Toddler - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

Calming sensory activities for the classroom

What are the benefits of sensory play? Sensory activities engage a little one’s senses and as such are an excellent addition to any classroom or home environment. Children explore the world by means of their senses, providing them with sensory outlets can help them better understand their world. Research has shown that engaging in sensory play helps support the development of nerve connections in a child’s brain, which enables them to complete complex learning tasks. Sensory activities enhance both gross motor and fine motor skills, and aid in the development of language, problem-solving and social skills. They also support your little one’s ability to retain information. By engaging little ones in sensory activities, we provide them with a self-regulation technique, which can be used to soothe and calm an anxious, upset or frustrated little one. Sensory activities for a calm classroom: At Capriccio! Arts Powered Pre-school we have incorporated aspects of the Waldorf philosophy into our approach and recognize the value of sensorial activities in the classroom. We have especially seen the benefits of including sensory activities to help calm and soothe little ones. Our favourite, must-have sensory items in each of our classrooms are: Calming Jars/Bottles: a small to medium sized bottle (secure lid firmly with child-friendly glue) filled with water, some baby oil, glitter, tiny, shiny bits and bobs and a drop of food colouring. These jars are wonderful self-regulating items for children who are feeling anxious or upset. Watching the glitter fall captures the little one’s attention and helps ground them. The repetitive motion of shaking the jar and watching the glitter fall has been shown to slow heart rate and respiration in anxious children, leaving them feeling calm and centred. Rice Bucket: medium sized container filled with raw rice and small items that little ones can discover in the rice. These fun discovery buckets are excellent for improving fine motor skills as children are encouraged to scoop, pour, and sift through the rice to find mystery items. Not only does the rice feel cool and soft when little ones run their hands through the bucket, but it makes a lovely soothing sound. Adding rice granules of a different colour (use food colouring to colour the rice and dry the rice properly beforehand) creates an exciting rainbow effect that is a great way to further engage the senses. (Rice buckets are to be used only under adult supervision, due to a choking risk in small children.) Calming Corner: a quiet area in the classroom with soft and soothing furniture and materials, such as fluffy pillows, peaceful-looking stuffed animals and a soft blanket. This calming area gives the little ones a safe space to cool down and regroup. Calming corners help prevent negative behaviour as they can be used to deescalate stressful situations and serve as an escape from frustrating or over-stimulating activities. Adding different textures to the area further enhances their sensory experience. Music: Teachers continually monitor our little ones collective energy level in the classroom, as research has proven that children are most receptive to learning when they are in the calm-alert state. Calm, soothing music such as lullabies or peaceful classical music can work wonders to gently help overstimulated children return to a calmer state. Similarly, happy nursery rhymes and theme-related action songs can assist to kickstart sagging energy levels, restoring the emotional balance in the classroom. The additional benefit of movement releases serotonin, shifts their attention and refreshes the little ones’ focus.

August 28, 2018

Barney says sharing is caring

Just because a purple dinosaur says so doesn’t mean it’s going to happen no matter how many times we repeat this. Sharing is just not in a toddler’s vocabulary when they are 2 years old. To the toddler there is no yours, mine and ours. It’s all mine! He is only just learning that things belong to people but has not grasped that others may also have ownership of certain items. They label everything as mine. My mommy, my teddy, my bed, my ball but also things that belong to others, like mommy’s keys and daddy’s phone. Mine is their favourite word. This does not mean that your child is doomed to being selfish, grabbing what belongs to others. He is learning to stand up for his rights. This is not only normal but essential in the road to learning to share. You must remember that his world revolves around him so owning comes long before sharing. He will offer mom a bite of his biscuit or give his teddy to his sister that’s crying to console her. This is more empathy then actual sharing. Toddlers don’t understand yet that the friend who is playing with his toy will leave it behind when he goes home. If he gets to the slide first it’s his and that’s why he pushes the other child to the floor who tries to take a turn on the slide. This is very normal. It’s only towards the age of three or four that sharing becomes easier. It’s natural for your toddler not to share but we know you want him to so let’s look at how we can help make it happen. Build his self-esteem, insecure children have a more difficult time sharing. Don’t force him to share his toys, this makes him feel insecure. That, what he wants doesn’t mean anything. If he thinks that his possessions are up for grabs he will feel unsettled. Teach them that some things belong to other people. The toys at Toptots belong to Tom-e and everyone can play with them. You are going to repeat this often. If he won’t give someone a turn at the slide, remove him from the situation. Also look at it from your toddler’s point of view. Not wanting to part with a toy for even 15 minutes may seem unreasonable to you BUT do you part with your car because a friend wants to use it? For toddlers this is even harder. Don’t share for him – ask permission from your toddler before giving a toy to his sister to play with. If you have friends coming over ask in advance which toys the other children may play with and which he wants to put away. This makes him feel in charge of the situation. Share with your toddler. Play sharing games. Sharing with you is less threatening. Compliment all efforts your toddler makes to share – positive reinforcement is rewarding to a toddler. Children who attend workshops like Toptots often learn to share quicker than a child that does not spend time with others socially. So even if Barney says sharing is caring, don’t expect your toddler to master this without lots of love and support from you.

August 28, 2018

Cosatto Zoomi

Cosatto has been saving the world from boring baby stuff with the coolest designs, funkiest concepts and all-round impeccable styling, making motherhood an aspirational time for many customers. The Zoomi Exclusive 5 Point Plus Anti-Escape System harness keeps children safer than conventional car seats and has been tested for the 9-36kg weight category, approximately 9 months to 12 years of age. Removable, washable covers keep the gorgeous fabrics of these car seats pristine – and you wouldn’t want it any other way when you see the designs. Retailing at approximately R5000, the Cosatto ranges are higher-end, stylish and exclusive and are available now at Hamleys stores, www.cleverlittlemonkey.co.za, selected Kids Emporium stores, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.takealot.com, www.loot.co.za and www.purplepepperz.com

August 22, 2018

Cooing over Communication

One minute they are crying, the next they are conversing! Communication development begins at birth. From the time your precious newborn gives their first cry, they start learning all about language, communication, and connecting with the world around them. Babies have “conversations” through their cries, facial expressions and body language long before the arrival of their first words. The development of language takes place through the encouraging and loving interactions young children have with the people in their lives. It is through responsive and repetitive processes that young children learn how to communicate. Why do baby’s communication abilities matter? Communication skills that are learnt in the first year of life are what set the bar for success in many learning areas. Communication development is directly linked to the development of reading, writing (spelling) as well as building social skills and forming relationships later on in life. Language skills are divided into three main areas – RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE, EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE, and PRAGMATIC LANGUAGE. Development of all areas is vital for effective communication, and begins developing after birth. Receptive communication involves the ability to receive and understand information. Listening and reading fall into this category. Expressive communication is the ability to convey a message to another person. Speaking and writing fall into this category. Expressive skills are more difficult to develop than receptive skills. Pragmatic communication refers to social language abilities or the “rules” of language. These are vital for communicating our personal thoughts, feelings and ideas. It includes what we say, how we say it, our body language and whether the communication interaction is appropriate to the given situation. Language Acquisition Guidelines By Maureen Wilson (Speech Language Pathologist) Age Receptive Expressive Pragmatic 0-3 months Moves in response to sound or voice Shows interest in caregiver Briefly looks at people Quiets in response to sound Excites when caregiver approaches Smiles and coos Quiets when picked up 3-6 months Fixes gaze on face Responds to name Vocalizes to expressions and sounds 6 months Enjoys being played with Initiates vocalizing with another person 7 months Responds to name Responds to ‘no’ most of the time Listens when caregiver is speaking to them Uses hands to request Different vocalizations for different moods Anticipates actions 9 months Babbles Vocalizes to toys or pets Dances to music Intentional two way communication Recognizes familiar people Makes physical contact to gain attention Shouts to attract attention 10 months Plays peek-a-boo Points to request Shakes head ‘no’ Waves ‘bye’ when cued 11 months Recognizes familiar people and objects when named Looks at named pictures or objects Pushes and pulls others to direct them Reaches to request object 12 months Identifies two body parts when asked Gives objects upon request Imitates words to best of ability Uses 5-10 words (typically names and preferred objects) Alters behaviour based on others reactions Vocalizes to respond 14-18 months Follows 1-step instructions without cue Uses gesture + word combinations Uses exclamations – ‘uh oh’ Uses ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye’ Can roll toy back and forth Points to desired objects Comments Protests Acknowledges speakers with eye contact / response 18 months Nod/shakes head for yes/no Identifies 3 body parts on self or doll when asked Understands IN and ON Vocabulary at least 50-100 words (50% nouns) Words are understood outside of routine activities Names familiar objects on request How can I help? Communication skills can be stimulated and elicited from birth. It is so important to provide opportunities for your babies to “talk” to you from birth. Conversations with your baby might feel very one sided initially but your baby will still try to join in! You can encourage communication development by smiling, talking, playing, and reading with your baby. It will help them develop the communication skills needed to build meaningful relationships and succeed in school. Use a high-pitched, sing-song voice. This helps get and keep your baby’s attention while you talk. Play with sounds. Get silly while playing and make sounds that connect with what your child is doing. Use facial expressions and gestures to communicate the meaning of words. Describe your actions throughout the day while performing daily routines such as changing nappies, dressing, feeding, and bathing your child. Pairing the same words with routine activities is a great way to develop language. E.g. “I am changing your nappy, this wet wipe might be cold!” Describe the objects your child walks by when walking around the house / shop / outside. Encourage two-way communication. When your child communicates with you using sounds, words, or gestures, be sure to respond and take turns in the “conversation”. Read with your child. “Reading” can simply mean describing pictures without following the written words. Choose books with large, colorful pictures, and encourage your child to point to and name familiar objects. Expand your child’s vocabulary by building on the words they already know. For example if your child says “dog” you could say “Yes, that’s a big brown dog!” Reword your child’s phrases. If your child makes a speech or language error, respond with the phrase in the correct form. This helps them learn proper pronunciation and grammar. For example, if your child says “Doggy big” you can respond with “Yes, the doggy is big”. Remember to respect your child’s need to disengage when they become tired. Observe and end the conversation when they let you know it’s time to move on to something else. When should I worry? It is important to remember that language development occurs at different rates and all children develop at their own pace. Guidelines are there to show you the averages, when these skills should be present and observable, but do not have to be necessarily mastered. Having a general guideline for milestone development can help to determine whether there is a language delay present. Often, parents want to “wait and see” how things turn out. However, if there is a language delay present, early intervention is the most ideal form of intervention. Early intervention can change a child’s developmental trajectory

