nduku
Answer
If you want them to be smart, you need to spend time with them and teach them, not just plop them down with some toys and walk away.
Have them help you sort laundry by color and match socks. These are basic math skills!
Play toy cars with them. Have them sort the cars by color and see which group has the most. (Again...math skills!)
As you climb stairs with your kids, count the steps.
Point out and read signs as you are out and about.
Read books to your kids. Let them see you reading too. Take them to library story times or participate in reading programs.
As you read to them, be sure to read the title and the author (in KG they will be asked to identify these things) Point to the words as you read so they will learn that text goes front to back, left to right, top to bottom.
Take turns reading with your older child. Have him/her read a paragraph or a page and then you read the next one. If he gets stuck, jump in to help.
Have them help set the table for dinner. Not only will they llearn a basic life skill, they're practicing math! One of each item for each person. Matching items one to one. Learning that the numbers when you count actually stand for something.
Have your 8 year old help with the grocery list if s/he reads well enough. He can practice writing by taking dictation from you to create the list. Or he can practice reading by carrying it and marking things off for you.
Sing the alpahbet song to your youngest. Sing songs, play music and dance.
Talk to the youngest about the colors and shapes you see in your day.
Talk about how things work. Opening a bottle of wine with a corkscrew is a lesson in simple machines! Playing with a couple of cups in the bathtub you can teach basic science principles like displacement.
Cook with them. Measuring ingredients and reading recipes will teach your oldest important skills.
For your youngest, the Leap Frog fridge magnets that talk would be great to teach letters and sounds. They also have a great Letter Factory DVD. There are other Leap Frog DVD's that teach basic reading skills that might be good for your 8 year old, depending on his/her current reading level.
Take them online at http://www.starfall.com and let them learn about letters and reading there. Some very nice online learning opportunities on that site.
If you want them to be smart, you need to spend time with them and teach them, not just plop them down with some toys and walk away.
Have them help you sort laundry by color and match socks. These are basic math skills!
Play toy cars with them. Have them sort the cars by color and see which group has the most. (Again...math skills!)
As you climb stairs with your kids, count the steps.
Point out and read signs as you are out and about.
Read books to your kids. Let them see you reading too. Take them to library story times or participate in reading programs.
As you read to them, be sure to read the title and the author (in KG they will be asked to identify these things) Point to the words as you read so they will learn that text goes front to back, left to right, top to bottom.
Take turns reading with your older child. Have him/her read a paragraph or a page and then you read the next one. If he gets stuck, jump in to help.
Have them help set the table for dinner. Not only will they llearn a basic life skill, they're practicing math! One of each item for each person. Matching items one to one. Learning that the numbers when you count actually stand for something.
Have your 8 year old help with the grocery list if s/he reads well enough. He can practice writing by taking dictation from you to create the list. Or he can practice reading by carrying it and marking things off for you.
Sing the alpahbet song to your youngest. Sing songs, play music and dance.
Talk to the youngest about the colors and shapes you see in your day.
Talk about how things work. Opening a bottle of wine with a corkscrew is a lesson in simple machines! Playing with a couple of cups in the bathtub you can teach basic science principles like displacement.
Cook with them. Measuring ingredients and reading recipes will teach your oldest important skills.
For your youngest, the Leap Frog fridge magnets that talk would be great to teach letters and sounds. They also have a great Letter Factory DVD. There are other Leap Frog DVD's that teach basic reading skills that might be good for your 8 year old, depending on his/her current reading level.
Take them online at http://www.starfall.com and let them learn about letters and reading there. Some very nice online learning opportunities on that site.
Toys at the dinner table?
Mark
I'm doing a project based around mealtimes with Children and encouraging them to use a knife and fork at a young age (2 - 4), as well as keeping them entertained at the table, without the parents full attention.
My idea is a fun set of fairytale themed products, used as a cutlery/drinks/condiment/napkin holder etc, which not only acts as a layout for mealtimes, but can provide the child with entertainment and enjoyment at the dinner table. I hope to encourage playtime and mealtime together, and an association that using a knife and fork correctly can be fun.
I was hoping for any parents who have children of this age, to comment whether this seems like a good idea? Should toys be used at the dinner table?
To let you know my designs are not associated with the actual food. I agree not to have children playing with the gravy boat or using the mash bowl in a lunar landing!
My ideas are solely for dinnerware layout. i.e. a castle designs that works simply as a structure to hold the knife and fork, or to contain a napkin under its arch.
Thanks for your comments.
Mark
I'm not talking about two separate activities. I'm talking about combining the two, to make mealtimes more interesting.
example:
http://www.worldwidefred.com/airforkone.htm
Answer
I don't think it's such a hot idea. It's really cute and clever in theory, but I don't think it'll teach them what they really need to learn.
Family mealtime is one of the most fundamental socialization experiences. Teaching the kid how to interact with the other people at the table, politely and appropriately, is much more important than teaching him how to use a knife and fork. They're going to learn to use silverware eventually no matter what, but if you train them this young to see mealtime as a time to go into one's own head and play with toys while being ignored by the adults, rather than as a time to take part in the shared experience of the rest of the group, you're going to have a heck of a time when they're teenagers convincing them that they shouldn't be texting at the table, etc. And if they're too young to be included in the mealtime experience the rest of the family is having......then they're too young to be using silverware and should probably be fed with a bottle. If they're old enough to sit there, they're old enough to be treated as legitimate members of the circle--even if it means the parents are going to have to (gasp!) pay full attention to them.
I don't think it's such a hot idea. It's really cute and clever in theory, but I don't think it'll teach them what they really need to learn.
Family mealtime is one of the most fundamental socialization experiences. Teaching the kid how to interact with the other people at the table, politely and appropriately, is much more important than teaching him how to use a knife and fork. They're going to learn to use silverware eventually no matter what, but if you train them this young to see mealtime as a time to go into one's own head and play with toys while being ignored by the adults, rather than as a time to take part in the shared experience of the rest of the group, you're going to have a heck of a time when they're teenagers convincing them that they shouldn't be texting at the table, etc. And if they're too young to be included in the mealtime experience the rest of the family is having......then they're too young to be using silverware and should probably be fed with a bottle. If they're old enough to sit there, they're old enough to be treated as legitimate members of the circle--even if it means the parents are going to have to (gasp!) pay full attention to them.
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Title Post: which toys would make my 2 and 8 year olds smart?
Rating: 93% based on 9658 ratings. 4 user reviews.
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Rating: 93% based on 9658 ratings. 4 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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