Play And Learning

Savine With Ate Mylene

Penelope Leach  is a British psychologist who writes extensively on parenting issues from a child development perspective. She once said, "For a small child there is no division between playing and learning; between the things he or she does 'just for fun' and things that are 'educational.' The child learns while living and any part of living that is enjoyable is also play."

"Learning through play" is a term used in education and psychology. It describes how children use play to learn the world around them. Children through play can cultivate various skills like cognitive, social and behavioral. They can also gain self-confidence needed to engage in new experiences and environments.

Here is a video of my son, Zach playing and enjoying the slide.

Benefits Of Co-Sleeping With Your Children

King And Daddy

What is co-sleeping? Co-sleeping or bed sharing is a common practice in many non-Western cultures. However, some parents find it impractical to sleep with their children because of certain factors like night shift work and insufficient room space. Some even describe this practice unsafe. On the other hand, medical research shows that co-sleeping is actually much safer for the little ones than sleeping alone. Following are some of the advantages of co-sleeping:

Promotes Independence
Some parents are afraid to co-sleep with their children because they think that this practice will make their little ones more clingy and reliant. On the other hand, research reveals that the opposite is true. Those who sleep with their parents develop independence earlier because they are not experiencing separation anxiety. Dr. Jay Gordon also explained that when a child routinely goes to sleep with an adult present, it is very rare to see thumb sucking or attachment to transitional or security objects.

Effortlessness Nursing
Certainly, it is easier for a mother to nurse the baby when the two are sharing bed. According to one study, mothers who share their bed with their infants are able to breastfeed twice as much as mothers who do not co-sleep with their little ones. Breast milk is very beneficial to children because it is complete nourishment. Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed more frequently especially if the infants have low weight. Surely, it is easier to simply roll-over and pop out a breast to feed the baby than to get out of bed and nurse the baby in another room.

King With Mommy And Daddy

Encourages Close Family Ties
Children who co-sleep with their parents develop close bonds with the family. Bed sharing provides more hours for the family members to connect and share nurturing moments together. Aside from promoting rapport, co-sleeping babies grow up with higher self-esteem. They also have less emotional problems and they are more comfortable with affection. Other studies suggest that children who share bed with their parents are less prone to developing psychiatric problems.

Co-sleeping has many advantages. Some of the benefits of sharing bed with children are described above. However, it is important to know that co-sleeping is not for everyone. Families who have other children like toddlers should not share bed with infants and newborns because toddlers are too young to be aware of the baby's presence. Furthermore, parents who smoke should avoid this sleeping practice because of the possibility of SIDS is higher. Lastly, those who are under the influence of drugs should never co-sleep with their little ones because they may unintentionally harm their little children.

Children picture books are fun and exciting. Visit the links and read different children reading articles and helpful parenting tips today.

My Little Ballerina

My little princess on her way to her first ballet class. She was so excited, I can see the gleam in her eyes. For weeks, she kept on asking me when her first class is going to be. Finally, her big day arrived. She was very graceful in the dance floor. I am so proud of my little darling.

If you have children who are into ballet. I found this website really helpful. http://www.ballettipsandtricks.com/. This site offer practical dancing tips for teachers, parents and ballet students. I found out that stretching is really important before and after dancing ballet because it helps improve flexibility, reduces risk of injury and it reduces soreness of muscless.

(SEE BELOW FOR IN-DEPT EXPLANATION)

1.  More flexibility.  A few dancers are “noodles”.  They can twist themselves into pretzels.  They don’t need more flexibility.  Most of us are not like that.  Most of us need to stretch to get the freedom of good turnout.  We need to stretch to get the soaring arabesques and the effortless extensions that are so beautiful.

2.  Fewer injuries. Have you ever kicked your leg up with too much force and pulled your hamstring muscle?  Or maybe you fell and pulled something.  Dancers who are flexible are less likely to get these types of injuries because their muscles can handle the unexpected stretch.