August 17, 2018

Ways to get rid of the monsters in the dark

By Caroline Miller Principal of Crawford Pre-Primary Lonehill To your toddler, the oddest things can suddenly become frightening. Some are easy to understand, while others can leave you wondering. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is a magical story that no childhood should be without. This journey of a mouse through a deep, dark wood captures the imagination. The little mouse shows that even a small animal can outwit predators and a fantastical creature in order to have some peace and quiet to enjoy a delicious snack. It is interesting to explore the fact that the Gruffalo (big, powerful and strong) is still able to be frightened and even frightened of a small thing and that is ok. Even big brothers or sisters, Mummies and Daddies can be frightened sometimes and sharing that fear or talking about it with someone can help – perhaps if the Gruffalo had a friend to walk with then they could have discussed the fear of the mouse and the end of the story might have been very different. Everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, experiences anxieties and fears at one time or another. Feeling anxious in a particularly uncomfortable situation never feels very good. However, with kids, such feelings are not only normal, they’re also necessary. Dealing with anxieties can prepare young people to handle the unsettling experiences and challenging situations of life. Many anxieties and fears are normal. Anxiety is defined as “apprehension without apparent cause.” It usually occurs when there’s no immediate threat to a person’s safety or well-being, but the threat feels real. Anxiety makes someone want to escape the situation — fast. The heart beats quickly, the body might begin to perspire, and “butterflies” in the stomach soon follow. However, having fears or anxieties about certain things can also be helpful because it makes children behave in a safe way. For example, a child with a fear of fire would avoid playing with matches. The nature of anxieties and fears change as children grow and develop: Babies experience stranger anxiety, clinging to parents when confronted by people they don’t recognize. Toddlers around 10 to 18 months old experience separation anxiety, becoming emotionally distressed when one or both parents leave. Kids ages 4 through 6 have anxiety about things that aren’t based in reality, such as fears of monsters and ghosts. Signs of anxiety Typical childhood fears change with age. They include fear of strangers, heights, darkness, animals, blood, insects, and being left alone. Children often learn to fear a specific object or situation after having an unpleasant experience, such as a dog bite or an accident. Separation anxiety is common when young children are starting school, whereas adolescents may experience anxiety related to social acceptance and academic achievement. If anxious feelings persist, they can take a toll on a child’s sense of well-being. Apart from the usual signs of becoming clingy or nervous and tummy aches, parents can usually tell when their child is feeling excessively uneasy about something. Lending a sympathetic ear is always helpful, and sometimes just talking about the fear can help a child move beyond it. What is a phobia? When anxieties and fears persist, problems can arise. As much as a parent hopes the child will grow out of it, sometimes the opposite occurs, and the cause of the anxiety looms larger and becomes more prevalent. The anxiety becomes a phobia, or a fear that’s extreme, severe, and persistent. A phobia can be very difficult to tolerate, both for kids and those around them, especially if the anxiety-producing stimulus (whatever is causing the anxiety) is hard to avoid (e.g., thunderstorms). “Real” phobias are one of the top reasons kids are referred to mental health professionals. But the good news is that unless the phobia hinders the everyday ability to function, the child sometimes won’t need treatment by a professional because, in time, the phobia will be resolved. Helping your child Parents can help kids develop the skills and confidence to overcome fears so that they don’t evolve into phobic reactions. To help your child deal with fears and anxieties: Recognize that the fear is real. As trivial as a fear may seem, it feels real to your child and it’s causing him or her to feel anxious and afraid. Being able to talk about fears helps — words often take some of the power out of the negative feeling. If you talk about it, it can become less powerful. Never belittle the fear as a way of forcing your child to overcome it. Saying, “Don’t be ridiculous! There are no monsters in your closet!” may get your child to go to bed, but it won’t make the fear go away. Don’t cater to fears, though. If your child doesn’t like dogs, don’t cross the street deliberately to avoid one. This will just reinforce that dogs should be feared and avoided. Provide support and gentle care as you approach the feared object or situation with your child. Teach them how to rate fear. A child who can visualize the intensity of the fear on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the strongest, may be able to “see” the fear as less intense than first imagined. Younger kids can think about how “full of fear” they are, with being full “up to my knees” as not so scared, “up to my stomach” as more frightened, and “up to my head” as truly petrified. Teach coping strategies. Try these easy-to-implement techniques. Using you as “home base,” your child can venture out toward the feared object, and then return to you for safety before venturing out again. Children also can learn some positive self-statements (such as “I can do this” and “I will be OK”) to say to themselves when feeling anxious. Relaxation techniques are helpful, including visualization (of floating on a cloud or lying on a beach, for example) and deep breathing (imagining that the lungs are balloons and letting them slowly deflate. So back

August 16, 2018

CAM Regolo

Let baby travel in style with the Cam Regolo Car Seat! CAM, Italian leaders in baby travel, are famous for their impeccable design and style, with matching technology to ensure only the best for your child, whether it be travel products, furniture or décor. The Cam Regolo Car Seat is approved for babies and children in the 9- 36kg weight category, which is approximately 9 months old to 12 years of age. This luxury car seat has various special features to ensure that your child travels safely and comfortably. It has anti-shock side impact protections for the head, a soft head hugger, a headrest adjustable in height with side protections, adjustable backrest in 5 positions as well as an easy mechanism to adjust the height of the harness. To ensure ultimate safety, it has a 5-point harness with padded non-slip harness protectors and crotch strap and an integrated belt guide. It can be fitted on the vehicle’s seat – always in a forward position – by using the standard 3-point safety belt provided in the car. Furthermore, the covers are removable and washable. An excellent higher-end investment that retails at approximately R5000 and can be found at Hamleys stores, www.cleverlittlemonkey.co.za, selected Kids Emporium stores, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.takealot.com, www.loot.co.za and www.purplepepperz.com

August 16, 2018

Foppapedretti Dinamyk

Foppapedretti is one of Europe’s leading baby travel brands, having creatively and technically mastered the market with over 70 years of dedication to baby products under their belt. Trusted by moms around the globe, Foppa (as it’s affectionately know), is now a go-to name when it comes to child travel, not to mention their furniture and baby décor. The Dinamyk 9-36 car seat is approved for groups 1, 2 and 3 (children from 9 to 36 kg). The anatomic seat has the innovative side protection system SPS (Side Protection System) so that every child can travel safely and comfortably and available in a variety of colours. An incredibly stylish way to travel for your little one! A higher-end car seat, the Dinamyk Retails at approximately R4300.00 and is available at Hamleys stores, www.cleverlittlemonkey.co.za, selected Kids Emporium stores, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.takealot.com, www.loot.co.za and www.purplepepperz.com

August 15, 2018

How much time does your child spend playing?

