The Importance of Reading to Young Children
Children of all ages benefit when parents read to them. Reading aloud stimulates the growth of a child’s brain and equipped them with the ability to acquire language skills. In fact, it is the fundamental way of teaching your child how to read. Exposing children to reading opportunities at an early age develop fluent readers than other children who are not read to.
A baby enjoys hearing the parent’s voice even when they do not understand the word. Books with lot of rhyming words are comforting and interesting to them.
A toddler learns how to hold the book and flip pages. They also begin to notice details in the books and relate experience similar to theirs.
A preschooler listens to books with more words. They enjoy following through the sequence of events that happen in the story and enjoys funny stories.
A kindergartner memorize the story before they begin to read. They enjoy retelling or enacting the story to others.
Reading should be a pleasurable activity to children. Reading to your child daily when he or she is in a good mood, is one of the best ways to cultivate your child’s love for reading. When more reading opportunities are provided for your child, you are on your way to cultivating a fluent reader.
Some strategies that parents can adopt:
1. When reading a book with large print, point at each word as you read it. Your child will understand that the word being spoken is the word she sees.
2. Read a favorite book over and over again.
3. Read stories with rhyming words and lines that repeat, and have your child join in.
4. Read from a variety of children’s books, including fairy tales, poems, and non-fiction.
5. Creating a quiet, special place in your home for your child to read, write, and draw.
6. Keeping books and other reading materials where your child can easily reach them. Having her own bookshelf or small bookcase will not only make her feel special, but will also communicate to her that reading is special.
7. Reading books, newspapers and magazines yourself, so that your child can see that reading is important.
8. Limiting the amount and type of television you and your child watch.
(Adapted from Brainy Child)
Choosing a good book can inspire children’s reading; widen children’s knowledge and creativity; and aid them in becoming lifelong readers and writers. Furthermore, reading together is a fantastic bonding activity for families.
Why wait, start reading to your child today and enrich their life!
Dec 31, 2010
Nov 26, 2010
Nurturing Your Child’s Creativity
Creativity is in every one of us, it needs to be nurtured and developed to their full potential so that we can become productive individuals in life.
In this new age of living, creativity is important for one to survive in the society as one needs to be able to generate new ideas and respond creatively to a wide range of circumstances.
It can strengthen the child’s ego, allow for independence, and help the child confront and cope with many things in life.
However, children nowadays are facing with great demands from adults and they grew up being told what to do by adults. Being creative is not about what children knows; it’s more about their ability to process, innovate and transform the knowledge gained into something positive, new and better.
So how can we help to nurture creativity in child?
- Valued the process more than the product. Encourage children to play with ideas and explore solutions rather than pressure them to do what you want. Value and validate your child’s ideas without trying to fit them to yours.
- Discuss ideas with a spirit of fun and laughter to make the experience pleasant for your child.
- Respect and listen your child’s voice. This helps to build your child’s confidence of taking risks and being original.
- Encourage creative thought and artistic expression. Establish a free, open atmosphere where self expression is encouraged and valued. And provide a variety of materials and keep activities open-ended, it encourages them to explore and express themselves without rules.
- Support physical creativity with role playing and movement. Be the role model for your child, join in the fun and have imaginary play or music and movement activities with them.
- Ask your child open ended questions or give comments that will stimulate them to think and nurture the creative atmosphere. Examples, “It’s fun to try it different ways”, “Tell me more about it”, “Let’s try it anyway”, “Have you thought of any ways?”, “I see you are having lots of fun”, “What do you think is going to happen?” etc.
- Always create a positive environment. Sometimes you may be surprised by your child’s ideas and think that it is not possible or he/she is wrong but do not put their ideas down. Tell them “Wow what an unique idea, I did not think of it before. Let’s try it out or let’s think if there are other ways to do it.”
Ideas to boost your child’s creative juices
- Invite your child to invent his/her games and play with them.
- Bring your child outdoors and have cloud watching together. Ask your child what he sees. Example “The long and curvy one looks like a snake”. Create a simple story with the ‘things’ he sees.
- Provide a tape or audio recorder and have him create his own commercials, songs, or stories. Playback and listen together.
- Give a blank journal that your child can write in everyday and design the cover page of the journal.
- Dig your closet and play dress up with your child. Encourage a world of make-believe and pretend.
- Tell a story and stop before the ending. Encourage your child to change the ending to his own.
- Kitchen stomp! Bring out your pots and pans for your child to create music and different ways of playing.
- Have your child put his hands and ideas to create a kite together with you and watch the creativity soar up high in the sky.
Nov 25, 2010
U Family Baby Loves Disco!
