Jul
18
2009
Children learning toys play a very important role in teaching concepts (e.g. colors, shapes, textures); allowing the kids to explore and use one’s imagination to understand the world around them (e.g. pretending to be a cook, gardener, doctor, nurse, carpenter etc.); and the best part is simply to have fun with life.
There are many children learning toys that are available online and in the toy stores. But if you look closely around you, there are many things that you can allow your kids to use as free educational toys. Yes, there are!
When my nephew was two years old, he would sneak into my room and his eyes would widen with delight when he saw my shoe boxes. He would say, “borrow” and grabbed my pencils and pretended that the boxes were drums. He’d bang away with gusto which made me smile. When he was through with his concert, he would open the box. I actually laughed aloud when he exclaimed, “Woooow, paper!” Who would have thought papers inside shoe boxes would entertain him this much. But it did. Continue Reading »
Jul
11
2009
This video has been made with the preschool children in mind. I wrote this poem a few years back because I really love mornings. Mornings to me represent hope and joy. As the sun rises in the sky and cast its glow upon the earth, everything suddenly becomes alive. I also love hearing the birds chirping in the windows.
Mornings also remind me of a gift. We have another day to live. Isn’t that wonderful? If you want your children to appreciate mornings, then this video is perfect for them. And may it also remind the adults to appreciate all the mornings we get to wake up to everyday of our lives.
Enjoy the video!
- Written by: Michelle Simtoco
- Illustrated by: Stella Marie Cabilao
- Video by: Daisy Ba-ad
- Produced by: Loving Abundance.Com
Jul
10
2009
Kids love to play! Here are the best learning toys for kids or toddler learning toys that one can have at home and in school.
BLOCKS. As toddlers begin to develop their fine motor skills (i.e using their hands and fingers to grasp objects), blocks provide a wonderful way of teaching many concepts like colors, balance, coordination, imagination and creativity among others.
Toddlers especially love making tall towers and toppling it down. They would always giggle when I would make funny sounds. They can do this repeatedly too.
There are many different kinds of blocks that you will find in the toy stores. Some blocks are plastics while others are wooden. We both have plastic and wooden blocks. The plastic blocks that the kids are playing in the photo (right photo above) are colorful. They are easy to stack and hold because they are just square shapes. Continue Reading »
Jul
7
2009
Have you ever taken the time to observe child play? Or notice how kids play in the playground, in your own backyard or in the classrooms?
As parents and teachers of toddlers and young preschoolers will agree, kids are sources of great humor and profound insights. Around them, no object is plain, and wonder is commonplace.
In the eyes of a child, just about anything is fascinating. Their minds are always full of images. When they look at something, they see more than we do. Any piece they get a hold on can suddenly become an airplane, a bus, or even a monster. Ordinary things like pencils can become magic pointers. And they can wear their bath towels and become superheroes to save the day.
In the eyes of a child, just about anything brings wonder. Ants crawling on the floor, a spider creating a spider web, how the leaves feel on their hands, how free it is to run and just run or chase each other.
When they draw or paint, what we see as plain patches of colors here and there are really houses, animals, and trees and mountains and puppies.
Jul
2
2009
When kids are heard to utter bad words and use foul language, it pays to see where and how he has acquired such a language the soonest possible time.
John, a two-year old boy, is now learning to talk and has developed his language skills. Unfortunately his parents were mortified when they heard him speak some foul words which he has probably picked up from his nanny or other household help. How do the parents handle such a situation?
Language Development in Children
Two year old kids could now express themselves by naming the objects in their surroundings (e.g. shoes, bag, car, pencils, dada, mama). Some could already say short phrases like “on the chair.”
It is also important to remember that two year old children will repeat sounds or mimic that which they hear and practically follow you like a parrot. Children at this age do not even understand what all the words mean.
Foul Language
When a child is heard to be using foul language, determine who and where are the possible sources.
1. Parent: Observe how you talk. Did you say some cursing words when you were extremely angry or frustrated? Kids hear everything even if they are not looking at you and will follow you the next time they feel frustrated too. Continue Reading »
Jun
30
2009
Nursery rhymes will always be an important part in our classroom. I’ve observed how the preschool kids love reciting rhymes. And when you teach them actions that go along with the rhymes, you can see the delight in their faces when they do it.
The Importance of Nursery Rhymes
- Provide entertainment for children
- Teach children skills through words and actions.
- Teaches the child to listen
- Pitch, rhythm, frequency of music enhances language acquisition
- Develop fine motor skills
- Allow freedom of speech and expression
- Teach children concepts, body parts, alphabets, counting and numbers.
Jun
24
2009
Kids love creating something. And letting kids do some crafts is one way to expose them to the arts as well as honing their fine motor skills, developing focus and giving them an avenue to be creative. Other benefits include: it promotes abstract thinking, lengthens a child’s attention span and can boost a child’s self confidence. Self-expression after all does play an important part in a child’s development.
If you want your kids to enjoy doing crafts, get a large shoebox and wrap it with colored paper to make it attractive. And then tell them that this will be their very own craft supplies box. And how they must take care of it. You can then put their name to make it personalized. Continue Reading »
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