Category: KD Novelties

Playtime is Crucial for Growth Development

Posted on | by KD Novelties
We don’t see a messy room we see growth development!

As a child, playtime is sacred. In early grades, it is one of the more cherished parts of the school day and sometimes kids would rather play than go to sleep or do their homework. Playtime may seem like downtime, but it can actually play an important role in a child’s early development. From the time that they are infants and toddlers and up and onward, allowing kids with ample time to play can help bolster their imagination, their creativity and even their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Babies learn by interacting with the physical world around them. They touch, feel and explore objects. At this age, children play with items and the space around them in order to understand it, so you can see why playtime is so vital at this stage. This is why many toys are geared towards introducing kids to colors, shapes and numbers. Since children cannot yet communicate through language, they learn by seeing, feeling, interacting and even tasting – hence the desire to drool and gnaw on everything they get their little hands on!

Older children can benefit greatly from playtime as well, but it helps to make distinctions between types of play. Media can be informative and imaginative, but parents should still try to limit screen time so children can exercise their own personal modes of creativity and ingenuity. Whether children are reading a physical book, playing pretend, or reenacting a story with dolls and action figures, they are fueling their activities with ideas that are their own. This sort of playtime can allow children to explore their interests and even learn more about themselves. It is also not uncommon for favorite playtime activities to become lifelong hobbies and passions for music, art, creative writing, or acting.

Legos provide hours of spatial reasoning

Encouraging kids to play allows them to learn things naturally and organically. Playing with blocks allows kids to develop spatial reasoning and an understanding of engineering and physics. Writing or reading stories helps critical thinking skills and abstract concept understanding. Acting can help with communication and expression, and sports or other activities can help kids excel in other physical arenas. There are so many possibilities for education and personal development when it comes to playtime. Encourage your children to play, to invent, to play pretend, and to help them learn more about themselves and inspire a curiosity in the world around them, that will live on in their imagination well after they’ve “grown up”.

For more parenting resources be sure to subscribe to the KD Novelties Blog so you don’t miss an update and check out our website for personalized books for kids that can be a part of playtime or quiet time.

7 Ways to Teach Kids Not to Take Things for Granted

Posted on | by KD Novelties
Being Thankful

In today’s world, we have so many resources available to us. Not only are we lucky to have so much information and so many everyday advances at our fingertips to make our daily lives easier, but we also have a plethora of entertainment options ready for the choosing whenever we so please. As parents, it is only natural to want to do everything for your children and to provide them with all of the conveniences and commodities that you may not have had access to during your own childhood. Many generations are like this, and we always want to do better and give more – but there can be a downside.

In today’s world, television, mobile devices, music, the internet, you name it, is always readily available. It may be difficult for some parents to limit the time their children spend doing any of these given things, leading to a sense of entitlement and selfishness. Sometimes, these side effects occur by accident. You want your child to be happy so you provide them with the means to be happily content every moment of their lives, but this may lead to issues with gratitude and can really affect how they view others and the world around them. Without actually taking your children off the grid, there are some ways you can make sure that they learn to appreciate what they have in life and how to be humble, well-rounded people as they get older.

Be Their Role Model
Kids learn by mimicking. This means that they will learn to conduct themselves much in the same way that they see others around them do, and as a parent you are arguably your child’s biggest influence. In order to teach your children gratitude, you will need to actively practice showing gratitude yourself as well.

Be Sure to Thank Your Children
As a role model, you will need to actively show gratitude and be thankful for what you have as well as for what others do for you. When your child completes a task, does something nice without being prompted, or accomplishes something, make sure to thank them. Being on the receiving end of gratitude can help children to understand just how much this sort of sentiment really means to them and how much it must mean to other people as well.

Importance of Thank You

Do Some Teaching
As Americans, we are awarded many freedoms but it is more complex than it simply being the law. Teach your children about American history and those who fought for the freedoms we have today. There are many things that even adults take for granted that are not part of the realities other people around the world experience. It is important for kids to understand where their privileges come from and to be thankful for them instead of thinking that they are a given.