Date: 19 Dec 2010, Sunday
Time: 02:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Venue: Zouk, Velvet Underground, 17 Jiak Kim Street, Singapore 169420
Parents, remember those good old days when you could go out, dance the night away, and have a good time? If you thought those days were long gone, think again! There's a new reason to go to the club, and now even your kids can get in on the act!
Come and join U Family’s FIRST Hippest child proof disco party! Make no mistake, this is NOT the Mickey Mouse club, and Barney is Banned! This event is a Christmas Party theme afternoon dance featuring music spun and mixed by DJs blending classic disco tunes on Mambo, R&B and Top 40s, guaranteed to get those little booties moving and grooving!
What’s more, U Family Baby Loves Disco is a community event that brings kids and parents together with other families, offering you the best time you will ever experience at a kids’ event!
The fun spills from all corners:
Bubble machines
Baskets of instruments
A chill-out place (with tents, books and puzzles)
A full spread of healthy snacks and drinks (no pork/ lard) with LOTS of dancing
Entertainers will be around to keep your toddlers very busy
Areas for stroller parking, bag drop off and diaper changing will be provided
Event Theme: Christmas Party
Fees:
Adult (NTUC Members): $27 per pax
Adult (Public): $30 per pax
Child (NTUC Members): $9 per pax
Child (Public): $10 per pax
* Children aged above 7 years old will be charged Adult Fee* Admission is free for non-walkers (children aged below 1 year old)
*NTUC member must register under your own name to enjoy NTUC member rates. (Please refer to below NTUC Member Card Faces).
10 Low Cost Ideas for Families to Have FUN Together
Countless of research have placed strong emphasis on the importance of spending quality time together as a family. When families spend quality time together, they are building stronger bond and relationship. Furthermore, spending time together contributes to the well-being and development of the holistic child.
The underlying message here is quality and not quantity. Which means, spending a whole day watching TV programme does not contribute to quality time spend together. On the other hand, spending quality time together does not mean explicit and expensive activities like going to theme parks, going for a getaway etc. In fact, spending quality time together does not always mean spending more money. Here are some great ideas for family activities that will not burn a hole in your pocket!
1. Pot-luck with friends and family
Invite friends or neighbours over to your place for a gathering cum lunch/dinner session. Ask each person to bring food items to contribute to the mini-party. If you don’t want everyone to turn up with salad or junk food, have a organized list that states what food item is each one bringing so as to avoid having people bringing the same item. Since every family is only responsible for one item, it won’t cost anyone much money. Families can get together to talk, watch great movies, embark in games or any other fun activities.
2. Hitting the beach
Countless of fun can happen on the beach! In fact, kids just love hanging out at the beach, building sand castles, burying daddy and mummy, playing in the water, running about and so much more. All these funs does not cost a single cent! Singapore does have a lot of beaches around the island such as East Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park, West Coast Park etc. Just a little effort spend in packing all the necessities such as toiletries, water and sand play equipments and some snacks. Never forget to bring sun block lotion for you and your child too!
3. Cooking/Baking session
When family hangs out together in the kitchen, whipping up a delicious meal collaboratively is not just a simple chore anymore. In fact, it is a great opportunity for bonding and to teach your child some basic cooking techniques. Cooking and preparing meals together may take time, effort, patience and a lot of cleaning up especially with younger children, but all these hard work is worth the effort after all. Experts have said that it is a great way to keep your child interested in trying a variety of food, including healthy food that they usually avoid. Adding on, all these positive cooking experiences help to build up a positive and confident child. It is also a great way for parents to spend quality time together with the child.
Do check out this websites for simple recipe:
Easy Kids Recipes & Cooking with Kids
4. Teach your child a new skill
Why wait, when you can start teaching your child some new skills such as riding a tricycle/bicycle, skating, swimming, photography, baking and more. With an early start, it may inculcate a love and mastery for the skill as the child grows. Spending an afternoon to teach your child a new skill can be a tiring process, but it may be worth all the effort after all.
5. Serve the Community together
Have a free afternoon? How about volunteering and helping out at a Home for the Elderly or the under-privileged with the family? It is definitely a great and meaningful way for you to give it back to the society and to also teach your child the act of giving and be kind of all. The opportunity to render some form of help and care to the less privileged will instil love, values and charity in your child’s heart. In fact, whenever you have the opportunity to display charity, do it with joy in front of your children and encourage them to be a part of it. Years later, they might do it on their own!
6. Have a family game day/night
Setting a family day to have simple and yet fun activities at home will help to bond with the family. Select a favourite game – Board games like Scrabble, Mad Magazine and Monopoly; card games like traditional Happy Family card and Uno; or others like Bingo, Jenga, Pig Pile and more, for the family to have fun together. Playing these simple games will condition your family to look forward to simple and less-expensive ways of having fun.
