When people think about what’s important to develop in children before they start school, they often think about children learning to count and the alphabet, and other academic-related pursuits. Those are very important skills—but much of early learning takes place through the development of the child’s body, called their motor skills. There are two main types of motor development: gross and fine—and both are crucial.
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Topics: gross motor activities, child development
“One of a family's greatest challenges is to establish comfortable, effective routines, which should achieve a happy compromise between the disorder and confusion that can occur without them and the rigidity and boredom that can come with too much structure and regimentation, where children are given no choice and little flexibility.” (HealthyChildren.org)
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Topics: child development
When we say that hopscotch is an old-fashioned form of fun, we aren’t kidding. Some experts believe it was created back in Ancient Rome, if you can imagine that. One group suggests that Roman soldiers participated in the activity on 100-foot-long hopscotch courses, dressed in heavy armor, to build endurance. Others believe that the modern game comes from an earlier version played by Roman children.
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Topics: Games, child development
If you are a natural social butterfly, it may be hard for you to understand why your child is content to play by himself or herself. Your child may or may not display signs of social anxiety – and in fact may feel none. He or she just is okay playing alone. What do you do to prepare your child for preschool?
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Topics: child development, preschool, social interaction
Each preschooler has a unique personality. Some are shyer children, and perhaps they enjoy more time spent looking at books or coloring pictures. Others are the social leaders who organize games and otherwise chat up fellow classmates. Then, of course, there are the bossy ones, who enjoy telling others what to do – and it can be somewhat uncomfortable if you find out that your child falls into that category. What should you do?
Topics: child behavior, child development, preschooler
The number ten is the basis of most counting systems throughout history, most likely because we have ten fingers. Because of that, young children are often taught how to count in groups of ten. To help your preschooler learn how to count, some of the most effective tools are:
Topics: child development, preschool, preschool education, preschooler
When you were in elementary school, what was your favorite subject? If you're like most people, the answer is probably not math. Numbers and calculations have a precision that tends to be intimidating. Questions have only one correct answer, leaving no room for error.
Topics: learning centers, child development, child, math
As babies, both hands are active and busy but a subtle change takes place as your child develops and interacts more frequently with toys, gadgets, and other items of interest. You may begin to notice he or she tends to use one hand over the other at around 2 or 3 years old while some children use both hands equally until age 5 to 6.
Topics: developing skills, child development, child
How many hours a day does your tween spend texting, tweeting, gaming and cruising Facebook? With all the media options available today, a Kaiser Family Foundation study found many children ages 8-18 are spending nearly 7.5 hours a day immersed in digital media. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends only 1 to 2 hours of media use for children, tweens and teens and recommends avoiding media exposure for children under age 2.
Topics: child development, learning process, tech tips
Helping your children develop the social-emotional skills of empathy and kindness are essential to helping them become successful adults. Child development techniques that help children understand how their behavior affects others offer a life-long payback, helping children realize they are not the only person in the world and giving them greater insight into the perspectives of others.
Topics: social interaction, social behaviors, child development, children