3.  Less sore.  When you work a muscle hard or in a new way, it will often be sore for a couple of days.  For example, it you lift your leg to the front and hold it until it trembles, your thigh muscles (quadraceps) are probably going to be sore.  If you stretch them out right away, you increase the flow of blood to the overworked muscle and it will not be as sore.

If you need more information about ballet, I also recommend reading this book by Sandra Noll Hammond. Ballet Basics  is a well-illustrated introduction to the fundamentals of ballet technique. The text also provides an overview of the history of ballet and introduces students to the world of ballet.

Here's a quick preview of my daughter's ballet class..

How to Get Your Child to Sleep

I have a toddler and a preschooler. At times, putting them to bed to sleep can come as a challenge. If you want to stay sane and avoid bedtime fights, following are healthy ways to put your bed to sleep.

Be Consistent With Bedtime Schedule
Bedtime should be set the same time each night. According to the National Sleep Foundation, infants and toddlers should have an average of twelve to fourteen hours of sleep daily, this includes afternoon naps and night time rests. With regular bedtime schedule, children can anticipate bedtime and they usually get the required hours of rest that they need for their age. Furthermore, when children have consistent bedtime and predictable bedtime routine, they feel safer and they are likely to be good sleepers.

Limit Play Before Bedtime
Today, children are living in a high-tech world. Little children as young as three know how the computer and television work. The problem with computer and television, they are not appropriate activities before bedtime because it stimulates the child's brain activity.  My son likes to play with my Ipod and his daddy's Galaxy S2. He can get too absorbed with his games that he lose track of time.

It is easier to put a child to bed if parents have set time boundaries for play. One or two hours before bed time, limit screen time. This includes watching television and playing video and computer games. When your child tries to negotiate for more time, be calm and restate that it is time to put away his toys and it is almost time to sleep. If he refuses to listen, give the game console a "time-out." Unplug the game and put it away where you feel is appropriate. Never place the game console inside your toddler's room. Children can be tempted to play unsupervised.

Take Care Of Your Child’s Needs
Before bedtime, I always give my children a warm shower. I choose clothes that are comfy and airy. Taking care of the child's physical needs first will make him sleep comfortably at night.

Putting a child to sleep may not be easy. Follow the three ways above and you will certainly have a restful child. It is not an overnight process. But with consistency and patience, it can be achieved.

I will leave you with this quote from H. Jackson Brown, Jr. 'Always kiss your children goodnight, even if they're already asleep.'

Watch The Video Below on How To Teach Your Child To Sleep in Their Own Bed

Zach Swimming Lesson With Grandpa

This is a follow on Zach's learning to swim post. In this video he is actually walking. His grandpa is so proud. I AM SO PROUD!

Simple Reminders
Do not leave your children unattended. Though they have floaties or safety swimming gears, you still need to be with them to supervise. Just like grandpa supervising Zach.

According to happyswimmers.com, " A good instructor will gently bring the child outside his comfort zone each lesson, but not so far as to invoke fear. The gradual path is most often the most successful in this arena. 

Also. have fun. Enjoy the moment and your child's achievement. Your child is growing up so fast and without you knowing it, he will be a better swimmer than you.

Importance Of Reading Aloud

Infants and toddlers are learning at tremendous speed. Most people do not understand that when a child is born, only 25 percent of the brain in developed, and the rest develop within the first year. The words spoken to children can build a bank of vocabulary which is the core for other learning. On the other hand, it is suggested that parents read aloud to their children. Following are some of the most important benefits of reading aloud to kids.

It Increases Child's Listening And Attending Abilities
Observe your child as you start to express the words from the book. As you catch your child's attention, your child will look at you and observe how your mouth moves as you speak. Although, children have short attention span, they are curious beings. They will observe how you speak each word from the book. To check if your child is listening, you can ask your child to repeat back words. Just be patient especially with small kids. If they are still unable to repeat back words, you can just ask them easy questions about the story and they can reply with a simple Yes or No.

Reading Aloud Expands The Childs' Vocabulary
Read more to your child, if you want to improve your child's vocabulary. Reading can improve your child's terms through exposure to words. When you read, take time to pause and to define strange words. If you are reading a story book about Snow white, you can pause and try to define the words from the book. If you are talking about the word apples, show him or her pictures of the fruit or you can even play up eating an apple. Be careful to define the terms that are easy for your child to understand.