The Importance of “Thank You”
Many kids simply say ‘thank you’ because they are told to do so without really understanding why. Explaining what the sentiment means and how much weight it can really carry can help kids realize how integral showing thanks can be, whether it be in the form of a verbal “thank you”, a thank you note or even a gift.

Prompt You Kids to Give Back
Kids are more likely to follow through with something to the end if they have a part in coming up with the idea, just like how kids are more likely to try new foods if they have a hand in the meal prep. Ask your kids to do something nice for someone that might have a need that they can help with, or someone that cares for them, or has helped them in the past, and encourage them to do something nice for them.

Challenge Entitled Behavior the Moment it Happens
If your child expects something and is unhappy with being denied the thing they want, whether it be a treat, a toy or extra TV time, nip it in the bud as soon as you can. Ask your child what is really important. Ask them what it is they think they deserve and why. Making it a point of conversation can help children understand the true value of the things that they have as well as what the true value of their actions and beliefs are.

Learn to Love the Small Things

Gratitude is the greatest of virtues

Children can take certain things for granted because it is simply all they know. Point out little things that both you and your children should be thankful for and explain why. Your children may not realize just how valuable having clean water is and just how lucky they are to have it in order to survive. Having warm clothes and even amenities like kitchen appliances, toilets, heating, you name it! Remind your children that there are other kids out there who may not have any of these necessary things, let alone a toy to play with.

Teaching your child to be thankful and to show gratitude is not going to happen overnight, and it is not something you can teach with a single lesson. As a parent, you will have to make sure that you set a good example, too, so remember to be grateful as well.

For more valuable parenting tips be sure to subscribe to the KD Novelties Blog where we always have weekly parenting tips and reading resources.

KD Novelties publisher of Personalized Children’s Books

Difference Between a Developmental Lag and a Reading Disorder

Posted on | by KD Novelties
Developmental Lag or Reading Disorder

What is the difference between spotting a developmental lag and a reading disorder? Both issues may look the same from observation, so ultimately, no matter what, it is always wise to see a specialist in the event this thought occurs to a parent at all.

Many parents would like to believe that their children are developing healthily and normally – who wouldn’t? Each individual is different and as kids become their own people, they will undoubtedly develop their own quirks and interests. If you notice that your child is not reading or shows no interest in the activity, your mind may initially make excuses along the lines of “maybe they’re just not a reader,” or “perhaps they learn a little slower and are more of a visual or hands-on learner.” Either of these may be true, certainly, but there is nothing wrong with doing a little bit of investigating first. Many parents who have children with reading disabilities find out a little too late, ‘a little too late’ meaning that their child’s education may have already suffered and that valuable time getting help has been lost.

Research shows that it is crucial that kids receive the proper developmental health during their first few years of schooling. This window of opportunity can be fleeting and many parents miss it because they are easily dissuaded from seeking help. If you notice that your child is having difficulties reading, the reason may absolutely be that they have a developmental lag or simply have no initial interest in the activity. However, it is always wise to be safe than sorry. It is better to be told that your child has a developmental lag by a professional early on in either case, because even if your child does not have a disorder, you can begin to implement healthy incentives to help them learn regardless. But if your child does have a reading disorder, the earlier they receive help the better.

The longer you wait to get help or guidance in the event that your child has a reading disorder, the harder it will be to get them on the right track. If treatment and therapy is implemented early, kids will adopt it much more easily and almost more naturally as well. Just as learning a language later in life becomes ultimately more difficult and forced, than learning one from an early age, so is learning how to cope with a reading disorder. It is still entirely possible to help children who are around the age of 7 or 8, but it becomes more and more difficult as the child gets older.

Reading disorders, such as dyslexia, are not exclusive to reading alone. Since reading is integral to learning, kids with reading problems will ultimately have issues learning other subjects as well and may fall behind substantially. The best way to quell any concerns that you may have regarding your child’s ability to or interest in reading is to see a specialist and to have your child tested. There should be no stigma involved, especially since you will be helping your child grow and learn.

For more reading resources and to check out our personalized books for kids which boosts self-esteem and enhances the reading experience visit us at http://www.KDNovelties.com.