Tag: KD Novelties

How to Raise an Optimistic Child

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Life can be challenging and difficult. As helpful as it can be to remain realistic about life, optimism still has power to do good things. It can act as a motivator as well as a means of thinking positively, even if things don’t turn out the way you expected. Being optimistic can help provide you with a perspective that is healthy but helpful, and raising a child to be optimistic can be both enriching and enlightening as a parent.

A New Twist on Complaining

Finding something to complain about is easy, but if you stop and catch yourself you might realize that the thing you were griping about wasn’t actually that bad. Kids mimic their parents’ behaviors, and things like constant complaining can be something they learn from you if you do it often enough. Complaining comes naturally, and it’s easy to give in to feeling annoyed or inconvenienced, but if you stop and think for a moment, you may be able to find a positive side to things. Kids can learn a lot from this kind of behavior, and if you find your child complaining too, don’t discredit their feelings but instead provide an alternative. If your child is complaining that they can’t go to the park because it’s raining, provide them with ideas for indoor activities, get them excited about the other things they can do instead. This kind of behavior can become a habit, and when it’s second-nature, you may find yourself naturally complaining less – and your kids as well.

Work Together

If there is something bothering your child, take the time to ask them about it and work along with them to find a solution. Sometimes, if things aren’t working out, kids may want to quit or give up what they’re doing, whether they are trying to solve a math problem for homework or learn how to ride a bike. Providing support and encouragement can help kids learn valuable lessons, especially when they see that they aren’t alone.

Share a Story

For kids, everything is new. When new problems or scenarios develop, it may be a completely fresh experience for them. When things go wrong, or not as expected, kids may feel sad, upset or even devastated. Try to share a similar story from your everyday life or your childhood to show them that everyone has difficulties and that they can be overcome. Providing a similar success story, or even a not-so-successful story, can help kids relate to others while also being less hard on themselves when things don’t go their way.

Art and Creativity: Why They are Important for Children

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Arts and crafts are a great way to keep kids occupied. Playing around with paint, markers, construction paper and anything else you can think of from pipe cleaners to glitter can help kids stay focused on a project while also having fun. But encouraging kids to pursue an interest in arts and general creativity can do a lot more for them than simply increase their chances of becoming the next big artist. Art can help boost many areas of the brain, and it can also help kids learn skills that aid them in things like math, critical thinking, and understanding abstract concepts.

Studies have shown that activities like painting, drawing, and anything visually creative can do a lot to help kids develop mentally, socially, and emotionally. Being able to manipulate a paint brush or a glue bottle helps kids fine tune their motor skills. Playing with color not only introduces kids to colors and can help familiarize them with the basic names, but it can also be a window to visual learning. Drawing, sculpting with clay and threading beads on a string all develop visual-spatial skills, which are more important than ever. Even toddlers know how to operate a smart phone or tablet, which means that even before they can read, kids are taking in visual information. This information consists of cues that we get from pictures or three-dimensional objects from digital media, books and television.

By counting parts of a design, pieces of materials, and by simply counting colors, they learn the basics of math as well. But one of the most important benefits to encouraging a healthy relationship with art and creativity is self-confidence. Unlike other subjects, art and creativity, whether it be painting and drawing or acting and writing, is that there are no set rules and people are encouraged to push the limit, come up with new ideas, and express themselves in unique ways. This can be paramount for children who are still learning who they are and who they want to be.

Not only can art help boost a child’s skills in other areas, but it can help to enrich it as well. Just as reading can open kids up to books about particular subjects and not just fiction, art can be a gateway to other skills, interests, and life pursuits. Art much like reading can help kids learn how to effectively communicate with others by the skills they learn from making art and the cognitive skills they gain from interpreting it.

Below is a list of items you should have handy at home to boost your child’s creativity:

  • modeling clay
  • chalk
  • washable paint
  • paintbrushes
  • cotton swabs
  • sponges
  • stamps and inkpads
  • washable markers
  • crayons
  • colored pencils
  • plain and colored paper
  • tissue paper
  • scissors
  • glue
  • craft foam
  • ice-pop sticks
  • chenille stems
  • pom-poms
  • feathers
  • felt
  • fabric
  • colored tape
  • buttons
  • cotton balls
  • sequins and glitter
  • ribbon, yarn, string
  • beads
  • packing peanuts
  • drinking straws
  • egg cartons
  • cardboard tubes
  • cupcake liners
  • paper plates
  • clothespins
  • plastic cutlery
  • magazines, newspapers, catalogs
  • wallpaper samples
  • wax paper
  • aluminum foil

It’s Never Too Early to Learn to Read

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Reading is a key skill that can help with academics as well as in life. Critical thinking, understanding abstract concepts, effective communication and a slew of other skills can develop once basic reading fundamentals are mastered. On average, kids learn to fully read on their own by age 6 or 7, but reading shouldn’t wait for that age to start. Reading can start from the moment your child is born. There are many benefits to reading to your newborn, and it can be more helpful (and in more ways) than you think.

Quality Time

Even if your child is a newborn, reading to them can be extremely beneficial. They get used to your voice and they can experience the quiet calm that comes with storytelling. Even if your child cannot understand the details of the story you’re telling them, they are slowly becoming more acquainted with language and with you.

Brain Boosting

Research shows that the more words a baby is exposed to, the better prepared they are to start reading on their own when they’re old enough. Exposing kids to language can help them develop speaking and reading skills faster and it can also help them build an impressive vocabulary. Studies have shown that children who were read to as newborns generally have a larger vocabulary, as well as more advanced mathematical skills, than other kids their age.

It Still Garners a Response

Many parents who read to their newborns may actually notice their little one responding to the rhythmic movement of their parent’s voice with their little arms and legs. Reading has proven to help children learn to listen but also to see and hear what is around them, often eliciting a personal response as they become more familiar and try to interact, too.

Getting Emotional

Reading can help kids of all ages learn to empathize and sympathize. Older children learn to see the world through someone else’s eyes, exposing them to different hardships, problems, and general perspectives. For younger children, simply the tone of voice can say a lot about how a character is feeling as well. Your child can develop key listening skills that can communicate emotion and feeling without using outright words or simply stating so.

Visual Excursions

Since many children’s books include pictures and illustrations, reading to your child can open their minds to images, pictures, symbols, and more. Plus, the visual correlation between the story and the images on the page can help kids develop skills that will allow them to imagine and understand abstract concepts as they get older.

Making Reading Fun

Making it a part of your regular family routine will teach your child that reading is something to be enjoyed, not a chore that needs to be done for school.