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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Kids Can Improve Math Skills Through Play


kids can improve math skills through play
If you hand a young child two containers and sit him or her down in a sandbox or kiddy pool, chances are the child will begin to play by filling and pouring substances from one container to the other. Is this just a simple means for children to have fun or is something more happening here?

This is a great example of how kids can improve math skills through play. While toddlers certainly find it fun to measure and pour, they learn important lessons in permanence and arithmetic at the same time. Similarly, when children build towers and fit stacking cups together, they are experimenting with size, shape, amounts and even physics. Eventually, gravity will knock that tower over!

What can you do to help your kids’ math skills improve through play? Here are four ideas:

  • Supervise pouring and measuring activities. Whether at the beach, in the bathroom, at the kitchen sink or in the backyard, kids can measure and pour different substances, such as water, sand, soil, gravel, beads and dry rice. Get involved by asking your child to guess how many small containers he or she thinks it will take to fill a larger container. With supervision, children can even pour and measure frozen peas, pasta or rice when cooking in the kitchen.
  • Combine math and reading. Many counting books combine your children’s love of reading with the chance to improve math skills. Read with your children often and help them count the objects on the page.
  • Sing counting rhymes. "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" are just two examples of well-known counting rhymes. Sing these with your children whenever an appropriate occasion arises, such as on a road trip or while waiting in line at the grocery store.
  • Play number games. ListenLoveLearn Toys has a specific category of numbers/counting games for children ages 3 to 5. Building blocks, monster bingo and a toy cash register are just a few options for teaching numbers and counting skills.

To learn more about how kids can improve math skills through play, please contact ListenLoveLearn.

Image via Shutterstock.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Memory Toys Help Children Learn and Remember


memory toys help chlidren learn and remember
Every parent wants their child to have a good memory. Whether your goal is to help your child memorize facts and figures or remember to brush his or her teeth, you can help your child’s memory improve by doing the following every day:

  • Play with memory toys. Matching games such as bingo and memory match are ideal for improving children’s memory skills. Choose memory toys that match lower and upper-case letters and you also teach language skills.
  • Ask memory-related questions. When you drive by a friend’s house, ask your child who lives there. When you get to the grocery store, see if your child can direct you to the milk or the bread. After school, ask what your child learned in class that day.
  • Establish routines. Children thrive on routine, and it also helps them remember what comes next in the day. If the bedtime routine is always the same, your child should anticipate this order and be able to tell you what comes next: getting in pajamas, then brushing teeth, followed by reading a story.
  • Ensure quality sleep for your child. Sleep is not only essential for a child’s well-being, but it also enables the brain to retrieve and assimilate facts from the day before. Young children from about six months to age 3 should get 13 to 15 hours of sleep every day with a long overnight rest and naps throughout the day.
  • Offer nutritious meals and snacks. Even before your child is born, you should eat healthfully and take prenatal vitamins. Once you welcome your baby into the world, nutritionists advise breastfeeding if at all possible. Feed toddlers and school-age children nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Avoid sugary drinks, candy and processed foods, and make sure your child eats breakfast every morning and drinks plenty of water throughout the day. Sending good fuel to the brain and staying hydrated makes it easy for your child to develop and maintain a good memory.

For more tips to improve your child’s memory, please contact ListenLoveLearn. Then check out the memory toys available from ListenLoveLearn Toys.

Image via Shutterstock.com
Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Are Children Spending Enough Time Outdoors?


children outdoors
It’s a beautiful day outside and the park or the beach is just a two-minute walk from home. School is out, and the kids need a way to unwind. With this scenario set up, it may seem obvious that children would be spending their time outdoors.

But it’s dirty out there, not to mention dangerous. The kids could be run over by a car or mauled by a dog or abducted. Besides, all they want to do is play on the iPad. It’s easier to rush the children in the door when they get home from school and sit them on the couch where they can passively stare at a computer screen under your watchful eye.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Children today spend an average of 4.5 hours a day being entertained by a screen. Whether it’s the TV, a computer or a mobile device, kids tend to prefer to unwind with a screen rather than spend time outdoors.

In the past few years, some organizations have joined forces to help counter this trend. One filmmaker in particular, David Bond, struck a chord with adults and children alike in his film Project Wild Thing. It documents his efforts to treat nature as a brand that requires marketing to attract attention.

Spending time outdoors makes children happier and healthier by building resilience, boosting well-being and making lifelong memories. Sure, kids enjoy what they watch on a screen, but it’s the adventures they have outside that will stick with them for a lifetime.

So how do you get your children to choose outdoor play over screen time? Spending just five more minutes outside can make a difference, says Bond. Try reading outside, building a fort in the yard, running through the sprinklers, going for a walk or camping. Or just send your kids outside and tell them not to come back for a while. When they realize all the fun and imaginative play that awaits them, they’ll soon come to love every minute they spend outside.