Reading Aloud Improves Your Child's Creativity And Imagination
Be imaginative when reading a book to your child. Do not be afraid to extend your arms and to make the funniest faces. You can even play pretend.­­ Say, you are reading Rapunzel and you are describing how long Rapunzel's hair is, you can make a wig from a comfy blanket nearby and try to comb your long hair using long strokes. You can even ask your children to pull your pretend hair and you can play being hurt.

Reading is indeed very important. It provides wonderful opportunities for you and your child to bond and to instill in him or her values and life principles. When reading to your child, try to pick out books that are age appropriate for your little one. Pick a book with arts and illustrations to help your little one understand the words better. Be creative and do not be afraid to bring out the actor or actress in you. Children picture books are fun and exciting. Visit the links and read different children reading articles and helpful parenting tips today.


The importance of reading aloud: Tips for reading to children  Video

How To Raise A Positive And Responsible Child

According to research, children who do household chores are given the opportunity to learn about caring and responsibility, organization and consideration for others. Indeed, parents have a major role to play in bringing up a can do child. A positive and responsible child is highly competitive and energetic, positive and secure, where any tasks and responsibilities given to him, he can carry it out with confidence and belief to self. If you're a parent or a guardian and you wish to bring up a child with a can do attitude, following are good tips:

Encourage Independence
Encourage children to be independent by allowing them to accomplish things on their own. This will make kids more positive and assured of themselves. Also, independence will enhance their problem-solving skills and train them to make good choices.

Give Positive Reaction
Offer warm and positive remarks to your kids' questions or tasks. Kids are greatly affected by how their parents approve or disapprove of their actions and speech. Not only will positive responses help you raise a confident and well-mannered but it will make you a better parent and a happy person.

List Strengths And Weaknesses
Psychologists are keen observers of different behaviors. You may want to make a list of the strengths and weaknesses of your kids. The list will serve as a guide to direct your children's focus on improving certain skill or behavior. You may plan to give activities or tasks to drill your children to increase mastery of a certain behavior.

By No Means Compare
Do not commit the SIN of comparing your child to a sibling or to other kids. Your child is Special and acts, talks and thinks in a very special way. Identify where your child is good at and encourage the child to be the BEST at what he's good at.

Emphasize On RESPONSIBILITY
Responsibility makes the child part of how things are done in the household. When a child becomes liable, the child is transformed into a dependable child who boosts self-confidence.

Raising responsible and dependable kids help parents of big households. It saves a lot of time and resources when children can be relied on to do certain tasks. Not only will this help in the maintenance of the home, but it will develop important life skills for your kids.

Children picture books are fun and exciting. Visit the links and read different children reading articles and helpful parenting tips today.

Watch The Video Below About Child Development And Positive Parenting

Learning New Words

Complete Beginner Series Collection (Book 1-7) is fun and educational. 

Look at my Zachy! He is learning new words. A for apple, B for bee... I definitely recommend this book.


See book description below:

Colorful, high quality illustrations are combined with silly rhymes to reinforce learning the alphabet. The book contains 26 listening games for children from 6 months to 5 years of age.

Good listeners make good students and good friends who can understand and follow the rules in a classroom or during games. The number section includes a sequential memory game for preschool children to help them practice their memorizing skills while learning to count from 1 to 10.

The book can be used by parents, teachers and therapists to lay an early foundation for good listening skills. The book contains two supplementary books: Noah's Ark Activity Book and Fun Day on the Farm Activity Book.

FORMAT:

This book has been formatted to display well on eReaders and devices such as Kindle, Kindle Fire and Kindle apps for smartphones, tablets (including iPads) and computers.

L.O.V.E

Savine playing hide and seek with cousin Duke!

My daughter Savine and my son Zach are very emotional. They love to be cuddled and hugged. They want mommy and daddy to kiss them every night. Truly, it is important that parents show the love for their kids at all times. Following are some of the best ways to show a child your love.


