Little Sponges

There’s nothing like giving your child a head start in early learning. With all of the DVDs, books and classes available, there’s a wealth of resources that you can tap into to jump-start your child’s education.

Little sponges

So you’ve made it through ‘babyhood’. Through the minefield of nappies, sleepless nights and weaning. Well, here’s the good news! Now it’s time to relax and enjoy your child’s company. After all, school is only a short time away, so now it’s time to prepare your child for their next big milestone.

Children learn from their parents every minute that they spend with them. Even when we’re playing with them, they’re absorbing information both from the activity and from what we say. Remember the scene from the Diane Keaton film ‘Baby Boom’ in which she takes her adopted baby daughter to classes, where little kids are all propped up while their mums show them flashcards of life, the universe and everything? Nice idea, but you certainly don’t need to take such drastic steps as Ms Keaton, especially when there are so many different tools available to help your child realise their potential.

Read all about it

If your child loves books and reading, it’s a real plus for them in life, so anything that we can do to foster this interest is worthwhile. According to experts, the earlier that we begin to read with our children, the greater the benefits for them. Even the youngest of children can be introduced to reading through touch-and-feel or interactive board books with flaps that they can open. When your child is able to concentrate for a longer period of time, move on to picture books. Use your own intuition in this respect. Be guided by your child rather than by the textbook ‘recommended age’. This will ensure that you progress at your child’s pace. It becomes a pointless exercise if she switches off, and, if you force her to continue, you’ll end up creating a negative impression of reading.

The more you read with your child, the sooner she’ll master early skills. Recognising that words tell a story, being aware that the page runs from left to right, and mastering the ability to turn a page are all fundamental to reading and writing.

You can introduce your child to the alphabet and letter sounds with the help of ABC books and games, such as I Spy. Start with the letter sound of their name, for example, ‘m’ for Megan, ‘m’ for mummy, ‘m’ for mouse, and point out the ‘m’ in stories that you read to her.

Can’t stop the music

Music is known to play an important part in cognitive development, and some research suggests that playing classical music to even the youngest of children may promote higher intelligence (the so-called ‘Mozart Effect’). There’s a great range of classical DVDs from Baby Einstein, which are the perfect introduction to various composers’ music. If nothing else, classical music can be both soothing and stimulating. If you’re not particularly musical yourself, you could join a children’s music and movement group in your local area.

Once I caught a fish alive

Teaching numeracy is not just about sitting at a table with a pen, a piece of paper and a bored look on your face. Great strides have been taken to make numeracy fun, and you can take advantage of the numerous games and activities available. Number songs and dice games are mathematically educational, as are shape-sorters, building blocks and many other toys that your child plays with. You can also help your child to develop their numeracy skills with daily activities, such as setting the table. How many knives are there? How many forks? As you carry out your household tasks, have a think about how you could work them into a numeracy context. For example, as you go up the stairs, ask your child to count the number of steps.

Simple stimulation

Thinking skills are now considered as a valuable tool in learning. As parents we can give our children a huge advantage in life by teaching them how to think and apply their knowledge. We can do this simply by talking to them and encouraging them to think about what they see around them. Where does rain come from? What happens to trees in winter? Conversations such as these will help your child develop an interest in the world around her and, more importantly, make sense of it.

Parlez-vous français?

You may not, but you can certainly give your child exposure to a different language through the many children’s language clubs, which seem to have sprung up around the country. Being bilingual is thought to enhance memory, concentration and listening skills, and children, who learn a second language early, generally do better in maths, music and sciences. If you can’t find a class nearby, try out the BBC’s Muzzy Language Course for children, which works on the principle that kids learn language by imitating sounds in their environment.

The write way

Every time that your child picks up a pencil, she’s practising her writing skills. Mastering the fine motor skills is one of a child’s main achievements, so any time spent helping her to do this is time well spent. Simple colouring or dot-to-dot books are ideal ways for helping children to master the fine motor skills necessary to form letters.

Dot-to-dot ABC books are the next step up. These will show your child how to form letters correctly. Always give your child praise and encouragement for any efforts that she might make, and let her read her writing to you.

Surfing the net

There’s no doubt that the internet has provided us with an in-house treasure trove for learning. From colouring in, to interactive games to fact-finding, there’s a website for everything on the net. Even the youngest of children can practise using their fine motor skills with the use of the mouse and can point and click from an early age. Obviously young children should never be left alone with the internet in case they bring up any inappropriate material, but, for the most part, the internet can provide parents with a wealth of material, which can be educational and fun.