Play is an integral part of a child’s development. This is how they build relationships, learn to trust and explore their environment. Children do not need cupboards full of toys, they need your undivided attention. They need to know that they are more important than work or household chores. How do they learn this? It is very simple, through playing with you. So put away your laptop, put aside your phone and forget about those dirty dishes for 20 min a day and have fun with your child. In this time you will learn more about your child than you would spending 2 hours talking to them. I know, it is difficult. There is a lot of stress in your life and you have too much on your plate already, but the reward that you will receive will be well worth it. Not only will you build a healthy attachment with your child, this will last into adulthood. Start by setting an example today where family time means fun, no screen time. Thus, when our children are teenagers the same will happen. You might be a working parent or even be a mommy who spends all day with your kids but don’t know how to actively engage in play with them. Well, that is where Skidz comes in. The Skidz Clever Activity Boxes are age appropriate and contain over 100 activities each. All these activities are play based. The idea is to take the work out of it for you as the parent and to spend quality time with your child in active play, which translates into active learning. The box is great for working and stay at home parents alike, as it contains more than enough activities and games to do at home. The boxes are divided into the following age groups: 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months and 2-5 years. To get your box go to www.skidz.co.za or follow us on facebook at www.facebook.com/skidzsa

August 10, 2018

Foppapedretti Babyroad 9-36

Foppapedretti is one of Europe’s leading baby travel brands, having creatively and technically mastered the market with over 70 years of dedication to baby products under their belt. Trusted by moms around the globe, Foppa (as it’s affectionately know), is now a go-to name when it comes to child travel, not to mention their furniture and baby décor. The Babyroad 9-36 is the perfect mid-price car seat and is approved for groups 1, 2 and 3 (from 9 to 36 kg). The anatomic seat has an adjustable headrest, removable and washable padded shoulder protection, adjustable 5-point seat belt and double-sided internal reducers for all the various colours available. The weight category of the Babyroad 9-36 makes it perfect for children from about 9 months old to approximately 12 years of age. The Babyroad 9-36 retails on average at R2300 and is available at Hamleys stores, www.cleverlittlemonkey.co.za, selected Kids Emporium stores, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.takealot.com, www.loot.co.za and www.purplepepperz.com

August 3, 2018

10 Tips For Raising Creative Kids…

The word out of Silicone Valley is that none of us should be making goals beyond 3-5 years. Why? Because within that time frame around 80% of the jobs that we currently know will be obsolete. You heard me, obsolete. Technology and specifically robotics are progressing much faster than most of us realize and already there are robots taking over many of the jobs in the USA and abroad. So what on earth do they suggest that we do? And what is to become of our children, most of whom are still in a schooling system that trains them for the current market place? Their advice… raise creative kids. The few human careers left will revolve around creativity, and creativity is a skill that allows us to adapt no matter what the world throws at us. Now before you panic that your child is not the artistic type, creativity does not necessarily mean being an artist or designer (although those will be highly valued skills). Creativity is more around the way that you think about things and your ability to solve problems in a less than ordinary way. Science, for example, is a very creative field. So is mathematics. And all children are naturally creative in some way. Until we teach them how to follow the rules, do what everyone else is doing, fit in, and fear making mistakes. So here are some tips to help your children to maintain their natural creativity and to prepare them for a very very different world in the not too distant future! 1. Encourage failure. This would be my number one rule for raising creative kids. If you’re afraid to fail you will never try anything new or different. I suggest playing a dinnertime game where everyone in the family says one thing that they failed at that day and everyone else praises them for their courage to try, for their resilience in making it through and for their bravery in speaking up. We need our children to see that when they (or we) fail this does not make us “failures” – it makes us people who are willing to try. 2. Provide materials not instructions. The standard art lesson with young children is to provide them with very specific materials and then tell them exactly what they’re going to make with those materials today and how to do it. This is not art. This is imitation. For true creativity we need the opportunity to use the materials in a unique and novel way. Take, for example, South African artist, Diane Victor, who creates her artworks using smoke. Provide children with a variety of different materials and let them explore and discover these for themselves. 3. Allow for some rule breaking. Ok, I get it – if we all broke all the rules there would be mayhem. But, a little bit of anarchy can go a long way towards questioning the status quo and towards our progression as a species. We don’t like rule breaking in general, but where would we be without our Mandela’s and Gandhi’s of the world. We need to question authority, bend some rules, break out of some moral structures that were placed down by people in a different time and era where these things may have held some value. Children need to learn, through experience, which rules are worth keeping and which need to be torn to the ground. In a radically changing world they are going to need to be creative in their moral thinking to solve some of the bigger issues they will be faced with. For example, if you are programming a self-driving car, and the car comes into a situation where it needs to either kill the driver or a pedestrian, which should it choose? Which life has more value? When we buy the car do we need to sign that we agree that our car may decide to kill us? These are real questions being answered right now as these technologies develop. Rather than setting rigid rules for children, have discussions around what we need to do or not do to all get along and get our own needs met without violating those of somebody else. 4. Teach them to question everything. And everyone. It is an essential element of creativity not to believe everything that you hear, read or see. Teach children to cross reference facts, to investigate further if something doesn’t make sense, to ask more questions in general. A child should never think that just because something is written in a textbook or just because a teacher told them so that something is true. Questioning is the very basis of creative thinking. The questions that we ask help us to focus on and filter the world in different ways. 5. Never let your children say, “I can’t”. There are certain ways of thinking that shut down creativity. Statements like “I can’t” or “That’s impossible” tell our brains to stop working on the problem because there is no point in wasting energy on it. Redirect your children into saying, “How can I?” The minute we rephrase it as a question then our minds are hungry to find an answer. Suddenly multiple possibilities open up where before there were none. 6. Encourage your children to be unique. In order to maintain their creativity children need an opportunity to express themselves and their uniqueness in all areas of life. Allow and encourage your children to follow their passions (our natural creativity will lie in the area of our highest values), to dress how they like, to play with their food, to engage in unusual conversations, and to hold beliefs that are different from your own. Explore with your children why they like a particular song or fashion style or friend and to go beyond liking things (or not) just because somebody else does. 7. Find the extraordinary in the mundane. We tend to train our kids to always look for the

July 13, 2018

Making Sense of the World Around Us

There is no denying the importance of the sense of sight. Using our sight, we are able to learn through visually exploring objects and the world in which we live, and thereby gain an understanding of the relationships between people and objects. It is for this reason that parents should invest as much time as possible helping their children develop their visual sense. Visual skills are divided in to two main areas; first is our eye’s ability to see; Visual Acuity and second is the brains ability to process, integrate and interpret what the eyes are seeing; Visual Perception. A problem with either of these systems may result in your child having problems related to their visual sense. Visual acuity can be assessed by an Optometrist. Assessed difficulties may be as a result of underlying weakness of the muscles which control eye movements, resulting in jerky or restricted movements of the eye. As a result, these children often have difficulty manipulating objects in their hands and experience fine motor difficulties in tasks such as cutting and writing or may have a slow rate of work as they require additional time to gain the necessary visual information in order to complete a task. Visual Perceptual skills can be assessed by an Occupational Therapist. Visual Perception is a broad term, used to describe a number of different skills which include: Visual Discrimination Is the ability to identify differences and similarities between shapes, objects and patterns based on their individual characteristics and features. For example a square has four sides and four corners, while a triangle has three sides and three corners. Form constancy The ability to recognize and interpret the fact that a shape remains a shape, despite changes in the presentation of the shape. For example, a square is still a square based on a specific set of properties, irrelevant of the size, direction, orientation, colour or texture of the square. Figure Ground Perception The ability to screen out irrelevant visual material in order to concentrate on an important stimulus. This is necessary for a child at the back of the class who has to look across the whole classroom and concentrate only on what is being written on the board. Position in Space The ability to perceive an objects position in our environment in relation to our own bodies. Following instructions related to objects, such as standing next to an object, requires an understanding of how that object is orientated in space in relation to ourselves and requires good position in space skills. Spatial Relations The ability to perceive the position of two or more objects in relation to our own bodies and in relation to the objects. During gross motor activities a child will need to plan movements taking in to consideration the location of other objects in their environment. Visual Closure The ability to recognise and identify a shape or object without having to see the whole shape or object. This requires the child to visually ‘fill in the gaps’. Good visual closure skills will assist a child with reading and comprehending what is being read. Visual Memory The ability to remember what has been seen and to recall it immediately. This skill enables a child to remember what they have read, as it moves from short-term memory in to long-term memory. Visual Sequencing The ability to remember shapes and characters in a specific order. This is a vitally important skill for learning to spell. “It is clear that the development of Visual Perceptual skills is closely linked to cognitive development,” says Kelly Westerman, Occupational Therapist and Clamber Club Franchisee. “In younger children it is important that a child experiences visual perception through the movement of their bodies before they progress to 3D activities like blocks, shape sorters and puzzles and then on to pen and paper tasks which include writing, cutting and pasting.” Due to the fact that vision is so integrated in to everything that a child does, symptoms and impairments may be broad and varied. In younger children, problems associated with the visual sense may result in delayed milestones and can experience a delay in language development as they struggle to grasp relationships and associations between people and objects. There is no doubt that good visual acuity and visual perceptual skills are vital for the acquisition of skills and knowledge that are needed for academic success. It is therefore important that parents create opportunities for the development of these skills in the everyday lives of their little ones. If parents have any concern they should consult with their Doctors or Paediatricians. Occupational Therapist and founder of Clamber Club, Liz Senior, has put together a list of activities and games that can help your child develop their visual sense: Playing ‘I spy’ e.g.: something round, something smaller than the table or my book Ask your child to locate specific items on a page in a book Arranging objects from largest to smallest, and vice versus Draw simple shapes on paper and ask your child to redraw the shapes Covering half a picture of an object and asking your child what the object is Hide the peanut – Place the nut (or raisin) under one of three cups and move them around slowly. Have the child try pick the cup the peanut is under. If he picks the right cup, he gets to eat the prize underneath. Add more cups to make this more challenging (up to five cups) Object games – Place some everyday objects on a tray. Start with 4 objects and show them to the child for 5 seconds. Cover them and see how many he can recall. Add more objects as the child becomes more proficient with this. Try work up to 10 objects in total