Find Time To Bond With Your Kids
Quality time means finding time to bond with your kid with little or no distractions from work. Most parents today are too busy working and  that the only time they have for the family is during weekends. If you are taking your child to the park for the weekend, make sure that you will not be interrupted by calls from work. Let your child enjoy being with his mom and dad. Moreover, spending quality time with your child doesn't have to be expensive, reading a book together or listening to your son's favorite song are excellent ways to show your children that you care and love them.


When two ears are put together it makes a heart.
When your child needs someone to talk to, make yourself available. Listen attentively to your child's concerns. Did you know why the ears are shape like two Cs? Ears when put together shaped like a heart. So, it is sometimes better if you talk less and listen more to your child. When you listen to your child, you are already comforting and boosting his confidence. It makes them feel worthy and loved.


Be Unpredictable
Nearly all parents are strict when it comes to bedtime hours. Once in a while, it is okay to break your own rule and let your child stay up past his bedtime with you. You can watch cartoon classics together or you can cuddle with your little one while drinking his favorite hot choco drink.


Laugh With Your Child
Parenting is never easy. On the other hand, do not get too gripped with the normal chores and routine that you forget about your child. Some parents prioritize their daily chores over their kids. If your child is telling you a funny joke, be part of the conversation and laugh with your child. Do not be a machine.


Children love it when you show them that you care. There are so many ways to show your child that you love him. The simplest way is to always remind your child that you love him by just saying I love you.






Read children picture books to your child. Books are fun and exciting. Visit the links and read different children reading articles and helpful parenting tips today.

Importance Of Books In Character Development

Reading is a great way to bond with kids of all ages. Experts suggest reading a good book to a young child every day. It is frequently done before a child goes to sleep. It is an exemplary way to end the day as it leaves the kid's imagination flowing with wonderful thoughts. Moreover, reading books to kids aloud can help nurture creativity and expand vocabulary and reading skills. Kids are fanciful beings and they love to hear new stories, see beautiful pictures and illustrations. Parents use books as teaching aids for kids. They use books to foster character traits like obedience, kindness and courage.

Story Telling Books Form Character 
Stories have been part of man's life. In the past, stories were passed on by word of mouth. Now, there are so many kinds of books obtainable, thanks to the invention of the printing press in 1440. Story telling books these days ranges from fairy tales, princess and prince books, fables, parables, folklores and so on. Millions of parents around the globe still use these story books to teach moral lessons to their little ones. Goldilocks and the three bears and Little Red Riding Hood are two of the most popular books of all time. These books teach kids different principles which are pertinent to all aspects of life. Goldilocks and the three bears talks about respect of others property and solitude. Little Red Riding Hood, on the other hand warns children of the danger of talking to strangers.

Fables And Parables 
Parables show life lessons and instructive principles. The Bible's New Testament provides a number of parables that Jesus taught himself while he is still on earth. One of the most significant parables in the bible is the Prodigal Son, which teaches about the love of the Father to his children. Fables, on the other hand, are very much like a parable but the difference is that it uses animals in the story. Aesop is credited for a number of popular fables today. Thus, the name Aesop's Fables become a popular household name. Aesop, according to research was Greek slave and story-teller believed to have lived between 620 and 560 BCE. Some of his famous stories are "The Dog and the Wolf", which teaches the importance of being free, "The Bear and the Two Travelers" which talks about sincerity of friends.

Evolution Of Books
Over the years, books have greatly evolved. Before, books are part of every kid's bedtime routine. Kids anticipate expectantly the first page of the book that their parents will read to them. Each book has a new story to tell. Kids are intrigued to see how each story will end. Will the princess meet his prince charming? Will the frog turn to a handsome prince? Then again, there are households in which kids are no longer familiar to reading books. More parents and educators rely on the power of the internet to teach young minds to explore. Yes, having educational other educational materials and gadgets around the house is good. Then again, it is refreshing to see kids enjoying reading books. Certainly, the experience of feeling the hard covers of the book and the crisp turning of pages is different from just clicking on pages.

