Tag: KD Novelties

Activities to Improve Early Development

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Mom and Baby sensory activities

 

People may associate school with learning, but while the world of academia may revolve around schools and other institutions of learning, it can actually happen anywhere and everywhere – especially when it comes to young children. The world is full of things for kids to explore and it is important that they experience as much as possible. Encourage kids to observe, ask questions, and invite them to start learning (and never stop) by inspiring cognitive and language development with these fun, everyday activities.

Textures on Textures

Young kids, namely toddlers, tend to be sensory learners, exploring the world around them with touch, smell, and taste. It’s no wonder that kids love putting their toys in their mouths, or grabbing everything within reach. Keeping this in mind, think of textures, scents and other dazzling things that can grab your child’s attention as well as teach them about the things they see every day. Arts and crafts can allow kids to get tactile with things like beans, cotton balls, pastas, and pipe cleaners. You can even incorporate sensory learning into reading as well! Books aimed at infants are often bulky and made from touch cardboard with the intention that kids will want to touch them or even try to bite them – so let them! Even if your toddler is gnawing on a book instead of reading it, they are becoming familiar with the object in a way they know how. Let kids trace letters, get messy with finger paints, and experiment with other objects they can touch and feel, or even smell and taste depending on the materials you have available.

Measure for Measure

Kids may not totally understand the US measurement system in inches or feet yet, but they can become more familiar with the concept of measuring. Instead of using rulers and tape measures, ask your kids to measure things around the house in objects they are more familiar with: How tall is the table in Legos? How long is the kitchen counter in apples? This can easily turn into a fun game that allows kids to use more familiar sensory objects to understand more abstract ideas and concepts.

Get Labeling

For apprentice readers, reading anything and everything is practice. When making a meal, ask kids to read off the labels of ingredients to you or ask them to help you work your way through the dinner menu. Slap labels on everyday household objects, even the tables and chairs, to get kids used to the idea of reading and making connections. Aside from labeling, you can also make it a habit to ask kids about what letters are in the words of the things around them – What letter does “light” start with? How many objects around the house start with the letter T?

With these everyday activities you can improve early development in children and provide a life long love of learning.

New Study Reveals Reading Aloud to Kids Really Does Matter

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Dad reading to child

 

A child’s reading behavior and attitude towards reading should always be a thing of importance to parents and caregivers. An interest in reading is more than just about developing a hobby, but it is about developing invaluable skills that will help a child throughout their young lives and beyond. Reading plays a key role in academic performance, personal development, and their ability to understand and communicate with others.

In a study performed by Scholastic and featured in the fifth edition of the Kids & Family Reading Report, the concluded results determined that early literacy was important, especially when parents read aloud to their children during the first five years of their life.

According to the study, most of the 2,558 parents surveyed began reading to their children ages 0 to 5 aloud at home anywhere from as much as 5 to 7 days a week. But as their children got older, these numbers diminished significantly. Even though parents acknowledged the importance of reading and wanted their children to enjoy reading, many (if not most) parents ceased reading to their children once they were able to read independently on their own. Despite this, 40 percent of surveyed children ages 6 to 11 actually wished their parents still read aloud to them.

Researchers working on this study were also interested in patterns that may influence whether children became frequent or infrequent readers. For many frequent readers, aged 6 to 17, there were several factors contributed to their love for reading – but one of the more striking ones included having parents that were not only frequent readers in their own right and parents who read aloud to them often, starting at an early age. The study also revealed that 41 percent of frequent readers ages 6 to 10 were read aloud to at home, while only 13 percent of infrequent readers were being read to.

As much as factors like reading aloud can help encourage kids to read more on their own and to be better readers, these behaviors can also result from “a whole constellation of other things that goes on in those families,” said Timothy Shanahan, professor emeritus of urban education at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a past president of the International Reading Association. Regardless, it is still worthy to note the numbers when it comes to parents who consistently read aloud to their kids and those who do not – so if you are thinking of foregoing that bedtime story, you may want to think again.

7 Ways To Encourage A Love Of Reading

Posted on | by KD Novelties

7 Ways To Encourage Reading

Reading is one of the most beneficial skills to have. Being able to read is one thing, but things like reading comprehension and writing can be applied in many aspects of adult daily life. It is important to be able to communicate effectively, understand abstract concepts, and to be able to conduct research to gather information. But aside from that, reading can help people learn to be more empathetic, learn about other people and cultures, and understand how to better express themselves. There are many reasons why parents should be concerned with getting their children to read, and it helps if they like to read as well. When it comes to encouraging a love of reading, there are a few things parents should consider:

Make it Fun

It’s easy for parents to be concerned if their child isn’t reading at their level or simply isn’t showing an interest in reading period, but pressuring them to read or pushing the activity on them can do more harm than good. Make sure that reading is a stress-free activity, that it is as fun as can be, and that it is enjoyable for everyone. Keeping a good attitude about it can help both parties tremendously, especially when a reluctant reader is involved.

Make it Part of Your Everyday

Kids are more likely to pick up a book or develop an interest in reading if it is already a staple in their lives. Making a habit, such as bedtime reading or encouraging reading on car rides, can help make reading something familiar for kids. Having books around the house, reading on your own and having books and reading be a part of your life and not necessarily your child’s can have an impact, too. Kids learn by example, so if they see mommy and daddy reading, they are more likely to want to read too.

Make it a Game

Boosting reading skills can happen anytime, anywhere. Make letter games when driving, asking your kids to pick out letters they see or playing “I Spy” type game with words and phrases on signs you pass by. Play letter games while getting meals together, ask them to read the labels and to see if they can find specific words around the house. While reading physical books, try the same thing. This can help reluctant readers open up to more interactive and creative ways of reading that may change the activity all together for them.

Make it Personal

Sometimes, kids need more of an “in” before getting into reading, and things like personalized books can help do that. Making your child the star of the story can instantly spark their interest. It can also be helpful if kids are going through something specific, such as starting their first day of school or learning to potty train. Reading about issues that affect them personally or reading stories where they are the hero can help them to better connect with the reading material and become more enthusiastic about reading in general.

Give Them a Head Start

If you’re having trouble getting kids interested in reading, you can help them out. Pick a chapter book with a topic your child may be interested in and read the first few chapters alongside with them. After that, encourage your child to read with you or to finish out the book on their own. Their interest in the story and the characters can motivate them to finish out the book!

Make it More Social

Encouraging kids to share books and stories can help keep their interest. Ask your child to read to you for a change, have them read to a younger sibling or an older sibling, or even have them read to a pet! There are actually plenty of libraries and pet shelters that host programs where kids read to animals which have shown to improve animal behavior as well as kids’ reading skills.

Make it Special

Treating books as special treats can give them more value. Offer your child a book when you go to the store or as a consolation prize after a doctor’s visit. Treat reading as a special activity when you do it together or when you see them reading on their own. Reading is special on its own, but making it feel extra magical can help keep a child’s interest and encourage them to do it more often.