7. Travel around and explore Singapore
There are tons of great places around Singapore that families can explore together, be it nature parks like Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Fort Canning, Mount Faber, Japanese Garden or Sungei Buloh Nature Park; museums like Asian Civilisations Museum, National Museum of Singapore, Peranakan Museum, Singapore Art Museum; exhibitions or the different historical buildings and attractions like Geylang & Katong, Chinatown, Changi Village, Little India and more.
8. Picnic at a park
A picnic at the park is something that most family enjoy. Indulge in some sandwich and fruits, fly a kite, play a board game and read a book together. After the whole family have their fun time together, It is a good way for Dad and mom to relax with a good book or conversation while the kids play some games. Some great place to have picnic includes Botanic garden.
9. Head to outdoor playgrounds
Indoor and outdoor playgrounds are basically everywhere, at every little corner of Singapore. However, outdoor playgrounds and play equipments provide better form of fun, fresh air, and exercises for children. Furthermore, these play equipments are specially designed to foster peer interaction and collaboration between the children and adults playing at the playground, which will also heighten children’s holistic development. What more, all these fun does not even cause a single cent! Some great playground recommendations include – Pasir Ris Park, Tiong Bahru Park, West Coast Park, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and more.
Check out here for a list of playgrounds around Singapore
10. Ask your kids for ideas
Before you start planning, you may consider having your child play an active participant in the decision-making process. You can put a list of possible ideas in a jar and have your child pick one or two activity for the day, or simply, have your child decide what he or she want to do for the day.
The underlying message here is quality and not quantity. Which means, spending a whole day watching TV programme does not contribute to quality time spend together. On the other hand, spending quality time together does not mean explicit and expensive activities like going to theme parks, going for a getaway etc. In fact, spending quality time together does not always mean spending more money. Here are some great ideas for family activities that will not burn a hole in your pocket!
1. Pot-luck with friends and family
Invite friends or neighbours over to your place for a gathering cum lunch/dinner session. Ask each person to bring food items to contribute to the mini-party. If you don’t want everyone to turn up with salad or junk food, have a organized list that states what food item is each one bringing so as to avoid having people bringing the same item. Since every family is only responsible for one item, it won’t cost anyone much money. Families can get together to talk, watch great movies, embark in games or any other fun activities.
2. Hitting the beach
Countless of fun can happen on the beach! In fact, kids just love hanging out at the beach, building sand castles, burying daddy and mummy, playing in the water, running about and so much more. All these funs does not cost a single cent! Singapore does have a lot of beaches around the island such as East Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park, West Coast Park etc. Just a little effort spend in packing all the necessities such as toiletries, water and sand play equipments and some snacks. Never forget to bring sun block lotion for you and your child too!
3. Cooking/Baking session
When family hangs out together in the kitchen, whipping up a delicious meal collaboratively is not just a simple chore anymore. In fact, it is a great opportunity for bonding and to teach your child some basic cooking techniques. Cooking and preparing meals together may take time, effort, patience and a lot of cleaning up especially with younger children, but all these hard work is worth the effort after all. Experts have said that it is a great way to keep your child interested in trying a variety of food, including healthy food that they usually avoid. Adding on, all these positive cooking experiences help to build up a positive and confident child. It is also a great way for parents to spend quality time together with the child.
Do check out this websites for simple recipe:
Easy Kids Recipes & Cooking with Kids
4. Teach your child a new skill
Why wait, when you can start teaching your child some new skills such as riding a tricycle/bicycle, skating, swimming, photography, baking and more. With an early start, it may inculcate a love and mastery for the skill as the child grows. Spending an afternoon to teach your child a new skill can be a tiring process, but it may be worth all the effort after all.
5. Serve the Community together
Have a free afternoon? How about volunteering and helping out at a Home for the Elderly or the under-privileged with the family? It is definitely a great and meaningful way for you to give it back to the society and to also teach your child the act of giving and be kind of all. The opportunity to render some form of help and care to the less privileged will instil love, values and charity in your child’s heart. In fact, whenever you have the opportunity to display charity, do it with joy in front of your children and encourage them to be a part of it. Years later, they might do it on their own!
6. Have a family game day/night
Setting a family day to have simple and yet fun activities at home will help to bond with the family. Select a favourite game – Board games like Scrabble, Mad Magazine and Monopoly; card games like traditional Happy Family card and Uno; or others like Bingo, Jenga, Pig Pile and more, for the family to have fun together. Playing these simple games will condition your family to look forward to simple and less-expensive ways of having fun.
7. Travel around and explore Singapore
There are tons of great places around Singapore that families can explore together, be it nature parks like Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Fort Canning, Mount Faber, Japanese Garden or Sungei Buloh Nature Park; museums like Asian Civilisations Museum, National Museum of Singapore, Peranakan Museum, Singapore Art Museum; exhibitions or the different historical buildings and attractions like Geylang & Katong, Chinatown, Changi Village, Little India and more.
