Play-way learning advocates educating children through activities. It underpins formal learning later in childhood, it also strengthens powers of concentration, develops social skills, cognitive skills and self-confidence. Let’s have a glance at advice from Geraldine Demello and Mansi Talwar the experts from KARA4KIDS
Question 1: What are best physical activities for toddlers?
Answer: Take them to the park and allow them to have a sense of their surroundings, air, sand, grass, let them run around. There is a natural urge in children to climb the stairs, do not restrict them, monitoring them is good, but allow them to do the things they want under your supervision. Park swing, slides, hoping, skipping, jumping, running are important activities for toddler.
Question 2: What is the best productive way to get my 2 year child engaged at home?
Answer: Involve your child in activities like sorting; keep the old boxes and cartons, arranging toys, identifying objects. Pretend play is one of the good options, they see Doctors, Teachers and then they role play, and this helps in improving communication, language & presentation abilities. Encourage the imagination and art of expression.
Question 3: How do I make my toddler more active?
Answer: Children are naturally curious and active. Children observe their surroundings and they learn what they see. Parents are also learning with children, it’s a two way process. Social interaction of the same age is important, they may be just fine looking at the people, may not be talking properly, but sharing, caring and just being around other children make them happy, involved and active. They will be more active if they do what they like.
Question 4: How will children read and write if they are always playing?
Answer: Do not jump on pushing for writing. Readiness skills are overly important like fine motor, gross motor & cognitive skills as per age the individual child. Involve them in your making pictorial grocery list. These are all parts of pre reading skills. Read to your child every single day. It will open up the entire world of imagination for them. Let your child ask questions and explore the surroundings.
Question 5: My child do not pick up things after playing, what should I do to make him learn?
Answer: If you want to encourage your child, to pick up the toys post playing make it a game, model that, do it together with them. Let’s pick up the toys together, who collects more game, sing a song along and make it a happy joint activity. Create an environment to encourage them to do it independently and together as well.
Question 6: How will my child learn to focus on one task? How to improve concentration?
Answer: Task or activity should be age appropriate, it should not go beyond the capacity of your child. It also depends on their likes, dislikes and environment of surroundings while doing any activity.
Question7: Can Play be assessed?
Answer: Yes as per development goals. Free play and stru.ctured play both are equally important. Teachers are involved during the learning phases and access each child and help them through the process. A lot can happen through assessment and talk over a play with