To learn more about the value of making sure your children spend enough time outdoors, please contact ListenLoveLearn.


Image via Shutterstock.com
Friday, September 12, 2014

Playing Out -- Reclaiming Neighborhood Streets as a Social Center for Children



reclaiming neighborhood streets
Today’s adults had a much different upbringing than the current generation of children. Back then, it was normal for neighborhood kids to come over unannounced and ask, "Can you come out and play?" Today, parents are more involved than ever with organizing, scheduling and prearranging social activities. Why is that? Why can’t the sight of children playing in the neighborhood be normal once again?

That was the thought that Bristol, England, resident Alice Ferguson had back in 2009. She and her neighbor Amy Rose arranged to have their street closed to through traffic for three hours one day after school and let the children run free, just like the good old days. This was the start of the not-for-profit organization Playing Out.

The goals of Playing Out are to draw children out from behind closed doors, get them away from computer screens and encourage them to discover the joy of riding a scooter up and down the street without a parent standing two feet away. Children today are losing the social opportunities they once had. Many resort to online friendships devoid of physical interaction, boundary pushing and yes, bruising a few knees.

Playing Out was never intended to be an ongoing scheme, but when it became clear how important the social interaction was for children, Bristol city council got involved and ran a pilot scheme. Temporary through traffic road closures once a week allowed the concept of children playing safely in the streets to become a reality.

The social interactions of Playing Out benefit children, but the adults on the street get to know each other better as well. Parents chat, reminisce and enjoy a cup of coffee together as they give their kids some much needed unstructured play and a chance to make new friends.

You can adopt the Playing Out concept in your own neighborhood and gets kids outside again. Everyone has a different approach to parenting, but there’s no denying that outdoor time with neighborhood friends is beneficial in this world of over-scheduling and screen-based entertainment.

To learn more about the value of children playing outside, please contact ListenLoveLearn.

Image via Shutterstock.com
Thursday, September 11, 2014

Toy Talk! Using Toys to Increase Your Child’s Communication Ability

Toy Talk! Using Toys to Increase Your Child's  Communication Ability



Toy Talk 

Parents of children with communication difficulties can help increase their child’s communication ability through toys and play. Parents can be instrumental in helping their children grow their vocabulary, put sentences together and learn the art of conversation. This blog will be the first in my series of Toy Talk, ways to play with your child and increase their communication skills. Some people talk to much and some people talk too little when communication with their children. These Toy Talks will help with the words to say. Remember with younger children-short sentences that will increase as your child grows. Short pauses between sentences gives your child a chance to process what you have said and gives her the opportunity to formulate a response.

Tea Sets

From 18-24 months children are beginning to enjoy imaginative play. They pretend to make you a “tea” or “coffee” adding the “milk” and “sugar”. A tea set is also a great toy for two children to enjoy together.

Hi Dylan, Jessie and I were just going to make some tea. Would you like some? Here is a cup for you- you can have the blue cup and Jessie has the red. Let’s try and find the plate that matches. Here it is- here’s the blue plate and Jessie here is the red plate. Jessie, can you pour some tea? Mmmm, it’s so good- I need some milk-Dylan can you pour some milk in my cup? Oh, thank you. This is delicious. Should we get some crackers to go with our tea?

You can continue playing with them or once you have modeled this type of play you can leave them for a while to play together.


Fire Truck


Many children love to play with fire trucks. A fun trip would be to visit your local fire station. With a toy fire truck your child can pretend to be a firefighter.

Ding-ding-ding, I hear the fire bell. There must be a fire- let’s get our fire truck and see if we can help! Let’s drive to the building. Do you see the flames coming from the building. We have to get the ladder and the hose. Climb up the ladder and see if you can rescue the kitty. Wow, you did it. Now we have to put out the fire with water. Yea! The fire is out- you saved the day!

Again you are not requiring your child to answer questions. Instead you are modeling play and giving the words, the vocabulary, that goes with that specific toys and play scheme. You will be amazed as you walk away or on another day hearing your child using the same words and play ideas you modeled.

Play and have fun,

Lois

About the Author

Lois Kam Heymann, M.A. CCC-SLP is an expert Speech, Language and Learning specialist with over 30 years of helping kids reach their full potential in communication and learning skills. She is a recognized leader in the treatment of children with language, learning and auditory challenges. She is the Director of Communication Therapy at the Center for Hearing and Communication in New York City. She has been a professor, is a noted author and a frequent guest speaker. Her book The Sound of Hope has been endorsed by Rosie O'Donnell and many others.  Her mission is to teach parents about active listening and how to understand the developmental needs of their children. She's now delighted to be bringing parents the quality toys she believes will enhance children's development on her new website-ListenLoveLearn.com