July 13, 2018

The importance of physical activity in the younger child’s development

In today’s sedentary modern lifestyle, pre-schoolers, toddlers and even infants are spending far more time on electronic devices or watching television than ever before. This means less time being physically active at an age when physical activity is vital for the development of the sensory motor and perceptual skills that are essential for learning. The trap of technology Increasing screen time has been linked with delays in cognitive, language and motor development, as well as attention problems in young children. It is therefore very important to limit the amount of time your little one spends on screens and should not exceed an hour per day. To make it seem to your child that he’s watching more — and to keep his little brain from going on autopilot as he watches — break up viewing into 10- to 15-minute increments. Rather, children’s time should be spent engaging in physical activities that boost their development both physically and psychologically. How much physical activity does a young child need? Nicole Hillburn, Paediatric Physiotherapist and Clamber Club Expert says that recent guidelines indicate that infants and toddlers need 180 minutes of physical activity (of any intensity) per day, and children from the age of five need at least an hour of vigorous physical activity every day. “Children of all ages also need to engage in activities, such as climbing playground equipment, which increase their physical strength on a weekly basis,” says Hillburn. What are the long-term benefits of physical activity? “On the emotional and psychological side, active children tend to have lower anxiety levels and improved mood and self-esteem compared to inactive children,” says Liz Senior, Occupational Therapist and Founder of Clamber Club. “Children who are more physically active are also likely to perform better in the classroom due to the impact exercise has on attention, concentration span and physical strength,” she adds. Specifically, the health benefits of physical activity include the development of healthy musculoskeletal tissues, cardiovascular system and neuromuscular awareness, not to mention maintenance of a healthy body weight. How can we keep young children active? The good news is that there are a variety of ways to keep young children engaged in physical activity. Implementing just a few changes in your child’s day can help increase their activity levels – and it can also be a lot of fun! Here are some age-appropriate ideas: Vigorous activity for toddlers: Riding bikes Jumping on a trampoline Dancing Learning to kick a ball Chasing bubbles Vigorous activity for pre-schoolers: Jumping on a trampoline Riding bikes Running races outside Playing with a ball Dancing Playing soccer Moderate activity for toddlers and pre-schoolers: Action songs Water or sand play where there is some movement involved Scavenger hunt in the garden Walking around the shops Strengthening activities are also very important for all ages. These include activities like monkey bars, climbing ladders, fireman’s poles, cargo nets, ring swings etc. You may not have this kind of equipment at home, but Clamber Clubs around the country have specially-designed equipment that enable children to learn through moving their bodies. Get involved in your child’s development Interestingly enough, children with active parents have been shown to have higher levels of physical activity. At Clamber Club, children and parents have an opportunity to be active together, using their imaginations, experiencing the joy of movement and having fun.

July 6, 2018

A balancing act: Developing your child’s vestibular system

The vestibular system is found in the inner ear and responds to head movement and gravity. It connects and organises all other sensory input, contributing to a child’s sense of balance and spatial orientation. Difficulties with vestibular processing and regulation can disrupt everything from gross motor co-ordination and learning to mood and behaviour. Impact on your child’s development The vestibular system works closely with all the other sensory systems to organise and process incoming information about gravity and movement. If you bend down suddenly when holding a new-born, you will notice the baby startle and their arms reach out as if to stop themselves from falling (protective extension). This shows the baby’s developing vestibular system in relation to gravity and space. “One of the most basic of all human relationships is our relationship to the gravitational field of the earth. This relationship is far more primal than the mother-child relationship. Sensory integration of the vestibular system gives us `gravitational security’ – the trust that we are firmly connected to the earth, and will always have a safe place to stand. Children with vestibular processing difficulties do not feel grounded or safe,” says Nicole Katzenellenbogen, Occupational Therapist and Clamber Club Franchisee Trainer. The vestibular system also sends signals to the neural structures that control eye movements, and helps us to understand if we are moving or if an object is moving. “When a child receives correct information from the vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems, they are able to feel and understand how their bodies are moving and working without their vision,” says Liz Senior, Occupational Therapist and Founder of Clamber Club. “This also allows for fluid bilateral integration to develop – the ability to use both sides of the body together in a smooth and co-ordinated manner,” she explains. This is necessary for gross motor skills such as hopping and skipping, and for functional skills such as tying shoelaces and cutting. The role of balance “We often take the skill of balance for granted,” says Katzenellenbogen. “Being able to balance is not only about standing on one leg, it is also about carrying a bag and walking at the same time. Balance is dependent on an adequately functioning vestibular system as the sense of movement and gravity is what keeps us upright and helps us understand our relationship to space.” Balance is also dependent on appropriate proprioceptive feedback – our unconscious awareness of our body parts in relation to each other and the environment. Vestibular and proprioceptive impulses also interact to warn the brain of possible injury to the body when it is about to fall. Activities to develop your child’s vestibular system Balance is an important aspect of a child’s development and can be improved by stimulating the vestibular and proprioceptive systems, as well as improving postural control. For babies Vestibular activities: Sitting on a lap and gently bouncing Bouncing on a therapy ball Aeroplane on your legs Swinging in a blanket held by two adults Proprioceptive activities: Massage Tummy time Have baby lie on your legs facing you with her feet on your tummy. Let her kick her hands and push against your body Postural activities: Rolling from tummy to back Teaching baby to reach for her toes Tummy time For toddlers Vestibular activities: Dancing around the room, twirling and spinning Sitting on a lap and playing Horsie-Horsie Swinging in a swing or hammock Proprioceptive activities: Crawling through and over various surfaces Pulling and pushing heavy items Create a crash pad for your child to jump and crash on to For pre-schoolers Vestibular activities: Spinning and running around in circles Holding arms and spinning Swinging in a swing or hammock Merry-go-rounds Proprioceptive activities: Pulling and pushing heavy items Climbing and crawling over various surfaces. Tug of war, wrestling Postural activities: Jungle gyms and free outdoor play Swimming Balance beams

July 6, 2018

10 Tips for Cultivating Green Munchkins

Home is where the ‘hearth’ is Global temperatures are on the rise and when it comes to raising nature-loving children, the home is always the best place to start. The first and most important step in cultivating ‘greener’ habits at home is to practise what you preach. Luckily you don’t have to be an experienced ‘greenie’ to this. Yes, being kind on nature can be as simple as being mindful of the products that you buy and showing your children how to appreciate the natural world around them. Replacing existing habits with healthier ones require time and patience so here are a few simple family activities to get you started during the holidays. And if going green seems like a daunting task, you’ll be happy to know that these activities are kind on nature and kind on parents. #1 De-clutter and donate: The winter holidays are the perfect time to de-clutter and reorganise clothing cupboards so why not involve the whole family? Create a pile of unwanted clothing items and donate it to some local charities. Certain clothing items can take hundreds of years to biodegrade and by donating them you are teaching your children how to give back to the planet and to those who are less fortunate. #2 Upcycle and get crafting: During the winter months, children spend more time indoors. Crafting with upcycled items is a fun and creative activity that teaches your children about sustainability. If you are not already in the habit of recycling, simply add additional bins to your refuse area and label them accordingly. Here are three easy upcycle crafting ideas: 1) Egg containers. Empty egg containers can be used as disposable painting pallets in water-restricted areas. By using them as pallets you are saving water and giving them an additional purpose before they go in the recycle bin. 2) Toilet and paper towel rolls. Toilet rolls are great items to use for making home-made rain sticks. Simply cover the bottom, insert some dry rice, cover the top and paint fun patterns on it. 3) Bottle-tops. These can be used as fantasy food items and/or in craft projects. Why not use them to make a necklace or combine it with a toilet roll to make a motorcar? #4 Get outdoors: The simple activity of being outside have both physical and emotional benefits for your children so make the most of those sunny winter days. By interacting with the outside world your children are getting a first-hand experience of what it is that they are protecting. Make your children aware of their natural surroundings by pointing out bird nests or give them a looking glass through which they can observe bugs. #5 Grow a herb garden: Growing a small herb garden will give your child a sense of ownership and responsibility while teaching them about food production and the natural resources that it requires. Herbs are often packaged in plastic containers and growing your own herb garden will save you money while saving the planet. 6# Eat more greens: One way of being kind to the earth is by getting your kids to eat healthier foods. Here is a great article to get you started! 7# Collect shells and plastic: If you are spending some time near a beach this holiday a simple beach stroll can be a great opportunity to have fun as a family while collecting plastic and shells. 8# Visit educational centres: If you want to get out of the house this holiday try visiting some local environmental centres, or parks. Plan a family trip to the Two Oceans Aquarium, Monkey World or Reptile Park. These centres often have interactive exhibitions on display, providing a fun opportunity for children to learn about the environment. 9# Plant a tree: Tree planting will never go out of fashion and it is a great way to teach your children how to leave a ‘greener’ legacy for future generations. 10# Empower and encourage: When it comes to discussing climate change with your children, it’s best to introduce the topic in a way that is positive, solution-driven and age-appropriate. Children need to feel empowered in the area of environmental protection and it is important that they believe that they’re efforts can make a difference. One small step – one giant leap! The simplest way to introduce new habits is to start small and it’s best to avoid those lofty ideals of transforming your home into an eco-friendly oasis overnight. If every family were to make a few ‘greener’ lifestyle changes, we will be one step closer to helping our planet.

