Posts Tagged ‘learning’

Summer Learning – Top 5 Tips

December 28th, 2009

1. Educational computer software and games is an excellent tool to use with your children to promote learning at home. This software helps keep your child engaged and productive. It also provides an information specific atmosphere as opposed to the web where one is exposed to a variety of information. Summer can be rough on the care taker who never seems to have the proper amount of time to plan or prepare for the next activity! Suggesting that your child spend a little quiet time playing an educational game is a bit more productive than video games or television.

2. Encourage your child to keep in contact with friends through educational computer gaming that is multi-player. Mixing social activity is a huge motivator for children. Not to mention that children inadvertently teach and learn from one another when interacting.

3. Plan trips to local museums, parks etc. that have historical significance. Research a bit yourself before accompanying your child on these outings and talk casually about the significance of the place while there. Hint: Let your child be in charge of the map, pamphlet which they will have to read and follow to make suggestions!

4. Incorporate summer reading into a book/movie comparison. Help your child choose books that have also been made into a movie. After completing the book, either with or without your help, have a movie night with the film version of your story. Then either with a discussion or a report have your child compare the book to the movie. You would be surprised how often the book is preferred!

5. Summer is a great time to promote the use of a musical instrument. Practicing at home is key with instrument instruction. During their break from school a child may find it easier to incorporate the time needed to practice into their schedule. Gaining that momentum in the summer should make the practices during the school year a bit easier!

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Four Main Activity Areas For Play in Preschool Learning Toys

December 27th, 2009

It has been proven that developing children learn a lot through play and other fun activities. When a child is still in his infant or toddler years, he will prefer to play on his own, with his preferences moving quickly from one activity to another. During this time, it is best to allow the child to play in an open space with a wide variety of toys. By the time the child reaches his preschool years, his attention span generally increases allowing him to focus on a single activity for a longer period of time. This is also the time when he realizes that it is fun to play with the other kids of his age, thus reducing his own free play to that of a structured group play. Preschool Learning Toys are designed to aid children develop specific skills while they play. The correct setup of play activities as well as the toys found in these centers is important to enable interactivity between preschoolers. There are four basic types of play activities that should be included in these learning centers. These are manipulative play, dramatic play, literacy play, and construction play. The first type of play activity is necessary for the development and fine tuning of motor skills, most specifically hand and eye coordination. Manipulative play activities should include toys which encourage the use of the finger and wrist muscles. Toys like math counters, matching cards, and lacing strings are some of the toys that should be found in this play area. On the other hand, dramatic play should encourage the children to take on role-playing by pretending to be someone else. Toys found in this area should allow children to play creatively. The toys that are right for this play area include dress-up clothes and props so that the children can take on a different role each time they play here. Tents, puppets, and dollhouses are other toys that can further dramatic play. Preschool Learning Toys should also have a place for literacy play. This is the corner where the books are located to develop early reading skills. It should be located in a quite spot separate from the other play areas. Pillows can be provided in this area for comfort. Aside from books, other games that are commonly placed here are phonics games and magnetic letter boards. Another play area that is commonly found in a learning center is an open floor space that is allotted for construction play. This area should be provided with blocks of all shapes and sizes since this is the area where children are given the chance to create models of anything they have interest on. Cars, trucks, people, and animal figures can also be placed in this area. Apart from the four basic play areas found in these learning centers, there are other types of play areas which can be included in a learning center’s set up such as sand, science, art, and water centers. Because these are largely optional recreational activities, toys related to these centers can be brought out on certain occasions only.

Disney Games – Learning While Playing Can Be Fun

December 24th, 2009

Developing a child’s fine motor skills is extremely important. This can be done through playing various games. Not only are the fine motor skills developed through play, gross motor skills and cognitive language skills are also learned.
A push toy can assist a toddler in his or her gross motor skills, and kicking a ball helps the child to learn balance and coordination.
When a child plays catch, his or her hand-eye coordination and grasping skills are being developed. Both of these skills are major fine motor skills that a child will carry into their adult life.
Whether play a game of tag or jumping rope to a sing a long, your child’s motor skills are being developed. A rhyming sing a long can assist your child in learning semantics.
Disney Games were specially designed to assist children in their development while have tons of fun doing it. The activities offer opportunities for the child to learn and develop while in playtime.
Kids Just Love Them!
Children love to play games of all kinds. Unstructured playtime is just as important as structured playtime. A child does not realize that they are developing skills, or learning, they only know that they are having fun. Disney games provide learning experiences and fun at the same time. A child will choose the game that they have most fun playing and often, it is a Disney game.
Perhaps the reason a child chooses a Disney game most often is because they contain all of the characters that they recognize from their favorite movie. The rules are easy to follow and easy to remember. Your child will spends hours playing and laughing and having fun.
There are many different types of Disney games for all age groups. For small children, board games with large child safe pieces allow a child to recognize the characters will provide a fun learning experience.
Video games allow older children to also recognize their favorite characters, but it allows for interactive playtime allowing your child to decide what to do in certain situations. These video games are also available online. Your child is more likely to identify with the games more closely if they know the characters
Learn While Playing
Learning colors shapes and numbers are an important step in your child’s development. Children have a natural curiosity and want to learn.
There is a Disney game for each step in your child’s development that will provide hours of fun filled playtime while their skills are being developed.
Summary:
Studies have concluded that it is through play that children learn best. The motor skills that are developed by playing Disney games will assist your child in achieving their goals, as they get older. The satisfaction that a child feels when they win a game or complete a task is evident on their face.