Since having my girls and getting the privilege of watching them grow I’ve started realizing how eager they are to learn and experience everything they can in life. It’s so inspiring to me how free-spirited and willing kids are to jump in and learn and try something new. I also noticed how children learn better in the safe environment of their home from people they love and trust. Seeing these things have made me want to create more opportunities for my girls to learn and experience new things at home in these younger years, especially for my 2 ½ year old daughter, Mia.
Learning through participating in the day-to-day things:
One simple solution I found is slowing down and taking the time to involve her more in the day-to-day things; like chores around the house, getting groceries at the store, or cooking something. I’ve never seen anyone more excited to learn how to set a table than Mia was the other night when I would hand her each dish and she would have to figure out where it should go.
I also often take the opportunity to let her help me with the cooking and measuring out ingredients. In fact one of our favorite things to make together are those healthy, chocolate chunk banana muffins from last week’s post.
All this things take extra time and effort, which is why I often have to remind myself that I’m doing it to help my girls, especially Mia. Not to mention, Mia simple loves the opportunities to do something new!
Learning through music:
Another great way I found to create learning opportunities is switching out my music for “kid-friendly” music or what I like to call the toddler station on Pandora. We also have the CD If You’re Happy & You Know It
by Fisher Price in our car that we listen to when the girls are along the ride. Mia loves all the songs on it and after several months of listening to it I’ve noticed a lot of the words from the songs have become a part of Mia’s regular vocabulary. Needless to say, music has a huge presence in our home and it has been a big factor in helping Mia learn. Plus there is nothing cuter than hearing your kids sing!
by Fisher Price in our car that we listen to when the girls are along the ride. Mia loves all the songs on it and after several months of listening to it I’ve noticed a lot of the words from the songs have become a part of Mia’s regular vocabulary. Needless to say, music has a huge presence in our home and it has been a big factor in helping Mia learn. Plus there is nothing cuter than hearing your kids sing!Creative learning:
Finally, I’ve put my so-called “craftiness” to use to encourage Mia’s creative side but also use it as an opportunity to have Mia experience creating with different kinds of things. Sometimes I use different occasions and holidays to do projects. For example, last year for Valentines I had Mia stamp hearts on card stock and we made cards to send out to the Grandparents; or for Halloween Mia glued cotton balls on some paper ghosts I cut out. On a regular week I’ve done play dough, let her cut paper with scissors, paint, helped her build a snowman or whatever random thing I can come up with.
Even with my perfectionist side, I’ve learned nothing has to be super grand and planned out for Mia to learn something new and love doing it at the same time. She just wants the experience and the quality time spent with her mama!
Since the move and the holidays I haven’t been as good about some of these things as I should be. Mia is crazier than ever, getting into everything she can and is just down right bored! This post is a reminder to myself (and hopefully an inspiration to some of you others mom out there) to slow down, take some time away from all the things that need to be done and spend some time with the kiddos to create opportunities to help them to learn and experience new things.
-HANNA
Linked To:
http://www.trueaimeducation.com/2014/01/6-favorites-and-moms-library-80.html
http://sodapopave.com/soda-pop-ave/2014/1/27/what-we-love-wednesdays-24
http://www.familyhomeandlife.com/2014/01/wow-us-wednesday-link-party_28.html
http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/2014/01/motivate-me-monday-210-block-party.html
http://www.carolynshomework.com/2014/01/the-inspiration-board-creative-party-139.html
-HANNA
Linked To:
http://www.trueaimeducation.com/2014/01/6-favorites-and-moms-library-80.html
http://sodapopave.com/soda-pop-ave/2014/1/27/what-we-love-wednesdays-24
http://www.familyhomeandlife.com/2014/01/wow-us-wednesday-link-party_28.html
http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/2014/01/motivate-me-monday-210-block-party.html
http://www.carolynshomework.com/2014/01/the-inspiration-board-creative-party-139.html
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