Why Talking Counts

Posted on | by KD Novelties
Talking with Kids

As an adult, you may look to books or the internet if you want to expand your vocabulary. Seeing and experiencing words in action help you understand them and make it more likely for these new words to weave their way into your personal vocabulary. For children, reading is still a challenge, especially for children who are not yet ready to read on their own. You don’t have to wait until your child starts school to begin teaching them language or reading skills. In fact, you can start by simply talking to your children.

How do we learn words? How do we learn how to speak? Not many of us, if any, remember those early stages of learning how to talk. Learning how to verbally communicate is something that develops over time. Like learning a new language, it is said that immersing yourself in that language is the best way to teach it to yourself and improve your skills – and the same applies to children who are learning to speak for the first time. Kids learn by sight and sound, they learn by example and they are easily impressionable. Things that kids see, hear and taste will influence what they know and what they learn, and the words that your children hear around the house will certainly play a part in how their vocabulary develops.

Many adults and parents tend to baby talk to their children, meaning that they increase the pitch of their voice and simplify their way of speaking. This can help create a loving and welcome environment for the burgeoning minds of young children, and it is a great way to convey emotion and caring. However, it is also important that kids hear grown up language, too. Explain things around the house to your child, tell them about your day and have a real conversation with them, too. Not only will this help to expose your child to a wider range of vocabulary, but it will help them develop more complex language skills as well.

Communicating with Children

Speaking to your child shouldn’t be a one way street. No matter what your child asks or says, giving a detailed and informative response is helpful, too, no matter what it is. Language is not just about how many words you know. It is all about listening and communicating effectively. Kids who are exposed to more language, whether it be through books or conversation, are more likely to do better in school. Not only will it help their reading and writing skills, but these language skills can help them better understand concepts across subjects and it can benefit them socially, too.

Remember, it’s never too late to start talking to your baby. Even if they cannot fully understand what you are saying yet, they are still learning, and their minds and imaginations, are growing tenfold as a result.

Helpful Starter Tip: Perfect way to start conversations with your kids is to read together or walk through the pictures of a book.  Talk about the pictures and characters in the story.  This can be done at any age including toddlers.  Point to objects and say the word and have them repeat it, this will surely build their vocabulary in no time.
.

Playground Safety: What to Look Out For

Posted on | by KD Novelties

When the weather is temperate, the outdoors begin to tempt children and adults alike. When it comes to playtime, parents may want to enjoy the nice weather and bring their kids to a park or playground. Making this kind of decision seems like an easy one – you can enjoy the outdoors while your children play on swings, monkey bars and other fun attractions. Going to a playground is a great idea, but it is important that you remember to keep some things in mind before you go and while you’re there. According to kidshealth.org, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital ERs for playground-related injuries. It is important that you keep your kids safe and do all that you can to ensure that their time playing outside is as enjoyable as possible.

Adult Supervision
It is absolutely imperative that parents make sure that they are present and that they are aware of what their kids are up to. Keeping a watchful eye on your children is essential, and no matter where they are in a park or what they are doing on a playground, it is important that you know what they are doing and that they are safe. Keeping a good watch can help ensure that your child does not wander off, of course, but it can also help you keep track of what your child is doing, what they are touching, and if they are generally okay.

If your child needs help with something, you can help them where needed and you can even make sure that they do not do anything dangerous that they are not supposed to, like jump from the top of slides or other things that will only lead to them hurting themselves. If your child is small, keeping an eye on them can help you ensure that they are using slides that are appropriate for them and that they are not trying to get up on high monkey bars or anything they may not be old enough for yet.

Assess the Safety Features
Playgrounds are likely not the same as they were when you were a kid. Many parks now feature rubber flooring and other protective measures to help better guarantee a safe experience for children. When you head to a park, take a look at these features. First, check whether the park you are visiting has them and then see whether they seem to be in good shape. Sometimes small nicks and imperfections can occur with overuse. If you notice anything amiss, you can try and call your local Parks and Recreation department. Since most parks are publicly maintained on a regular basis, you can rely on these issues being dealt with quickly and efficiently, as long as the Parks and Recreation department is aware of the problem.

