BIRTH TO EIGHT YEARS: WHY ARE THESE YEARS SO IMPORTANT?
The early years of childhood are the time when we instill in our children a love of learning! The fun and meaningful experiences we provide build important foundational skills and the motivation to become confident and independent learners in later years.
During the months of
Infancy (0 - 1 year), tummy time is of utmost importance. Play on the floor with your baby. Position babies on their tummies and encourage them to lift their heads to look at, and eventually reach for and crawl toward, a favorite toy. Initially, tummy time can be lying on your chest or your lap, as well as on a blanket on the floor. Follow your baby's lead. When your baby becomes tired, turn her over to play fun, interactive games such as peek-a-boo. When more head control is developed, encourage rolling and sitting up as well. Skills your baby will gain during this time include: rolling, crawling, sitting, watching a moving object, reaching for and grabbing objects, pulling up, responding to his/her name, imitating sounds, babbling (maybe saying a word or two) and -- best of all -- laughing!
During the years of
Toddlerhood (1-3 years), continue with floor play. Positive reinforcement for good behavior and clear limit setting should beging at this time. Be sure to read to your toddler every day. Point out colors and shapes, name animals and make animal sounds. Allow children to explore inside and outside (with close supervision) so they experience different textures, shapes and colors. This is the important foundation of knowledge for later learning in school. Skills your toddler will accomplish include: walking, running, climbing, stacking objects, marking with crayons, drinking from a cup, speaking in short sentences (2-3 words), following simple instructions, playing make believe, and sorting by shapes and colors.
Preschool age kids (3-5 years) continue to benefit from positive reinforcement and playful, hands-on learning experiences. Kids at this age learn by touching, moving and playing. Be sure to continue reading to your child every day and limit "screen time" (TV and computer) to 30 minutes per day. Allow your child to play with different materials, such as play dough and clay, to sculpt, draw and cut with safety scissors. Bring your child to the park to build gross motor skills as well as social skills with other children. Skills that will emerge during this time period include: hand preference, hopping on one foot, climbing, skipping, drawing circles and squares, identifying colors/shapes/letters, getting along with children outside the family, taking turns, getting dressed, coloring within lines and riding a tricycle.
School-age children (5-8 years) spend a lot of their day away from home now. At the end of the school day, discuss what happened in school ("Tell me three fun things you did today.") Find out what is being taught in the classroom and try to build on that at home (i.e., if your child is working on addition, ask him to figure out simple sums of household objects). These games should be fun, positive experiences that encourage a love of learning. Skills your child will achieve during these years include: running with greater speed, more imaginative play, playing board games, catching smaller balls, throwing a ball to hit smaller targets, hand dominance, reading, math facts, writing letters/words/sentences and simple paragraphing.
Whether it's tummy time, floor time, or making the information your child learns at school applicable to her world, be sure learning is fun, meaningful and encouraging. Chlldren's early learning experiences set the stage for a lifelong love of learning!
Have fun learning while playing!
Toni M. Schulken, MS, OTR/L