If intelligence is the ability to learn, then babies are born geniuses! While babies’ brains have the potential to learn just about anything, parents have an important part to play in determining just how much – and how easily – their baby learns. Here, we discuss the key issues to bear in mind when teaching your baby.
A unique window of opportunity: five months’ gestation to five years of age
The younger the brain, the more malleable it is – that’s why small children are like sponges. The brain builds itself by forming connections in response to the stimulation it receives. A baby begins responding to sound during month five in the womb, when her sense of hearing becomes fully developed. This means that learning begins before birth.
After birth, the brain continues wiring itself in response to the baby’s experiences of the world. Learning is faster and more effortless than it will ever be again. Acquiring our native language from birth guarantees proficiency, regardless of how linguistically gifted we turn out to be as adults – and the same holds true for other subjects. Everyone can become proficient in reading, math or music, so long as they begin learning as babies.
– Babies love to learn!
Babies’ brains are hardwired for learning, making babies the most avid students in the world. What’s more, babies and small children carry none of the baggage that comes from being sent to school and being subjected to quizzes, tests and examinations. For babies, learning is pure enjoyment.
– Teaching should never be forced
Regular practice is important, but not to the point of forcing. Above all, your child should enjoy the learning process. Hold lessons only when he is receptive, and end them before he loses interest.
– Play is essential
Babies and children need time to explore the world around them, pick up objects and examine them, and get to grips with the laws of nature. Your baby should spend the majority of her waking hours engaged in hands-on play.
– Relax and have fun!
Avoid focusing on having your child achieve specific knowledge goals. Treat lesson time instead as an opportunity for strengthening the parent-child bond. Teaching your baby should never become a source of stress for either one of you. If you feel this is happening, reevaluate your approach or trim down the lesson program as necessary.
Help! I don’t have time
Teaching babies used to be a time-heavy commitment, with parents having to make their own flash cards and other materials. These days, high-quality book-, DVD- and software-based programs mean that no lesson preparation is required. As for giving lessons, this takes as little as five minutes per day.
If you use DVD or software-based programs, be aware that babies should only look at a screen for short periods of time. In this article on TV + Computers, you can find out more on making TV and computer use safe and beneficial for babies.
Help! I don’t know where to start
With so much information available, it can be tough to know where to begin. Working parents, don’t despair – you can glean the basics of baby education in just 10 minutes from our Busy Parent’s Guide. From there, getting going is a breeze – and don’t be afraid to start small. It’s the right program if it works for you and your baby!
Teaching Your Baby To Read
As increasing numbers of children are learning to read words by the age of one, and books by age three, the idea that children can only begin reading from age five or six has come into serious question. Children who’ve learnt to read as babies have a much easier time reading in the first and second grade. What’s more, almost all babies love to read!
Madeleine Fitzpatrick is the editor for BrillBaby.com and mom to an 8 month old baby girl.
She is an expert on the joys of early learning and the benefits that baby education can bring to both parent and child.
Visit our website for more information on how to make a smart baby.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Madeleine_Fitzpatrick
Educational toys are fun for babies and provide another tool to stimulate learning and brain development in your infant. There are many ways to teach a child and tens of thousands of educational toys on the market to help parents in the endeavor. The challenge for parents, child care providers and educators is to choose from the vast array of educational toys available in a way that creates a balance of learning techniques, is age appropriate, and most of all fun. This article will provide basic facts about; how babies learn, types of educational toys available and examples of each.
How Babies Learn
It is quite surprising the rate at which babies learn and develop. Learning begins in the womb and continues throughout childhood. In early life how a child learns centers largely around the relationship with the parents. At least until the child starts preschool, the job of stimulating and satisfying baby’s desire to learn falls primarily to the parents.
While babies respond to their parent’s voice there are many other sounds they find interesting. When parents are choosing educational toys for babies they should look for toys that have sound, colors that are bright and contrasted like red, black and white, and have interesting textures that babies like to touch.
Sounds
Babies’ respond to sound and some of the best educational toys include rattles and musical toys. Soothing music such as lullabies is usually best. Auditory and musical toys are known to stimulate logical thinking and imagery in babies and in adults for that matter.
One good educational auditory toy is the Electronic Metal Keys. These keys are good for a child 6 months and up. The Electronic Metal Keys are an imitation of the parent’s car keys. However, the Electronic Metal Key toy is safe for the child to chew on and has a push button that emits sounds like a car horn, doorbell, ignition, and remote control door.
Sight
Bright colors in educational toys stimulate baby’s vision. Look for toys with strong color contrast and patterns. A good one to look for is a colorful crib mobile that emits music, has different textures, curves and symmetry.
One such educational toy is the Bath Time Fishing toy. This item is appropriate for babies 12 months and up. It’s a great prop to use during a baby bath. Making the bath as fun as possible can also help overcome any resistance or fear your child may have during the bathing process. The toy is bright in color, has a rod and reel, and the strong magnets attached to its tails allow for easy catching. Bath Time Fishing is priced at around $16.00 dollars.
Fine motor play
Fine motor play educational toys are used to stimulate coordination in baby’s finger and eye movements. One such toy aimed at developing the hand-eye coordination is “Counting Pals”, which is aimed at babies 6 months and up. Counting Pals are 10 soft and squishy colored blocks. They can be stacked, tossed, chewed by the baby. Counting pals also provides animal illustrations that will enchant the baby. Counting Pals educational toy is priced at around $12.00.
Cognitive Skills
There are some educational toys that promote cognitive skills in babies, which is to say they stimulate the child’s memory, how they picture things and their problem solving skills. Educational toys like building blocks, activity boxes or puzzles are a good purchase for your child. The puzzles can deal with numbers, letters or pictures; it does not matter, but they should be fairly easy for a baby to grasp and manipulate.
About The Author
Tim Lawrence is a father of two and co-founder of Colic Calm Gripe Water for Babies – http://www.coliccalm.com/ , Tim has written and been published on several topics related to parenting, education and family. His website is Gripe Water for Infant Colic – http://www.coliccalm.com/
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