. However, teaching your little one doesn't necessarily have to be a time-consuming project following a certain curricula. Instead, everyday activities can be embraced as learning opportunities for your child to learn.
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Talk with your child. The key word here is "with," since solely talking to or at your child may accomplish your purpose of making a statement or getting a message across, but talking with your child allows opportunity for feedback. Hearing what your child has to say, even simple responses, gives your child a sense of importance in his thoughts and feelings, no matter how short or simple those responses may be. Through simple conversations, your child's verbal skills will enhance, improve and develop so that more questions can be asked, and more knowledge will be found.
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Read with your child daily. Although the temptation to hit the sack right after your child's bath may be irresistible, the time spent reading with your child at this age is irreplaceable. Pointing to words as you go along, putting enthusiasm in your voice, and remembering that this is also a bonding moment for you and your child, gives your little one a respect and appreciation of the value of stories and books. The visual references to words, sounds and the structure of books (reading left to right, front to back) will be invaluable in kindergarten.
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Explain even the little things to your child. If you are cooking or cleaning and your toddler asks "why" you did a certain something, or "what" that is, resist the urge to assume that they won't understand. By explaining what you are doing, what that thing of interest is, or why something is a certain way, you are feeding their curiosities, and they will learn that questions are a way to gain information. Even if they may not understand the entirety of your answer, they are sure to retain some portion, thereby enhancing the learning center of their brain.
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Sing, dance, clap, tap and sing some more! Babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers respond and are naturally intrigued by actionable sound. Singing the ABCs in the car is far more valuable than any song you'll find on the radio. Motioning along to the ever-popular Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes on a Saturday morning helps them to learn their body parts while getting exercise and having bonding time with you. Making up a song about how to spell their name not only will help them remember how to spell it, but also makes them feel special because candies as you eat them are ways to introduce math.
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Visit websites with educational activities and ideas. From coloring to writing to reading and making crafts, these activities help develop little brains for early childhood development and a lifetime of learning. With the Internet at our fingertips, ideas and suggestions never run out. A website such as http://www.everythingpreschool.com/ is a great resource for preschoolers and parents to find fun things to do together.
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- Photo Credit little boy reading a book image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com
