Random Thoughts

Hello, happy weekend!

Here are nice suggestions that I came across for you to do with your little ones. Check it out.

10 Childhood Memories Apps and iPads Can't Replace By Mariel Uyquiengco

Young children learn best through play and real-life interaction with people. However, with the inescapable presence of TV, tablets, and other devices, time for childhood pursuits are diminishing. Young children opt for screen entertainment instead of engaging in creative play, reading, or playing with friends. If you want to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation to limit screen time for children, you can start with these 10 activities apps and gadgets can’t simulate.

Put on a show

Nothing beats pretend play. Act out a favorite story complete with costumes, props, and musical accompaniment. It’s nothing fancy. Just get some old clothes, ribbons, homemade drums, and you’re on your way! On some days, put those stuffed animals to good use for a puppet show.

Create with homemade play dough

Stretch your child’s imagination with play dough. Start by letting him help you make and color your own homemade batch. Watch magic unfold, as he plays undirected for hours! If you’ve been relying on TV to babysit, play dough might be a better alternative.

Have an indoor picnic

We love having a picnic at the foot of the mountain – the foot of the stairs, that is! Enjoy your child’s company in an indoor picnic complete with a blanket, hot chocolate, and his favorite cookies. You can even read a book aloud while you’re at it. Think of the memories you will be creating!

Make some art

When it comes to art and kids, mess is a non-word. Make art materials available and accessible to your child. Different kinds of paper, colored pencils, crayons, watercolor, finger paint, glitter, glue, and scissors are some of the basic supplies that you should always have at home.

Play store

Children love imitating what they see in the real world, and you can bet that playing store is something that can consume your child for days on end. Gather some knick-knacks, lay them out on the table, and get some real or play money. In our home, we sell books, dolls’ clothes and shoes, pretend food – the list is endless!

Sing and dance

Children naturally love singing and dancing. If you need help and can’t remember your nursery rhymes, search for some on YouTube.com – without your child, of course! Amplify the fun with some homemade instruments: a box for a drum, pencils for rhythm sticks, keys for bells.

Plant some seeds

Cultivate a sense of wonder for the natural world, and plant some seeds! If you don’t have a garden, a nice small pot of soil will do. Mung beans are the easiest to plant as these grow within a day or two. Get a magnifying glass and have your child take a closer look as nature unfolds.

Make a house

Little kids love a place of their own, and will usually build soft houses with pillows and blankets. For the ultimate fun house, give your child a cardboard box or two, and some markers or paint. Let him at it and see what kind of a home he’ll come up with. Crawl into it with him if you can!

Go for a walk

Go see how the world looks at different times of the day. Talk about what you see and hear. Count the number of brown dogs you meet in your neighborhood, flap your arms like birds, and pick up some wild flowers. Make sure to go for an evening stroll too, so you can watch the stars.

Read

Make a variety of books available in your home and make reading and cuddling an important part of your day. Visit the library often, if there’s one near your home, for more books and storytelling activities. Audio books are great too, if your throat hurts from reading already. Your child will benefit from some quiet, listening time.

Turn off the TV, or the iPad, and play, laugh, talk, and enjoy each other more. TV-free activities at home mean more time to interact with and learn from each other. Children need to engage in the real world, with real things and real people, and not just be entertained by a screen in front of them.