New words and ways of saying them - how stories and play inspire imagination
Hearing your child using language that takes you by surprise (in a good way!) is fantastic. When your child’s imaginative play starts to include new words and language driven by words heard in stories, on TV, life experiences and in conversations, it ignites a new level of play, language and communication.
Stories and books are great for introducing language and themes, helping fuel imaginative play.
How every child can thrive by five
Did you know that a simple game of peek-a-boo with your baby does more than make you both smile?
In this inspirational TED talk by seven-year-old Molly Wright, the interactions between parents and babies are explored. She talks about how connecting, talking and playing in your baby's earliest days helps to build memory, trust and positive mental health, as well as a great relationship between you both.
Watch Molly's TED talk on How every child can thrive by five here.
Exploring the minds of others
Children are on a continual journey of discovery and exploration. Your child is still discovering who they are and what they think, but they are beginning to understand that other people have ideas and do different things. You might spot this when your child pretends to be someone else when they play.
They may say a phrase you’re not familiar with or you’ll hear them pretending to be Grandma; this is them exploring other people’s thoughts and ideas.
The wheels are spinning in my head all the time – Justin Berfield*
We can be so hard on ourselves. Our minds feel active 24/7 and we just get on with things... keeping it under control. While our minds spin, we juggle commitments, jobs, being a parent, being a relative, being a friend, being a colleague and making decisions. It can leave you feeling a bit like a 'jack of all trades, master of none'. But when your wheels are spinning, it's important to push the break, and know that things will feel more manageable for it.
We recently heard the term ‘brainado’,[1] which instantly resonated with us. Brainado is made from the words, ‘brain’ and ‘tornado’... brilliant. This word most probably sums up what every parent experiences at some point in their week, or day, or hour.
Walking the line – how a wobble helps develops balance
By following a line, your toddler is further fine tuning their walking skills. They are now exploring a more intricate style of walking that helps them improve their coordination and maintain balance.
Following a line, as with lots of other skills, has loads more going on than first meets the eye!
Today I am going to be...
Most toddlers love to dress up! Dressing up is an amazing type of play, bringing with it a whole world of benefits to your toddler's development. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just a few home props can ignite their imagination while also building their gross motor skills.
Imagination strikes us all in different ways. Children are usually super at slipping into another realm and embarking on a journey that they are in control of.
The approximate number system – building a foundation for maths
From birth, we all have the ability to recognise differences in quantity, thanks to something known as the approximate number system. This ability develops with age and experience. So what do we know about how your toddler understands quantity?
What exactly is the approximate number system?
Much more than capital cities – how you can help your toddler become a geographer
You might not have given much thought to your toddler's grasp of geography. But the experiences and conversations they have will give them skills and knowledge that provide a rich foundation for understanding people and places – which really is what geography is all about!
What is geography?
What’s that? It's moving, let me grab it!
Your toddler is now better able to pick up objects that move, thanks to their developing fine motor skills. Great when it comes to playtime, but what about when they see a spider or ladybird? Your toddler might use their developing fine motor and sensory skills to try and grab it.
It’s moving, I want to pick it up!
Motor planning and what it means when stacking blocks
You'll spot the term 'motor planning' a few times in the app. It involves making lots of different connections between the body and brain. Watching your toddler stacking blocks is a great way to see this complex process played out in a seemingly simple (but incredibly skillful) way.
Motor planning is a skill used in loads of everyday activities; it’s a combination of thought, sensory information and movement
