Tuesday, October 28, 2014
3 Imagination Games to Play With Children
Imaginative play helps your child to develop heightened social, language and thinking skills. Take the following three imagination games to play with children as suggested by Family Education and have a fun-filled afternoon of creative play and storytelling.
Seeing Into the Future
Crystal balls are hard to
come by these days, but your child has all the imagination required to think up
scenarios – whether plausible or silly – for a friend’s or sibling’s future. To
get the story rolling, ask questions like, where will the person live? What
will the person do for work? Will the person be married or have child? What
will their names be?See if your child can make a connection between what friends and siblings enjoy doing now and what they might choose to do as an adult. For example, your child may make-believe that the person in the story, who loves playing with blocks, ends up becoming an architect or construction worker.
15 Minutes of Fame
Ask your child to pretend he
or she is being featured on the cover of a magazine. Then ask your child the reason
why. Did he or she do something impressive, such as win a gold medal in the
Olympics or invent a wild new creation? Have your child demonstrate what he or
she did to earn the 15 minutes of fame.
The Perfect Day
Have your child describe the
perfect day and add contributions as the scenario unfolds. Maybe the sun would
always shine, every meal would consist of ice cream and pizza, and school would
be nothing more than recess from start to finish.Revel in the wonder of the perfect day and then help your child appreciate reality by asking follow-up questions. How would farmers grow food if it never rained? Wouldn’t you get tired of the tummy ache from only eating junk food? How would you learn to read and write if you never had to study?
Find more unique imagination games to play with children at ListenLoveLearnToys. Then, find out more about the importance of creative play by contacting ListenLoveLearn.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Toy Shopping? Make Sure Your Choices Will Encourage Creative Play
Think back to some of your favorite toys as a child. Were they the kinds of toys your parents played with as well? There’s a reason some toys transcend generations. They provide creative play so children can experience a new game every time. This also makes toys more economical, since the game can change as your child grows.
When it comes to toy shopping, use your instincts to help you find toys that encourage open-ended, creative play. Here are some specific ideas to get you started.
- Building
blocks: No matter their shape or size,
if you can stack it and knock it down, it’s bound to be a hit with kids.
On top of having fun, kids learn visual-spatial skills and problem
solving, and they expand their imaginations as they use blocks to build structures.
- Pretend
play: Toys that reflect the real
world provide hours of fun for children. A pretend kitchen, cash register
and dress up clothes lend themselves to imaginary play and creativity.
They give kids a chance to make up stories, which is excellent for
language development as well.
- Arts
and crafts: Water color, finger paints,
clay for sculpting – these arts and crafts supplies give your kids a
chance to create something special while improving their motor skills.
No matter what toys you choose to encourage creative play, get involved with your children. The best way to foster their healthy development is to be an active participant, helping them think of new ideas for playing with the same toys they have had for years.
Browse through the extensive collection of age-appropriate toys from ListenLoveLearn Toys. Then, learn more about the importance of creative play by contacting ListenLoveLearn.
Image via Shutterstock.com
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Traditional Toys Are Still Essential in a World of Electronic Devices and Apps
Technology is more advanced than ever, and children are often drawn toward the flashing lights, fun music and characters on a mobile device more than they are to traditional toys. Does that mean electronic devices and apps trump creative play and imagination? Maybe in some homes, but they shouldn’t in yours, and here’s why.
Social Skills
An ongoing concern for the upcoming generation is that many kids lack important social skills. Playing with traditional toys gives children the chance to learn communication, sharing and problem solving skills. These important social abilities get skimmed over when kids play on an iPad all day.Language and Speech Skills
Most children develop these skills around ages two and three. Traditional toys beat electronic devices again because, while apps may teach "speech," they don’t teach "language." Interacting with an image on a screen doesn’t allow the same feedback as interacting with another child.Motor Skills and Eye-Hand Coordination
With an app, the most involvement you get is a hand swipe or a tap of the finger. Compare that to building towers, playing catch or drawing a picture and it’s clear that traditional toys are superior for developing eye-hand coordination, not to mention providing the physical activity needed to develop motor skills and keep kids healthy.Imagination
Open-ended toys encourage creative play. A stack of blocks can become a house for a teddy bear; a few dolls can go on an adventure together; and a cardboard box can become a spaceship. Apps don’t allow the same type of creativity or imagination. For many, what you see is what you get.With this is in mind, it’s important not to completely ignore technology. Today’s electronics trump the button-mashing video games and one-button preschool toys of yesteryear. Some online computer games are quite thought-provoking and challenging, and apps are great for entertaining your child in the doctor’s office waiting room. Ultimately, it’s about striking a healthy balance between technology and traditional toys.
Browse through the extensive collection of age-appropriate toys available from ListenLoveLearn Toys. Then find out more about the importance of traditional play by contacting ListenLoveLearn.
Image via Shutterstock.com
Monday, October 6, 2014
Speech Delayed Children and Toy Selection -- Keep It Simple
If you have speech delayed children, the right toys can help get them back on track. Use these tips to keep the toy selection process simple.
Skip Battery-Operated
Toys
The batteries allow toys to
make noise. However, in speech delayed children, it’s not the toy you want to
be making noise. Select toys that are either designed for battery-free play or
remove the batteries from the toys you already have.Of course, there are exceptions. A voice recorder or karaoke machine needs batteries, and these certainly encourage speech delayed children to talk.
Opt for Traditional
Toys
Many traditional toys have transcended generations, making their
popularity clear. They encourage creativity and imagination because a child can
play with them in a variety of ways. Some examples include:- Wooden blocks
- Cars,
trucks and trains
- Play
kitchen and cash register
- Farm set
and doll house
- Dress up
clothes and tea set
- Tool bench
and pretend tools
Forget Gender
Constraints
Put your preconceived notions
aside and give both genders the chance to play with trains and cars or with
pretend kitchens and baby dolls. Both boys and girls deserve to get equal
benefits from play materials, so don’t restrict them.
Encourage Physical
Activity
It’s important for children,
whether speech delayed or not, to get up and moving! Whether indoors or
outside, pick from some of the following toys to encourage physical activity:- Crawl-through
tunnels
- Ride-on
toys
- Water table
- Small
shovels for digging
- Large
playhouses
Remember That Less Is
More
With all these ideas in mind,
you may be tempted to get them all. However, too many toys can be a negative
thing. To prevent boredom and feelings that you need to buy more, start a toy
rotation. Don’t forget, some of the best toys aren’t toys at all. Homemade
forts, pots and pans, and cardboard boxes are sometimes the best playthings for
speech delayed children.Browse through the extensive collection of age-appropriate toys available from ListenLoveLearn Toys to help you with your toy selection dilemma. Then, find out more about the importance of traditional toys for speech delayed children by contacting ListenLoveLearn.
Image via Shutterstock.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Kids Can Improve Math Skills Through Play
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
- 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?
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
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