10 Easy Early Learning Activities for Babies and Toddlers

I have spent my career researching early learning in children and babies. My carefully designed programs have achieved remarkable results, teaching babies as young as six months to read. Now, anyone can quickly and easily put their child on the path to acquiring essential learning skills by following these proven activities:

1. Use Multi-Sensory Learning
When your child shows an interest in a particular topic, try to help them learn about it using as many sensory systems as possible. If your child is interested in learning about flowers, let them see, smell, touch, and even hear the gentle sound the flower makes brushing against their ear. This type of learning is usually more interesting for the child, and more effective.

2. Respond to Your Baby
An important skill for parents is the ability to respond to the interests of their infant. This will help them more easily understand their world. The baby looking at their toes could be told, “These are your toes.” This means the infant would simultaneously have visual (seeing her toes), auditory (listening to you say “these are your toes”), and haptic (feeling you touch her toes) information. This helps a young baby develop a very elaborate idea of “toes”. These types of responsiveness activities may also increase their IQ.

3. Categorize
A fundamental building block for intelligence is the ability to categorize. You can stimulate your child by grouping animals or objects that are similar. For instance, your child’s toys or clothes could be grouped by color, size, shape, material, or function. Simply show them and say, “This is a sock and this is a sock. This is not a sock.” Your baby should enjoy the activity because they will be able to see you sort the clothing, hear your voice, touch the soft clothing, and smell the clean clothes.

4. Improve Spatial Reasoning Abilities
Studies have shown that infants who self-locomote using a walker improve their spatial abilities. This improvement may be a result of infants’ increased attention to objects when they self locomote rather than being carried. Pediatricians recommend that parents not use walkers for safety reasons; however, in safe conditions, a walker can help improve an infant’s spatial abilities. Reading simple maps and playing with mazes can also improve your toddler’s spatial reasoning abilities.

5. Play Classical Music for Your Infant or Toddler
Play classical music for your infant or toddler on a regular basis. In a controlled study, young children who listened to classical music outperformed those who had not listened to classical music.

6. Learn a Second Language
It is easier for a young child to learn a second language than it is for adults. A recent study found that children who learned a second language after the age of 11 had two distinct areas of the brain for understanding language — one for their native language and one for their second language. Children who learned a second language before the age of four had one large area of the brain active for both languages. This suggests that children who learn language skills in their first years are able to develop brains that are more efficient.

7. Respond to Your Infant’s Sounds
If the parent responds excitedly to a baby’s new sound and repeats the sound to the baby, then the connection to make that sound will have some value to the infant and it will likely be strengthened. On the other hand, if the infant makes a new sound and no one responds — the baby will be less likely to repeat that sound. Not only does the infant probably feel more attached to caregivers who respond to their sounds, but they can learn to make more sounds when people respond.

8. Make Learning Videos for Your Child
Parents can make learning videos for their infants and toddlers. Be sure to include your family in the video. This will attract your child’s attention and allow them to see you even when you are away. You may want to include your child’s name and the words ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ in your video.

9. Play Games!
Matching games are fun. Show your infant one item, for example a tennis ball. Next, show your baby several other objects and ask him/her to find the one that matches the first object. Talk with your child throughout the game and describe how the objects are the same or different. These fun games help the child learn more about object properties such as color, material, function, shape, etc.

10. Use Different Postures During Play
Allow your infant to play while in different postures and locations. Make soft, clean, safe areas for your baby to play while on its stomach, back, and seated. Set up these play spaces in different locations. Babies may practice lifting their heads or rolling over while on their stomachs. While on their backs, infants may play with activity gyms, practice rolling, or look at objects. It may be easier for infants to explore toys while in a bouncer.

Dr. Robert Titzer is a prominent professor and infant researcher. His award winning educational DVD program, “Your Baby Can Read!®”, published by Smart Kids® of Penton Overseas Inc., has produced remarkable results worldwide. For more information visit http://www.yourbabycan.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Robert_Titzer

Educational Toys Are Important For Infants

Every child has an instinct to learn, as evidenced by his or her ability to act like a sponge to every idea and visual stimulus that crosses his or her path. Because of this, people who say that play has no value whatsoever are eating their words right now. Toys and play, even experts say, play vital parts in children’s learning and discovery.

Kids’ development and learning abilities vary. Some might already be walking at just nine months, while some children learn late and start at only about two years old. There is nothing unusual about this. There are children that are adept at a particular thing, while other kids are more proficient at another.

What is common to all children, nevertheless, is the fact that they are all naturally born curious about the world around them. Babies, in particular, are ultimate learning sponges because they start out with a clean slate. We should, therefore, never be annoyed at kids who always ask the question “why”, as this is an indication of their interest to learn new things and wonder about their environment.

And because infants are the best teaching subjects, great pains have been undergone to develop educational toys that would enhance their sponge-like abilities. Learning starts at home. It is the responsibility of parents and the people that surround infants to make sure these formative years are maximized by exposing their children to toys and things that would encourage and feed their hunger for knowledge.

Toys are what children almost always interact with, and exposing them to a number of well-chosen educational toys will boost their individual growth.

As parents and adults who choose these toys, however, we must realize that educational toys are made according to a child’s age and learning pace. Thus, we must only purchase and gift toys that are appropriate for the kid we are giving it to, otherwise, our purpose of teaching and instilling knowledge will be defeated.

Infants, in particular, because their sensory abilities are not as developed as toddlers yet, need toys that stimulate their hearing, touch and sight. Strong contrasting colors and soft colorful objects and toys are best for babies to help them with their hand-eye coordination. Therefore, just when we think that these soft balls do nothing for infants, we need to think again. Any toy that stimulates infants’ senses is considered educational.

Low Jeremy maintains http://educational-toys.articlesforreprint.com This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Low_Jeremy

Toddler Favorite Parties

When toddlers have a birthday, their favorite television shows often become the theme that their parties are centered around. It gives us the greatest pleasure in life to be able to give our children their every hearts’ desire.

If our child gets excited to see Blues Clues bouncing around the television, wouldn’t they be just as excited with a Blues Clues room and Blues Clues clothes and Blues Clues toys? To see the excitement in our toddlers faces as they point at their Blues Clues decorations fills us with the same excitement.

There are quite a few choices for your toddlers birthday party. Winnie the Pooh is probably the most popular and diverse theme. You can choose to have a Disney Winnie the Pooh party with the modern characters, or you can choose the classic Pooh theme with the story book characters. If you choose to go with the classic Pooh party, think about combining it with a story book theme. Ask guests to add to the childs book collection by bringing a book instead of a card. The centerpieces can be old books arranged neatly in a pile, or the favors themselves can be a small book for each guest.

You can also combine a music theme with The Wiggles theme. Use large letters and numbers as decorations for a Sesame Street theme. To find different items to match your toddlers birthday theme, visit www.character-party-supplies.com. To be realistic, it’s not the decorations that most excite the child at his or her party; it’s the freedom to finally be able to run wild and not get in trouble for it. If they want to dive head first into their cake and smear it all over their hair, what are the consequences besides a few messy pictures taken and the laughter of the adults who have come to share in the memory?

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Free Party Games to help complete your birthday celebration. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Leino