Look for the Right Park
Some parks are made for general playing whereas others are specifically designed for certain age groups. If your child is smaller, then you will want to look for a park that accommodates their needs. The same goes for older children. Some parks offer a bit of variety, but generally you will want to make sure that smaller children play on smaller playgrounds so that everything is at their level, and that older children play on larger playgrounds – both because it is designed for them and their size, and older children can also potentially harm younger children by accident if playing in smaller parks (unless they are helping you look after younger ones, of course).

There are many things to consider when visiting parks and playgrounds, but a lot of it comes from being aware and knowing your kids. Since parks are generally public places, it is important that you are aware of your surroundings and your child’s surroundings. It is also important that you remain aware of your child’s behavior as well, since they will be playing with and around other children, and sometimes even interacting with other parents as well. Make sure that you keep track of what your child does, how they conduct themselves and anyone else that may be in the area. In the event of a dispute or an incident, it is important to keep both eyes open at all times and to pay attention to everything that you can. With all of that in mind, it may seem like going to the park is more stress than it’s worth, but once you get used to the flow of things, which parks are best for your child and which ones are the safest, as well as the sorts of people who frequent those parks, you and your whole family can eventually feel comfortable and enjoy the outing.

Subscribe to the KD Novelties Blog for more parenting tips and resources. KDNovelties.com

How To Get Your Kids to Listen to You

Posted on | by KD Novelties

As a parent or guardian, it is important that children listen to you. This is not a means of bossing them around but a parent or guardian’s job is to help guide kids down the right path, to teach them valuable life lessons, to help dispense a sense of purpose and responsibility and to make sure that they take care of themselves and remain mindful. At times, it can be difficult to get children to listen and many parents grow frustrated with the difficulties. You may not know what to do or how to handle a situation, but there are some ways you can help better ensure that kids listen to you and that your relationship remains healthy.

Get on Their Level
When parents and guardians get frustrated, some often tend to resort to yelling. However, this does not help any situation and can possibly make matters worse. In order to get another person to listen to you, it helps to better understand why they may not be responsive. Get on your child’s level in order to gain some perspective. Some kids may not be actively trying to ignore their parents but they may simply be acting their age. Try to understand why your child may not be listening and go from there before doing anything else.

Make Your Presence Known
This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous at times. If children are distracted, it may be more a testament to their age and the current level of their brain development rather than a conscious desire to ignore you. You don’t have to do anything drastic, but sometimes a tap on the shoulder, a gentle touch at the elbow or another sign that you are present can help bring their attention and focus to you and what you have to say to them.

Define Your Limits
Many parents might find themselves yelling their throats hoarse by yelling and calling their child’s name through the house that dinner is ready or it is time to leave for school. Some kids may simply tune out this noise or not understand the urgency, so it is essential to lay down some ground rules. Sit your child down and explain to them what it means when you call their names and what it is that you would like for them to do in response. Tell them that you would like for them to come to you or at least respond, it’s about being respectful. For example: “I would be happy to ask you to put your jacket on but after that we are walking to the car without you.” Let them know that listening is not so much as taking orders from you but more so an integral part of working as a team with the whole family. When it comes to other things such as bedtime, try a three-minute warning, such as “You have three minutes to finish playing your game but when those three minutes are up it is time for bed.” Giving them some space but still laying down rules can help them understand that what you are telling them is important while still giving them some space, as opposed to turning things off without warning or yelling, and calling their name repeatedly.

Communicate Effectively
Children are people in the making, and by explaining to your child why you are telling them what you want can help them understand why they need to do the things that you say. Instead of saying “Because I said so,” so many times, taking the time to explain your reasons and why some things are important will help children listen in the future so that you may not even have to take these extra measures if they take it to heart. Children are people, too, and by understanding them and having them understanding you they can begin to better understand why you tell them to do certain things without feeling like you are bossing them around or being unfair.

For more parenting resources be sure to check out the KD Novelties Blog and for unique reading books for kids visit our website at http://www.KDNovelties.com.