Although, books have evolved in style and form, it is still very relevant these days. Parents and educators alike still use books as part of instruction and grounding materials for development of moral and character to kids.

Children picture books are fun and exciting. Visit the links and read different children reading articles and helpful parenting tips today.

How To Bond With Your Children

Children age 1 to 3 belong to the toddler group. They are usually very talkative and playful. They love to run around the house and discover new things. They are curious beings. If you have toddlers at home, your day will never be boring. Bonding with your kid at this stage is very important. Below are a couple of tips on how to bond with your tot.

Storytelling
Kids love storytelling. They want to learn new things, see new pictures and they enjoy how each story will end. Reading time is a fantastic way to promote conversation and to ask your children questions. Adapt special voices for each character to make reading time lively and spontaneous. If you are reading a line from the fairy godmother, try to make your voice soft and clear. If you are pretending to be a mouse from the story, make your voice sounds like you are squeaking.

Go Out On A Date With Your Tot
Every day there is a reason to celebrate, so go out with your little tot. You can take him to a nearby ice cream parlor. Let him pick the flavor of the ice cream. Find a nice place where you can sit and talk. Play with your kid while inside the ice cream parlor. Pretend that you are both detectives and you are out to investigate. You can also play, "I spy with my little eye". Surely, your kid will enjoy the game and the delightful treat with you.

Give Warm Hugs And Kisses
The problem with many parents is they overlook the importance of touch. Touch your kids. Give those little bunnies some nice hugs and gentle rubs. If you are disciplining your little tot, hold his hand. Try alternate ways to connect, especially for little ones who doesn't like to cuddle. Try dancing together or stroking his hair.

Color With Your Little Tot
Toddlers like to color and to paint. Pick a good coloring album from your local book shop. Try to pick a book with larger pictures so that your child can understand the illustration and will not get confused with the detailing. Buy a set of color pens or pencils or if you want to get messy, paint brushes and color paint. Just make sure to pick the appropriate brush for your little one's hands. While, you and your child is having the time of your life, engage in conversation. Do not get annoyed if your little one will not pick the right colors or if there are coloring errors. Remember that bonding with your child is your priority and not the activity.

Play Musical Instruments, Sing And Dance Together
It is important to expose your child to music. Based on research, music can help develop children's language skills, boost their self-confidence, develop their listening skills and stimulate brain connections. You can encourage music by teaching your child to play drums or maracas. You can even dance together and create your own song lyrics.

Toddler Tea Party
Many families are accustomed to having tea parties at home. Why not create your toddlers' version of tea party. Instead of tea, you can serve delicious drinks like apple or orange juice. You can invite your toddler's friends too. Serve delicious treats like cookies and cakes. Make the day special by dressing your kid with fancy play clothes.

There are many ways to bond with your little tot. Some of them are listed above. When bonding with your kid, try to be spontaneous. You can even have quality time together without spending a single dime, just take your child to a park where he can play with you and that's it. It doesn't have to be fancy. Your child will appreciate it and he will certainly end the day with a smile on his face.

Just want to share brainyconnections.com. Here you can find exciting and fun Children picture books. There are so many useful children reading articles and parenting tips that you can find on this website too.

How Children Learn Through Play

Play is children's work. Parents want the best for their children. They primed their offspring to grow and to learn. But how do children learn? Many experts believe that play is important in children development. Lev Vygotsky is a psychologist who came up with the play theory that emphasizes in social development. Jean Piaget another psychologist also born the same year as Vygotsky studied the intellectual development of children through play. Hence, play is indeed very significance in learning and development of kids.


Benefits Of Play In Children Development And Education

• Based on studies, children behave better in the class when they have the opportunity to blow off steam on the playing field during the day.
• Playing also teaches children to control their own feeling, a skill that serves them well as they move through life.
• Better health. The American Heart Association advocates that kids over the age of two engage in at least an hour a day of moderate, pleasurable physical activity.
• They learn to count, to problem solve and to make friends.
• Enhancing a child's play with music and harmony not only enriches the learning experience, but also develops listening proficiency and creates a new level of relations with the world.

