Set the Stage for Lifelong Learning |
"The way you interact with your child in the early years and the experiences you provide or encourage have a big impact on your child's emotional development, learning abilities and how he functions in later life." (Brain Facts: I Am Your Child, 1988)
The Hampton Alliance for Lifelong Learning is a non-profit community association that provides resources and support in these areas to parents and caregivers of children from aged 0-6. Robyn Baxter is the Community Coordinator for the organization. Children learn in five different ways through physical, emotional, cognitive, social and spiritual stimulation. Parents naturally do activities in these areas with their children, but often don‚t realize the extent of how it affects their child's learning. By understanding how children learn, and the importance of the experiences we provide them in the early years, we will give our children a strong foundation for lifelong learning." she says. Since so much of a baby's brain development takes place during the early years, parents have many opportunities to contribute to their child's healthy development such as these:
- Physical Learning: Children understand through multi sensory learning the more experiences your baby has to taste, touch, smell, hear and see, the more he will learn through exploration and play. You can provide all kinds of physical learning experiences for your baby such as reading books, playing with blocks and providing a safe area where the baby can crawl around freely and explore. As your child becomes older, encourage their physical learning by going on nature walks, providing a variety of nutritional food experiences, having playground visits, and going swimming or to jump and gym for example. By offering your young child opportunities to be active with you, you are establishing positive physical associations that will last a lifetime.
- Emotional Learning: In the first two years of life, chemical reactions in the brain are producing emotional connections that will last for life, so it's important for parent's to create ways to enhance your baby's emotional health that will increase their sense of security and self-esteem. Everyday activities such as bathing, rocking, talking, smiling, hugging and cuddling can help increase your child's emotional intelligence. If we are emotionally healthy, we are able to deal with our emotions and act in ways that are positive for us.
- Cognitive Learning: Babies are born to learn, so the more cognitive experiences you provide for your children the more they will learn. Playing games with your baby such as peek a boo and Simon Says will help develop expressive and receptive language, imitation, turn taking, and concentration. While music can help children understand how language flows and assists in vocabulary building. Sing some old favourites with your baby such as This Little Piggy; Old MacDonald Had a Farm, or The Wheels on the Bus. Similar to music, sharing nursery rhymes with your baby can increase vocabulary nursery rhymes have strong predictable language that encourages communication.
- Social Learning: During the early years your child will begin to understand how to interact with people, so the first place your child will learn social skills is through family. Yet it's also important to expose your child to playmates and other caring people from the time they are very young, this will build their communication skills, and help your child learn how to interact with others. There are many Moms and Tots, and Babies in the Library programs available in Greater Saint John that offers social experiences for your child. Children who have the opportunity to be part of both family and social experiences at a very young age will have an increased opportunity to learn good social skills and have social health.
- Spiritual Learning: Nurturing spirituality will give your child a sense of hope, caring, and a love of self and others. How you nurture spirituality should be a family or cultural decision based on personal family values, morals and faith.
