play and your toddler

This article talks about play and development from the age of 3 to 5. It suggests some appropriate play to help a child develop.

play in children from 3 – 4 years
The pre-schooler at 3 years is a social creature. Hence it is important that they are exposed to group activities.

At this stage, he is also able to run, climb just about over anything, walk up and down stairs one foot at a time without holding onto rails and ride a tricycle.

Hand skills improve tremendously at this stage. The child is able to stack 12 – 14 blocks, copy 3 – 4 block designs and fix 4 – 6 piece jigsaw puzzles. He also begins to try colouring within the boundary instead of scribbling random strokes. He is able to trace simple dot to dot designs such as that of a dog. Scissors skills can be introduced as they start to cut strips and gradually progress to lines and curves.

A good mix of gross motor and fine motor activities will suit the child. Playing in the park or playground with the neighbour’s children, kicking the ball, chasing each other will allow the child to test and develop his gross motor skills.

Sitting down at the table to trace, colour and try out the new jigsaw puzzle with an adult teaches him at an early stage to have good sitting down behaviour. His creativity, hand skills and problem solving abilities are also given an opportunity to develop.

play in children from 4 – 5 years
They start to take up roles in group play. They also start to understand and follow rules. Games like hopscotch, Snap, hide and seek, snakes and ladders, Let’s Pretend are some examples of what they enjoy.

Give your child lots of opportunities to mix with other children. Your little one is on his way to being a a very sophisticated social creature. He is already able to read body language, read emotional cues, make decisions on how to act based on the situation he is in and the cues he is picking up.

The ages of 3 – 5 is and exciting and fun time. The primary role of the parent is to be present, give the child lots of opportunities and then let nature do the rest. If your child likes airplanes, then spend time with him folding it and decorating it. It is the process of doing things together and building the relationship that brings you and your child a long way.

Source: Huggies South africa

Discipline

Why is “No” his favourite word?

DEALING WITH NEGATIVISM
Your baby’s negativism (saying “no” all the time, running away, throwing things, and so on) has probably surged lately. This affects feeding, sleeping, playing, teasing – all the areas of important communication between parents and child. He is actively testing his limits thanks to his new-found mobility, awareness that people and objects have permanence, and heightened ability to manipulate and control toys and his environment. Tantrums are common at this age, along with other types of openly negative, provocative behaviour. Discipline, then, becomes a critical part of your role as parents in the second year. Again, be consistent in your rules and turn away when you get very angry.

Planning your long-term discipline strategies

A LONG-TERM GOAL
As your child starts testing you and the limits you’ve set, remember that discipline means teaching, not punishment. Discipline is a long-term goal, and your goal is to teach your child to limit himself. What you do at any one time isn’t the issue. It’s being consistent and imposing limits wisely, when they really matter, that count.

Parenting classes

BACK TO SCHOOL
If you haven’t already, you might think about taking a parenting class on discipline. In some areas these are provided by health visitors or parenting organisations. It’s important to get some information on this topic and to discuss with your partner how you plan to set limits. You may be surprised at the different views you have on this topic, so try to agree on an approach as soon as possible. Spouses who feel similarly about most things may find that they have very different ideas about disciplining their children. Sit down and discuss various approaches. Consistency is the most important thing for your child. If you cannot agree, how can he know how to behave well for both of you? Ask your health care provider for some suggestions on local parenting programs if you think you could benefit from them.

FYI:
It’s also a good idea to get some advice on babies’ sleep patterns, behaviour management or choosing day-care. Classes are sometimes available through the community colleges, from your health visitors or parenting organisations. Your health visitor or your GP as well as other mothers are the people to ask. Meeting other families can be another real plus of taking these classes. You and your child should have a community of people who can provide the emotional and practical support you’ll need as parents.

Tips
Moments to treasure
When you want to treat your child to a fun activity, put your stale bread to good use and go and feed the ducks. Take a trip to a nearby lake or pond to see where the ducks live, and bring along a picnic for the two of you while you’re at it.

The above post is courtesy of the Pampers Newsletter for children aged 12-24 months.