July 6, 2018

Child drowning – a leading cause of childhood death that is entirely preventable

Drowning remains one of the top causes of unnatural childhood death in South Africa and for every child that dies from drowning, five are left with permanent brain damage from the lack of oxygen that occurs in a near-drowning. Manufacturer of the leading child safety pool cover in SA, PowerPlastics Pool Covers, is on a drive to remind parents that drownings are entirely preventable with multiple layers of safety applied to the pool. The PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover and adult supervision at all times should be included in these layers of safety at all times. The PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover offers parental peace of mind as it completely seals off the entire pool. The PVC cover is drawn over strong aluminium batons that rest on the coping, and a tamperproof ratchet fastening system makes it impossible for a small child to access the water. Small drainage holes prevent rain or sprinkler water from collecting on the cover as just a few millimetres of water can be fatal to a curious child. The cover withstands up to 220kg and is easily deployed by two people, or it can be semi-automated for single person usage. “For years we have been educators in pool safety for children and, with our solid safety cover, parents not only get peace of mind, the cover also allows significant savings on water, power and chemicals, unlike alternatives such as nets and fences which still leave the water exposed,” says Carolyn Idas of PowerPlastics Pool Covers. “But a cover only saves lives if it is actually on the pool. Being lazy about re-securing a pool after use is surprisingly common. For this reason, we developed our safety cover so that it is hassle-free and does not require brute force. Next time you ‘can’t be bothered’, consider the alternative which could be a drowning due to negligence.” The PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover is available in a range of colours, allowing it to blend into the outdoor area, or it can be custom printed with photos and graphics for a unique 3D effect. Thermal pool covers or ‘bubble’ covers that lie directly on the water should never be considered as child safety pool covers as they do not bear weight. These covers heat the pool and save water by stopping evaporation but their purpose does not include child safety. “As part of our education in the community, we launched TopStep, the home of pool safety, an educational website with tips and advice on preventing drownings. Aside from covering the pool, every adult in the home needs to know what a drowning in progress actually looks like as TV has created wide misconceptions around this. There is no noise or splashing nor calls for help. Drowning is quick and silent. Visit www.topstep.co.za to learn more about this.” Even if one doesn’t have children, it is still necessary to consider safety for visitors. Families living in residential complexes with a communal pool should insist that their body corporate install a safety pool cover. “The bottom line is that children need to be supervised around pools, and as long as the pool is covered by us and other layers of safety are in place, the likelihood of a tragedy occurring in your pool is greatly reduced.” Learn about the PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover here or email info@powerplastics.co.za Practical tips for pool safety Don’t let your pool’s water levels drop. Keeping the pool topped up allows for small arms to easily grab the edge if needed. For every two children in the pool, have one adult supervising. The more children, the more supervisors needed. Be aware that children’s pool parties are high risk events. For larger groups, give the designated supervisor a bright hat to wear so the children know who to call for help. Turn off fountains and water features. Not only do they waste water and power, they can cause ripples and splashing, making it harder to see when a child has encountered difficulty in the pool or has sunk to the bottom. Ensure that every adult in the home knows CPR, including domestic workers. Never hire a baby sitter or au pair who can’t swim. Don’t let anyone who has been drinking or on sedative medication supervise children in a pool. Don’t leave toys in or near an open pool as children will be tempted to retrieve them. Teach your child to swim fully clothed and with shoes on. If your child develops a fear of water, don’t ignore this – a child who panics is at greater risk of drowning. Never allow swimming after dark. Discourage your dogs from swimming. Children and pets in a pool are not a good mix. Never leave the pool without securing it with your PowerPlastics Solid Safety Cover. Never design / build a pool that cannot be secured for child safety. Drowning myths Television has a lot to answer for when it comes to how drowning is portrayed and there are many myths out there. Be aware of the signs and remember that the appearance of a drowning can vary widely. Myth #1: Drowning children will shout for help Drowning children are physiologically unable to call out. The respiratory system is designed for breathing – speech is the secondary function. Drowning children’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface but while their mouth is above the surface, they need to exhale and inhale before they sink again. There is not enough time to cry out. Myth #2: Drowning children wave their arms to attract attention or will thrash in the water Drowning children cannot wave for help. A person who is drowning cannot perform voluntary movements such as waving or moving towards a rescuer. Envisage the surface of the water as a platform. Someone who is drowning often presses down on the surface and tries to use it as leverage to get their mouth above the water’s surface to breathe. So what the onlooker sees are arm movements that can appear

July 6, 2018

CAM Smarty Table Chair

Let baby join in all the fun with the CAM Smarty Table Chair. A vibrantly coloured stand-alone chair that allows your child to be part of any meal time occasion – indoors or outdoors. CAM baby furniture from Italy is one of the leading manufacturers of high quality baby products and with the Smarty Table Chair they have provided a well-priced item that allows moms the confidence to include baby in outdoor social outings in a quick, hassle free manner. The Smarty Chair is one of the most popular chairs for eating out, particularly at a picnic or barbecue. Adjustable to 4 heights, the chair has adjustable harnesses and a wide, removable tray for easy cleaning. With the anatomical seat in soft, removable fabric and bright colours, this beautifully deigned chair is yet another item from CAM that parents won’t feel the need to hide away when guests come over. The non-slip stoppers allow the chair to sit comfortably on any surface. The Smarty Char is also amazingly compact and can be easily popped into its carry bag. A growing baby necessity, the Smarty Chair is now available in South Africa at Hamleys stores, selected Kids Emporium stores, www.takealot.com, www.loot.co.za, www.thebabyzone.co.za & www.purplepepperz.com

July 6, 2018

Can Sleep Training harm my baby?

With the stigma around the cry-it-out method – which is what the majority of parents believe sleep training your baby to be – there is no wonder that moms and dads are right to question whether sleep training can harm their baby. In South Africa, the controversial “sleep training” debate has heated up considerably over the last few months. With so many puritan views on the subject, it’s difficult to discern which information is objective, honest and suitable for everyday families. I am afraid that the vast amount of knowledge and information on the internet has also not helped parents, because there’s no way to judge who is right and who is wrong!? And the “shock effect” that is so popular on social media has caused all of us at one point in our lives to share articles titled “Ferber sleep training harms baby” and the like on social media without even understanding the context or information contained in the article. There are two very different spheres of parenting styles that influence the heated debate on baby sleep trainers. On the one hand you have the attachment approach which is applauded by parents who don’t believe mom and baby should ever be separated and on the other hand you have the parent-directed approach, which is comforting for the parents who know they function better on a good night’s sleep. Essentially, it’s the parent-led or baby-led mommy mantra… And everyone wants to pitch in defending their views on the subject. What is sleep training? Knowledge is power, and it is even more powerful in the paediatric sleep debate. I also honestly believe that most of us have a deeply skewed view of the nature and process of sleep training. Sleep training is not equivalent to crying but sleep training might include crying. Sleep is a skill and a discipline. It is us (as parents) that often interfere with the process of our children learning how to sleep well (propping our kids up with bottles, feeds, dummies, rocking them continuously, etc.). Think about a child who’s learning to walk: if your child is always placed in a walking ring and is never given the chance to explore or pull themselves up against a couch, how will they learn how to walk? However, in the same breath, you don’t need to explain to your child which muscles to flex for them to walk by themselves. They’ll figure this all out in a safe environment that allows them to practice. In much the same way, a safe sleep environment, with a parent who respects the need of the child to learn to sleep, will be rewarded with a child who learns the skill and the discipline to do so. I prefer the term sleep coaching or sleep consulting rather than sleep training. It is not supposed to be a sleep training technique or approach, but rather a whole eco system and holistic viewpoint of creating an environment which suits your parenting style and allows your baby an optimum environment for sleeping through the night. Can crying harm my baby? Maybe one of the biggest reasons for the “I hate sleep training” slogan is that parents believe sleep training involves crying. When I was a first-time mom, I believed that baby only cried when he was close to dying. Hence, it was the reason I was in a complete panic the first time I took my baby home and he did not stop crying! However, babies cry. Period. Studies suggest that a newborn baby cries on average for 2 to 3 hours a day! All babies cry. Sometimes because they are wet, cold, hot, uncomfortable, unhappy and/or hungry, and sometimes just because they are babies. Babies cry. A lot. To expect your child to never cry is unrealistic and unnatural. The truth is this – no amount of crying will make a baby sleep without first addressing the fundamental building blocks of excellent quality sleep. Without addressing those, you will only cause unnecessary heartache for yourself. A client recently asked us to help her sleep train her 9-month-old baby. After a more thorough analysis it became clear that the baby was underfed, and this was the reason for it not sleeping through the night. Once we addressed the nutritional issues this baby slept like… well… like a baby. Use your instinct as a mother and more than anything your good common sense! Will leaving your 18-month-old (after you’ve addressed all his/her needs) to cry for 10 minutes rather than responding to a tantrum, undo the love and attentiveness you’ve given her the rest of the day (or life!) and harm her? Of course not. Will responding to your toddler who needs your attention right before you breastfeed your second baby and as such the second baby cries a little, psychologically damage her? Never! So how can a few minutes of crying harm your child? It simply makes no sense. The problem comes in when parents read the wrong information on the subject, and leave their children to cry for hours, night after night, without any improvement or success and then they start doubting the process and proclaim that sleep training does not work. It is highly likely that the child was never properly “sleep trained” in the first place. (And to support this statement, about 85% of the clients that Good Night Child Sleep consultancy work with have done some form of “sleep training” before without success!) What sleep training method should I use? Does that mean then that one sleep training method is better than the other? The truth is that there are many ways to get to same place. You can walk, run, crawl or fly – it all depends on your preferences and your situation. Remember that sleep training a three-month-old is vastly different to sleep training a 9-month-old and the question that you should ask yourself is NOT whether you can allow your child to cry. No child’s needs need to be