8. Picnic at a park
A picnic at the park is something that most family enjoy. Indulge in some sandwich and fruits, fly a kite, play a board game and read a book together. After the whole family have their fun time together, It is a good way for Dad and mom to relax with a good book or conversation while the kids play some games. Some great place to have picnic includes Botanic garden.
9. Head to outdoor playgrounds
Indoor and outdoor playgrounds are basically everywhere, at every little corner of Singapore. However, outdoor playgrounds and play equipments provide better form of fun, fresh air, and exercises for children. Furthermore, these play equipments are specially designed to foster peer interaction and collaboration between the children and adults playing at the playground, which will also heighten children’s holistic development. What more, all these fun does not even cause a single cent! Some great playground recommendations include – Pasir Ris Park, Tiong Bahru Park, West Coast Park, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and more.
Check out here for a list of playgrounds around Singapore
10. Ask your kids for ideas
Before you start planning, you may consider having your child play an active participant in the decision-making process. You can put a list of possible ideas in a jar and have your child pick one or two activity for the day, or simply, have your child decide what he or she want to do for the day.
Nov 18, 2010
Message of hope from Nick Vujicic
Dear baby J, when life throws you obstacles and you trip and fall, may Nick Vujicic always inspires you to never give up.
Nov 15, 2010
5 Recommended Iphone Apps for Children
Technology is no doubt a part of us, even for our little ones. If you are troubled over the endless list of Iphone apps for children available, here are 5 recommended applications on the Free list suitable for young children!
1. First Words SamplerFirst Words Sampler: helps your little one learn letters, sounds and even words. Coupled with interesting graphics and animation, your children will be kept entertained while learning something new.
This educational game is suitable for children, 2 years onwards, for independent playing. Alternatively, you can engage them in meaningful conversations about the words. If your child enjoys this sampler, you can also download FirstWords: Animals and FirstWords: Vehicle at a reasonable price.
Promote: Language Skills
This educational game is suitable for children, 2 years onwards, for independent playing. Alternatively, you can engage them in meaningful conversations about the words. If your child enjoys this sampler, you can also download FirstWords: Animals and FirstWords: Vehicle at a reasonable price.
Promote: Language Skills
2. Baby Piano LiteWish: to expose your child to a variety of experiences? Baby Piano Lite allows you child to play on a piano while on the go. Users are provided with the choices of either playing it freely or following the piano keys that light up to play a song.
This app is suitable for children 1 year onwards as they will enjoy the music they produce with just a tap using their fingers. You can also play songs and sing along together with your child =)
Promote: Music
This app is suitable for children 1 year onwards as they will enjoy the music they produce with just a tap using their fingers. You can also play songs and sing along together with your child =)
Promote: Music
3. Baby Flash Cards: is an engaging and entertaining app for very young children at no cost! The colorful flash cards (with picture and word) change with a single tap. Flash cards are categorized into Animals, Food, Fruits, Musical Instruments, Numbers, People, Plants, Shapes, Transportation and Others which can be turn on or off in its setting mode.
Suitable for children as young as 9 months old. Begin by going through the flash cards and reading aloud the words together with your child. Does your child really learn from looking at the flash cards? Find it out in Quest mode which shows the picture before the word.
Promote: Language Skills
4. Rush Hour Free: The Iphone version of the Traffic Jam puzzle brought to you by Think Fun. Your child will be challenged to drive the red car out of the parking grid by shifting the blocking cars out of the way. 35 challenges, ranging from Beginner to Expert, will keep your child entertained and thinking. Hints are available to help in times of frustration.
This game with simple rules is suitable for children 5 years old and above, promoting their thinking and problem solving skills. Encourage your child to play independently and praise when appropriate.
Promote: Thinking Skills, Spatial Awareness
5. Shape Builder LITEShape Builder: LITE is a puzzle and language game all-in-one. Move the shapes to complete the puzzle and learn more about the letter or the picture with interesting sound effects.
Suitable for children 3 years old and above. Join your child in doing the puzzle and talk about the color of each shape. Download the full version to enjoy even more puzzles!
Promote: Fine Motor Skills, Language Skills, Spatial Awareness
Tips: Despite the educational factor in these games, do set time limit with your child prior to their usage so as to prevent them for becoming over-involved in electronic games.
Suitable for children 3 years old and above. Join your child in doing the puzzle and talk about the color of each shape. Download the full version to enjoy even more puzzles!
Promote: Fine Motor Skills, Language Skills, Spatial Awareness
Tips: Despite the educational factor in these games, do set time limit with your child prior to their usage so as to prevent them for becoming over-involved in electronic games.
Article taken from http://www.todaysmotherhood.com/2010/07/iphone-apps-for-children/
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