Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite authors, said: "Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them." If books make great gifts, then certainly the gift of reading is priceless! Children begin the process of learning to read long before they actually read. Laying the Foundation to Read Talking, or more formally oral language, is critically important for future reading skills. Immerse children in language by engaging with them: in everyday speech, reading aloud, singing, … [Read more...]
Beyond BabyFest–Helping Future Sibs
Working my 1st BabyFest NW this past Saturday was quite a treat for a baby-loving, grandma-type like me! Everywhere you looked there were pregnant bellies! First-time parents, parents-to-be with grandmothers in tow, seasoned parents and hoping-to-BE-expecting parents all converged at Seattle Center's Exhibition Hall for a baby extravaganza! Granted, it's been awhile since I was a mom-to-be, but I couldn't get over all the fantastic gadgets and gizmos available nowadays to make caring for an … [Read more...]
School, Stress, Children & Play
The fun—maybe sometimes lazy—days of summer are over and the hard, cold reality of sitting in a school classroom has set in. It wasn’t all that long ago the concept of early childhood education was singing songs, building blocks, dress-up corners, easels, and plenty of time playing with new friends outdoors. Fast forward to the present, with the influence of No Child Left Behind and Common Core, young children are taught with standardized testing in mind. They’re bombarded with letters, … [Read more...]
Video Games Day–Making the Case for PLAY
I was kind of left with my mouth on the floor when I found out what day it was...Video Games Day?!! Really? We need a day to encourage and celebrate playing video games? (sigh) How about trying for a NO-Video Games Day? Now that would be something out of the ordinary!! I'm not going to say video games don't have a place or don't have any beneficial aspects (read 6 Scientific Benefits) but they are inappropriate for young children. Young children need PLAY! Consider PLAY as one of the … [Read more...]
PLAY for Language Development–3 Tips for Parents
When something’s referred to as ‘child’s play’ it usually is signifying something done easily; an insignificant or trivial matter. In fact, actual child’s play is no trivial matter and has major significance in all areas of child development—and specifically, language development. Being a parent you are your child’s 1st, and most important teacher. You can support your kiddo’s language development, naturally, in three ways: reading to your child, singing together, and encouraging pretend … [Read more...]
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