July 6, 2018

Winter boredom busters for kids

Winter school holidays are just around the corner, and with it inevitably comes three weeks of your children sitting at home complaining that they are ‘bored’ and being unable to play outside because of the cooler temperatures (especially inland) . Bored children tend to bicker with their sibling or end up being mischievous. The winter chill is unfortunately unavoidable but the boredom that comes with it can be sidestepped completely. Before cabin fever hits your home, and you start counting down the hours until the start of third term, try one of our boredom buster activities – they are all not only kid but Blue Bird Aupair approved! Holiday Diary – Buy a note book and cover it and encourage your child to write in it every day. If your child is younger than 8, get them to draw pictures, paint or colour their days. They can get creative as they want and stick in photos, do check-lists of activities they want to do and draw pictures to remind them of the ‘winter holidays of 2018’. Gardening – Checkers’ mini gardens have given children (and their parents!) green fingers overnight. Use the holidays to get the children in the garden, planting, weeding and watering! It brings a new dimension to messy play. Make sock puppets by gluing wool on the top of an old sock and using a permanent marker and scraps of material to make eyes, nose and a mouth, then put on a puppet show. Have a tea party with the little ladies (and gentlemen) in your home. Encourage them to dress in their ‘Sunday best’ for the occasion. Don’t forget dust off the good cutlery and crockery! Visit the library. Municipal libraries are packed with books which will the entire family’s imagination FREE! Just take along your most up-to-date municipal bill, complete the forms and choose from a plethora of books (and DVD’s). Bake your favourite biscuit or cake recipe and let your child decorate their creation as they please. You supply sprinkles, icing and sweeties and let them do the rest. Make your own non-toxic play dough by mixing together half a cup of salt, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar, mix in a cup of boiling water and a few drops of food colouring. Board games. Dust off the old Monopoly or Snakes and Ladders set and revive the old-fashioned fun of playing a game that does not require a battery or TV screen. Or, try teaching your children the lost art of chess or backgammon! Remember, that young and enquiring minds need to be stimulated and engaged or boredom and the inevitable unruly behaviour will be sure to present itself. With a bit of imagination (and patience) winter holidays can not only be bearable but enjoyable for the entire family!

July 6, 2018

Why is reading to your child so important?

As parents, we know that reading a book to our child before bedtime is a good routine to put in place. We also know that after the ‘witching hour’ (feed, bath and bed), our energy levels aren’t at their highest. As a matter of fact, reading a story, sometimes three times in a row at your child’s insistence, is the last thing you want to do. So how important is it that you introduce the concept of reading to a child from a young age? Does it really make a difference in their development? Studies and research say yes. These studies show that early language and literary development start in the first three years of a child’s life. Now this isn’t to say that your toddler should be reading and writing words. This literary development comes in the form of your young child enjoying books being read to them, exploring pictures within those books and the bonding experienced when a parent spends the time reading to them. Reading to your child teaches them all kinds of vital skills. They learn how to physically handle the book and turn pages. It helps increase their concentration and memory. You will find your child pointing to the pictures as you read the words, showing that even at such a young age they have an understanding of the story and recognise different elements and characters. Read to them often enough, and you can even video them babbling along and pretending to read themselves. Still not convinced? Did you know that most children’s books contain 50 percent more unusual or rare words than children’s TV shows, or even college students’ conversations? Which means your child is growing their vocabulary each time you read them a new story. And the better your child’s vocabulary is by the time they reach school going-age, the better chance they have at exceeding in their academic life. Now that you know the importance of reading to your children, where should you start? There are many books out there to choose from. They need to be age appropriate, picture- filled and have a fun story line to follow. Buy books that are soft-covered and small in size – meaning that your tot will be able to handle them with ease.

July 6, 2018

CAM Volare Changing Station

CAM introduces the new Volare Changing Station – one of the most beautiful necessity items in your little one’s bath time routine. Designed with the character-based friends owl and bear, the changing station has two matching items available, namely the Idea Chair and the Campion High chair, but is sold and used separately as a bathroom or nursery item. With drop prevention system and a soft changing mat, a bathinette with two anatomic seats, the Volare Changing station makes baby’s bath time easy and convenient for parents. It comes with a storage compartment for sponges and soaps, a plug with a drainage pipe and a drawer to hold bottles. Ideal for even the smallest bathroom, the changing station also folds up for compact storage. The Volare Changing Statin is available now at Hamleys stores, selected Kids Emporium stores, Me Mom & Dad (Greenstone), www.takealot.com, www.loot.com, www.thebabyzone.co.za& www.purplepepperz.com

July 6, 2018

To Answer or Not To Answer? That Is The Question.

When I first had kids I thought it was important to answer them when they asked a question. So when they hit the “why?” stage (and mine were close together so they were both doing it at the same time) I was answering upward of 50 questions every hour almost every hour of the day. One day as we were going for a walk they asked me why all the dogs in the neighbourhood barked as we went past. I told them that the dogs are protecting their property and think we might be burglars. To which my 3 year old replied, “You’re not a burglar you’re the answer lady!” I liked being the answer lady until they started asking questions I didn’t have answers for. From around 4 they started to ask about what happens after we die and can everything get sucked into a black hole and what is our purpose and how did the universe begin and other such perplexing inquiries.I don’t have all the answers. None of us do. We are not encyclopedias or the Internet or philosophical sages. I realized that by providing the answers I’d been robbing them of the opportunity it to have wonder at the world: To ponder and contemplate and question and be in awe. One of the most marvelous things about life is the mystery that it holds which comes in all the unanswered questions. It’s like the hugest puzzle we’ve ever attempted and we’ll be lucky in our lifetime to place one piece correctly and get a sense of how it contributes to the bigger picture. Children approach the world with this incredible awe and by answering all their questions we take away some of the mystery. We teach them to assume that there is an answer and an explanation for everything and that nothing is particularly magical. We take away some of the excitement of trying to figure out what’s going on for ourselves. So now what I do when they ask me a question, is that I throw it back at them with an… “Aah. That is an interesting question. In fact philosophers like you, throughout time, have been pondering that same thing. I’d love to know what you think about that.” Or if it’s a more factual question I suggest ways they might find out the answer themselves. Or I encourage them to think about it or set up an experiment to test their hypothesis. Or I suggest someone we know who is an expert in that field that they might be able to consult if they want to delve deeper. I’m always open to having a discussion on something they’re exploring, but instead of being the answer lady I prefer now to be the “with you in the wondering lady”. It has helped me to grow as a person to not expect every question to have an answer: To know that some things are beyond my grasp right now and some things will be forever outside of my realm of understanding. The world is a little more alive when we look at it through the eyes of a child and ask “why?” without necessarily expecting an answer. “Why?” shows a fascination with this very extraordinary place that we call home. As much as your children are genuinely trying to understand the world and may even need a concrete answer sometimes, it is important for us to acknowledge and value the questioning as much (or more so) than the answer.