Parten's Stages Of Play

Mildred Parten grouped play into 6 stages and determined that children’s play styles mirror their social development. 

• Unoccupied -- Not engaged in play.
• Solitary (Independent) -- Playing separately from others, with no reference to what others are doing
• Onlooker -- Watching others play. May engage in conversation but not engaged in doing. True focus on the children at play.
• Parallel -- Playing with similar objects, clearly beside others but not with them. (Near but not with others.)
• Associative Play -- Playing with others without organization of play activity. Initiating or responding to interaction with peers.
• Cooperative Play -- Coordinating one’s behavior with that of a peer.

Parents play an important role in children's play. Be supportive and patient if the kids want to play. Remember that parents are the first teachers and they need to create pleasant and positive experience for the kids.

Watch The Video Below And Learn More About Play Therapy:

Mother's Day

My little Miss, gave me this wonderful drawing for Mother's day. Today, we honor mothers and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. 

My little boy, on the other hand, still cannot write. But he gave me lots of hugs and kisses before he doze off.






I also got several greeting cards and letters from my other babies - the kids/teens I am teaching every Saturday. We study the bible together. They are very dear to me.

I am so blessed to be a mom. I know I am not the perfect mother, but with God's grace and guidance, I can do everything. To all moms out there, happy mom's day!

Age Appropriate Toys For Kids

Today, parents can shop toys for their kids just about anywhere. Parents can buy in department stores and online toy boutiques. The selection is endless. If looking toys for your child, consider the following guidelines on how you can pick age appropriate toys for your kid:


Baby Toys and Infant Toys
These are children age 0 to 1. When choosing toys for your baby or infant consider those that stimulate the senses, particularly the senses of sight, sound and touch. However, avoid toys with small parts because the child may choke.





Toddler Toys
Toddlers are full of energy. They are curious beings. They learn through exploration. Pick toys where your toddler can do all sorts of physical activities like pulling, pushing, lugging, knocking down, emptying and filling. Again, do not buy toys with small parts to avoid accidental choking. 





Preschool Toys
Preschoolers love pretend games. They enjoy toys that stimulate their imagination. Find challenging and exciting toys to play with. Encourage your child to explore the wonderful world of geometry, design & construction with puzzles and games.





It is fun to pick toys for kids. However, remember that toys don't replace parents. Make time to play with your child and enjoy the moment together. For other pointers, visit this link: Selecting Toys for Infants and Toddlers (Parenting Pointers)

Reading Is Fun!

Reading is a fun activity to do with kids. Parents should continue to read books to their kids even if we are on the computer age and children are more interested in smart phones and tablets. Yes, books can be old fashioned. But, it is fun to manually flip the pages of the book and to feel its hard bound texture.


Following are the benefits of reading to kids and a couple of advice on how you should read to your little ones.


Benefits Of Reading To Your Kids:

•  Reading helps build stronger relationship.
•  Improve vocabulary and communication skills.
•  Enhances concentration and discipline.
•  Instill a love of books and language. 
•  Stimulate child's imagination.

How To Read To Your Child:

•  Choose appropriate books for your child - Storybooks, Fables, Parables etc.
•  Create the right atmosphere for reading. Find a quiet comfortable area at home where   you can read to your child. 
•  Read aloud to your child. Reading aloud teaches your child to read smoothly and with  expression.
•  Encourage your child to look at pictures and illustrations to figure out the meaning of new words.
•  After reading the story, ask your little one, "What did you like most about the story? Tell me your favorite part." 

Recommended Books For Kids: (3-6)

• I Just Forgot (A Little Critter Book)
• The Six Pirates: A Rollicking & Rhyming Picture Book. (Fun Rhyming Children's Books)
• Benny's Boogers: A Silly Rhyming Children's Picture Book
• Einstein The Lazy Kitty (Children's Book Ages 3-6)
• A Wolf Pup's Tale (A Beautifully Illustrated Children's Picture Book; Perfect Bedtime Story)

Instill in your kids the habit of reading. As a parent, one of the best ways you can prepare your child is to build a good foundation for academic excellence and your child can achieve that through reading.