July 6, 2018

Chastising Your Child: Parents Take Note

By Shereen Volks, Head of Divorce & Family Law, STBB | Smith Tabata Buchanan Boyes The question of whether parents should be allowed to chastise their children has been a heavily debated topic over the past couple of years. In terms of South African common law, parents were allowed to chastise their children, provided that such chastisement was reasonable. Parents could then raise a special defence of reasonable chastisement against assault charges arising therefrom. This principle was confirmed in the judgment of R v Janke and Janke 1913 TPD 382 and in numerous judgments thereafter. To date, no legislation has been promulgated to either regulate what constitutes reasonable chastisement or to prohibit it completely. It has, however, been argued (after the promulgation of the interim Constitution and later the 1996 Constitution, which focusses on human rights) that chastisement constitutes an infringement on these very rights. In line with this reasoning, the promulgation of the Schools Act, Act 84 of 1996, prohibits chastisement at schools. The recent judgment in the Gauteng High Court, YG v S 2018 (1) SACR 64 (GJ), took a stance against the defence of reasonable chastisement when it was tasked with determining whether this defence is unconstitutional. The father in this matter (the accused) was charged with assault with intention to do grievous bodily harm after he repeatedly smacked his 13-year-old son. The accused’s defence was that he was merely exercising his parental right of reasonable chastisement. The court found that even if parents’ actions fall within the scope of reasonable chastisement, there is still an element of physical violence involved and it therefore infringes on the child’s right to bodily integrity and dignity. Furthermore, allowing the defence of reasonable chastisement takes away children’s right to equal protection under the law and undermines the state’s obligation to protect children from violence. The infringement on children’s rights could not be reasonably justified and therefore the court held that the defence of reasonable chastisement is unconstitutional. According to the court, doing away with the defence of reasonable chastisement would not result in harsh criminal sanctions being imposed on all parents found guilty of assault, as these parents should rather be sent for prevention and intervention services with the aim of promoting positive parenting. Until this matter is dealt with in the Constitutional Court, this judgment does not have a binding effect on any court outside the jurisdiction of the Gauteng High Court. However, it will be considered when any other court is faced with answering the same question. Contact: shereenv@stbb.co.za

July 5, 2018

The value of sports and exercise

“Children should be playing and moving outdoors instead of sitting indoors” Says Elzanne Van Der Walt, Sports Scientist and Clamber Club Sports franchise owner. Skills learned through playing and sporting activities can contribute to the educational development of children, help children to develop physically, and can shape them to be better human beings. In this article, Elzanne gives us some valuable information and tips on the benefits of sporting for children.” “Sport can affect the development of a child’s self esteem and self-worth.” Dr Glyn Roberts What can sporting activities do for my child? Teach key values– Participating on the playground and sports field teaches values: Honesty – through fair play and sticking to the rules of the game. Teamwork – through interaction with others, kids learn to play and work together. Respect – for yourself, others and equipment used during the games. Ability to follow rules – to listen to someone other than a parent or teacher, and to abide by the rules for the good of the team. Punctuality – being early, and ready to start when the team does. Controlling emotions – sporting games and activities can often lead to strong emotions, such as disappointment, frustration, exhilaration etc. Part of sports is learning how to control your temper and other emotions so that you can participate effectively and in the spirit of good sportsmanship. Build strong healthy bodies – Sporting activities and exercise can: Immune system– getting enough exercise strengthens the immune system, which fights infections= Heart– improves oxygen supply to the heart muscles and makes the heart more effective. Posture– improves agility, flexibility and overall posture. Lungs– strengthens the muscles used for breathing, making breathing more efficient and increasing lung capacity. Bones– increases the bone density, making them stronger and less likely to break. Sleep– improves sleep and reduces anxiety. Concentration– increased oxygen to the brain helps to improve concentration. Develop gross motor skills: Body awareness Balance Eye hand and eye foot coordination Coordination of body sides and crossing the body midline Balls skills such as catching, throwing, and kicking Elzanne’s top SPORTING tips: Keep your children physically active– The more active kids are, the higher their skills level will be, the more valuable they will feel, and the more motivated they will be to develop new skills and take on bigger challenges. Learn broad sporting skills when young– A preschooler needs to be learning basic techniques and generalized sporting skills, and not those of a specialized sport. If young children have a broader spectrum of sport skills in general it is much easier for them to decide what sports they favor and to see what they are best at. Then at a later stage (when they are a bit older) they can specialize in whatever they are best at or like the most. Allow for competitionin the older child and learn to lose with grace – Learning to deal with competition is a huge advantage for a child in terms of life skills, and is learnt from participating in competitive sporting games. This is also healthy, but it must be presented and taught the right way. Learning to cope with winning and losing is important. Reduce stress and anxiety– Not all children can cope with stress. Sports is known to be one of the best de-stressors for a child. When we are physically active our body releases serotonin which directly contributes to our feelings of well-being. Develop muscle memory from a young age – Sporting activities require fast reflexes and skilled movements that have been practiced over and over in many different ways. If this muscle memory is there from a young age, the child feels stronger, more confident and relaxed. This improves their self-esteem and sporting ability. “Sports is the best medicine for any child’s body, mind and development” Elzanne Van Der Walt.

July 4, 2018

CAM Champion Highchair

Let your little one join in at meal times with the Campion High Chair from CAM. The CAM company from Italy is one of the finest producers of baby furniture in the world, and being forerunners in the industry they have not only the best quality products, but also mastered the art of the aesthetic. Famous for unconventional and always gorgeous enough to not have to store away after meals, the Campion High Chair is one of the products that is now being distributed in South Africa through various retailers. With 6 adjustable heights, a reclining backrest in 4 positions, 3 trays and storage compartments, the Campion is comfort, convenience and functionality all rolled into one easily folded unit. The character-based designs include owl or bear and are designed in easy-on-the-eye colour palettes, making it neutral enough to match most homes. The Campion High Chair is now available at Hamleys stores, selected Kids Emporium stores, Me Mom & Dad in Greenstone, www.takealot.com, www.loot.co.za, www.thebabyzone.co.za and www.purplepepperz.com

July 3, 2018

5 steps to getting a good night’s sleep

Tips to ensure that baby andyou get a good night’s sleep Many parents must find themselves wondering where the idiom ‘sleeping like a baby’ comes from, considering the hours of crying, feeding and frustration that usually make up the night time norm. The good news for sleep-deprived moms out there is that there is a slumber-filled solution – it just takes some patience to pull off! Sleep and your baby “Just as babies must learn how to sit, talk and understand the world around them, they also need to learn how to fall asleep on their own,” says Liz Senior, Occupational Therapist and Founder of Clamber Club. “And as with most of baby’s developmental milestones, there’s no better teacher than mom and dad,” she adds. To start with, it is important for parents to understand how babies sleep. “Babies spend more time in the REM sleep (active sleep) phases than adults because they have so much information to process,” explains Petro Thamm, Clamber Club Expert and Founder of Good Night, a certified Sleep Sense Consultancy. “This means that a parent may think that the infant is sleeping, when in fact, as soon as baby is put down he wakes up because he has not yet settled into a deep sleep.” During the night, babies have sleep cycles that are considerably shorter than adults – 45 minutes long compared to 1.5 hours for adults. Quiet sleep comes at the end of the sleep cycle so when it’s over, your baby either begins the cycle again (re-entering active sleep) or he wakes up. By the age of four months, your baby will be sleeping for six to eight hours a night and by six months, he should typically be sleeping for between 10-12 hours. Thamm offers parents five tips for raising an independent sleeper: Eliminate ‘sleep props’ Children need to develop self-soothing strategies so they’re able to fall asleep independently and put themselves back to sleep when they wake in the night. If they depend on a ‘sleep prop’ (nursing or a bottle, pacifier, rocking, bouncing, patting or riding in the car), they will need someone to help them every time they wake up! Implement an early bedtime An early bedtime is best to ensure that baby doesn’t become overtired, which makes it more difficult for her to settle down and fall asleep. Based on your baby’s age and the timing of their last nap, you should pick a bedtime somewhere between 6–8pm. Create a predictable routine A bedtime routine is most effective when it is about 20-30 minutes long, and the majority of it takes place in your child’s bedroom. Some activities that work well include a bath, massage, going potty, brushing teeth, reading, sharing thoughts or a favourite song, and cuddling. Keep baby awake while feeding Feeding (whether breast or bottle) is the number one sleep prop children begin to rely on. Keeping baby awake during feedings will help break the association that sleeping and eating go hand in hand. She will then be awake when she’s put back in bed, letting her practise her self-soothing skills. Consistency Consistency is probably the most important part of teaching your child the skill of becoming an independent sleeper. Once you choose your method, you need to be consistent 100% of the time! If you give up or change rules every night, you will frustrate and confuse your little one. Keeping all sleep situations the same also sends a clear message about what’s expected of them. It’s not always easy, but do your best to stay committed to the process, and try not to fall back into bad habits when you’re exhausted. Having a child fall asleep on her own really is the best lullaby a parent could ask for!

June 29, 2018

Arts Powered Learning: choosing a pre-school that fosters creative thinking and a life-long love of learning

Who Are We? Capriccio! Arts Powered Pre-School is a registered Montessori inspired ECD independent school in Milnerton. The Italian wordcapriccio has two interpretations: A lively piece of music; short and free in form. A painting or work of art representing a fantasy or a mixture of real and imaginary features. Both of the above interpretations are representative of our approach to education in the early years, which is designed to harness the full benefits of early exposure to the arts. At Capriccio! our focus is on nurturing each child’s cognitive, emotional, physical, social, and artistic development in a loving, creative and holistic learning environment. We are passionate about the role of art in education and recognise the power it has in instilling within little ones a life-long love of learning. What Are the Benefits of Arts Powered Learning? Studies have shown that exposure to arts education from a young age accelerates positive brain development. Art in all its various forms – music, drama, dance and visual art, has an infinite capacity to affect both the brain and the body, acting as a unifying force that supports and enhances cognitive, physical, emotional, and social skills in young children. Ainissa Ramirez once said, “Creativity is the secret sauce to science, technology, engineering and math.” Exposing young learners to arts powered education creates an open learning environment that fosters curiosity and encourages creative thinking and problem solving. These are transferable skills that are essential to building a strong foundation in other learning areas. We believe that children possess an innate property for appreciation and enjoyment of the arts. By engaging this appreciation from a young age, little ones are provided with a means by which to express themselves, which allows them to progress, self-actualise and foster healthy self-esteem throughout their lives. Our Approach to Arts Powered, Montessori Inspired Learning At Capriccio! the expressive needs and individual developmental abilities of each of our little ones are taken into account. By incorporating arts-driven learning and Montessori principals into our curriculum we create a learning environment which provides each child the opportunity to flourish at their own pace. Montessori is a child centred philosophy of education, which recognises that each child has the innate eagerness to acquire knowledge and a deep love of learning. In keeping with this philosophy, we are focused on following the individual child and acknowledging his or her ability to direct their own learning journey in a carefully prepared learning environment. We have incorporated the traditional Montessori areas of learning such as, practical life, education of the senses, literacy, numeracy and arithmetic, knowledge and understanding of the world, creativity, and outdoor learning, into our methodology and materials. As Sydney Gurewitz Clemens said, “Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.” It is our belief that art has intrinsic value in giving each child the freedom of self-discovery throughout their learning journey. For more information on our philosophy and approach please visit our website:www.artspreschool.co.za

June 26, 2018

Oops – Baby’s first Travel Collections

Oops ‘My Sports Bag’ is one of the most popular bags for young toddlers who are just starting to develop some independence and may need a bag to include a swimming costume, towel and maybe a snack. A practical, zipper opening, water-resistant bag that is spacious enough to carry your little one’s sporting gear or travel things, the bags are bright, colourful and feature characters from the famous ‘My City’ or ‘My Forest’ ranges. Perfect for a playdate with friends too. Matching the sports bag is the gorgeous ‘Happy Snack’ lunch box. A 3D soft cover lunchbox with a thermal lining, the easily-cleaned insides are great for storing food for pre-school, travel trips or just when out and about with mom. It keeps food fresh and delicious for hours and again, has the cutest characters emblazoned on the outside. Grab one now at any of the following retailers: Hamleys Toy Stores, selected Kids Emporium stores, Me Mom and Dad, www.thekidzone.co.za, www.purplepepperz.com, www.loot.com& www.takealot.com

June 26, 2018

Oops Traditional Wooden Toy selection

Wooden toys always hold a sense of nostalgia about them. Well crafted, old-fashioned toys that the generations before us enjoyed in many countries are now quite rare. Oops has held onto the traditional European love of the wooden toy and ensured that children of today still get to enjoy building, playing and learning with the medium of wood. The Multi-Activity Wooden House is the perfect example of traditional play combined with vibrant stimulation. With the modern Oops characters as residents, the houses include a shape sorter, spinning cogs, a 3D clock and many other elements that generate the interactivity that starts a young mind working. The ultimate toy that makes learning joyful and fun. The smaller 3D Wooden puzzles from Oops for younger babies are a great starting point for intrigue and fascination. With just 9 pieces to work with, very young babies can get building bright, character driven puzzles that will improve their coordination and keep them entertained for hours. The Wooden toy selection from Oops is available at the following retailers: Hamleys Toy Stores, selected Kids Emporium stores, Me Mom and Dad, www.thebabyzone.co.za, www.thekidzone.co.za, www.purplepepperz.com& www.loot.co.za

June 22, 2018

Why is my child not walking?

Many parents spend the first year of their child’s life focusing on motor milestones, and are hugely relieved when their baby starts to sit, crawl and walk. The variety of baby and toddler classes and other activities on offer lead to a lot of opportunities for comparison of their child in relation to others. This often leads to parents asking themselves “why is my child not walking yet?” “There are a few reasons why a child may not be walking at around a year,” says Paediatric Physiotherapist and Clamber Club Expert Nicole Hilburn. “The first thing to consider is when the baby started to sit, and crawl, as late sitters and crawlers will most likely walk late as well. From the start of sitting, a baby usually takes 3 – 4 months to start crawling, and another 3 months or so from crawling to walking,” adds Nicole. Babies with significant birth histories such as low birth weight, prematurity, hospital admissions or prolonged bouts of illness are more likely to be delayed due to decreased muscle strength, or imbalances between muscle groups. What factors prevent your child from walking? “An increasing number of babies are presenting with a condition called torticollis – which is where one of the muscles in the neck is tight due to position in utero, or often due to positioning postnatally in premature infants who have been in the intensive care unit for a while,” explains Nicole. Untreated, this condition leads to decreased use and stiffness of the arm and leg on the same side as the tight muscle in the neck, and may interfere with development. This condition may be present when a baby holds his head slightly to one side, and prefers looking to one side; or cannot look all the way to one side. Babies who use alternative methods of crawling such as bottom shuffling will not develop the core stability and pelvic girdle stability to support them in standing and walking, which will delay the onset of walking. These babies will also struggle to pull up to stand from the floor, due to being on their bottoms and struggling with kneeling. There are a few reasons for bum shuffling – the main reason we usually find that baby’s bum shuffle is due to resistance to tummy time – this leads to weak back muscles, weak arms, and the baby never really experimenting with pushing up off the ground. Excessive use of equipment such as seating devices, and walking rings may lead to walking delays. This is because the child is fully supported in these devices and is not using muscles or engaging postural control while in them. A baby’s temperament also contributes to how quickly he or she will start moving. A very easy-going baby may take longer than a very busy baby. A baby with sensory issues, or who is happy being stable will also take longer to walk, as gaining balance on two legs is much more difficult than being stable on all fours, and these babies may find this frightening. How can you ensure that your baby is on track to walk? Lots of floor play between the ages of 1 and 6 months – on the back and the tummy, which will strengthen the trunk muscles. If a baby looks like he/she is not going to crawl or is using an alternative method to move such as rolling or bottom shuffling, this should be corrected by a physiotherapist, in order to build up appropriate muscle strength in the trunk, shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle. Torticollis should be treated by a physiotherapist. Once a baby is pulling up to stand and cruising, the following tips can be used to promote walking: Use a wooden wagon to push around Play in the standing position at flat surfaces such as a fridge (e.g. playing with magnets) Encourage play while standing, and give your baby something in each hand, which will encourage standing without holding on Walking with your baby while holding his hands You can also use a hula-hoop if he tends to pull down on your hands a lot – you hold one side and walk backwards and your baby holds the other side – this will give less support, and encourage him to engage his muscles more.

June 20, 2018

4 Important personal hygiene habits to teach your children

Personal hygiene is something that can be taught to children when they are very young. While some may argue it is not worth it to teach a child who may not clearly understand you to wash their hands, once they hear it over and over again, it will begin to sink in. Eventually it will become second nature to them. The 4 most important personal hygiene habits to teach your children at an early age include washing their hands, covering their nose and mouth, bathingdaily, and having good dental health by brushingwith electric toothbrushesand flossing on a daily basis. Hand washing is one of the most important things you can teach your child. This is the biggest way to safeguard your child from sickness. Teach your children to wash their hands before and after eating, after using the restroom, after coughing/sneezing, after playing with pets, after coming home from school or daycare, and after playing outside. To wash hands, a child should first wet their hands with warm water, then lather up with soap. The hands should be scrubbed while singing “Happy Birthday” twice, then rinsed well with warm water before drying off with a towel. Covering noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing will prevent many germs from being spread. It is best to teach children to cough and sneeze into their upper arm or shoulder to prevent more germs from being spread. However, if your child can not master this, you will need to make sure that they wash their hands as described in number one after they have covered their coughs and sneezes. Taking a bath is essential for good health. Once children are old enough, they may wish to shower. If bath time is not something that your child looks forward to, consider a fun bubble bath or a neat bath toy. Make sure you teach your child that it is essential to wash all parts of the body with soap to stay clean and healthy. Hair should be washed three per week to keep it free from dirt and oils. Hair should be brushed daily to avoid any tangles. While teaching hair care, let it be known to your child that they should avoid sharing combs and brushes with others to prevent the spread of lice. Good dental health is essential for any child. Many argue that it does not really matter if they brush or floss their teeth as they will eventually get their permanent teeth sooner or later. But teaching them now will ensure that they have good dental health for life. Many children prefer to be independent when they are young, so after they have brushed their teeth, you can quickly go over the teeth again to make sure that they are not missing spots. If they do not like brushing their teeth, you can add some excitement to their routine by purchasing an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushescan make brushing the teeth more exciting which could lead to less of a battle on your part. As an added benefit, electric toothbrushes can help clean the teeth better, which will lead to fewer cavities and less plaque and tartar accumulation.

June 20, 2018

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