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By Julia Gorham Oral Language is the child’s first, most important, and most frequently used structured medium of communication It is the primary means through which each individual child will be enabled to structure, to evaluate, to describe and to control his/her experience. In addition, and most significantly, oral language is the primary mediator of culture, the way in which children locate themselves in the world, and define themselves with it and within it” At its most

By Julia Gorham Language development is absolutely essential for the normal and complete development of every human being. Although language development is complex, children learn to speak their home language with ease in only 4 years of age. Language development is learned through social interaction and many of the first words are used for interaction with others. Vygotsky regards language as the foundation of acquiring intellectual skills, as the child needs a form of langu

“Movement through music means active listening, whereby a child adds to their understanding of their feelings about the sounds that they hear in their environment “ (Crencec, et al) When young learners hear music playing, their bodies feel the music and they start to move accordingly. As movement and music are important ingredients in the child’s world, music without movement will not have the same impact on the child’s learning process. When children sing, they also discover

Children need to be prepared with changes ahead to make them feel secure. Children thrive on routine and on knowing what is happening next. During times of change, a little extra attention will go a long way in helping children deal with stress. Plan an hour or a half hour each week where your child has your undivided attention. It is important to use play time to help a child’s development. Let your child pick the activity or follow you child’s lead. Prepare your child well

Young children today are plugged into technology at a young age like devices of TV’s , tablets, phones, sometimes well before they can even ride a bicycle Research proves that watching T.V. may damage children’s brain development leading to increased anti-social behaviour. There is also a correlation between the amount of TV children watch and the degree of educational damage they suffer according to Dr Sigman. Significant long-term damage occurs even at so-called modest le

Try this flop proof, easy recipe to make yummy, vanilla biscuits with your child You will need: 150 grams butter 125 ml sugar 1 large egg lightly beaten 5 ml vanilla essence 500 ml cake flour Pinch of salt Cookie cutters Icing and sprinkles Rolling pin Baking tray (buttered) To do: Cream sugar and eggs together and add vanilla essence Sift dry ingredients Mix into creamed mixture to form a soft dough Roll with a rolling pin until smooth and add extra flour on the surface if

by Julia Gorham An absolute must party game and best traditional game for your children to enjoy to music with a hidden present for the child who unwraps the last layer of wrapping!! You will need: A small gift (a nice idea when you are doing this with a group is a bottle of bubbles to blow: because it is something they can all enjoy afterwards) Wrapping paper or newspaper Sticky tape Music to play To do: Wrap a small gift with many layers of wrapping paper Gather the childr

By Julia Gorham Assist your toddler to learn new songs by adding motions to accompany your toddler’s favourite, simple songs. Use short, familiar melodies and keep it rhythmic to hold your child’s attention – making it easier for them learn! Foster body awareness by selecting songs that involve body parts such as “Hokey, Pokey”, “Head, shoulders, knees and toes”, “This is the way we brush our teeth ….. early in the morning”. Choose songs that have repeated words, phrases and

By Julia Gorham Fruit art to make with your children encourages healthy eating habits and is a good way to introduce different fruits . When I introduced the kiwi fruit to the children, this was their first taste of the unusual, kiwi fruit, and they loved it! You will need: A kiwi fruit peeled and sliced 2 yellow grapes cut into two 1 yellow grape To do: Place the cut kiwi fruit on the middle of the plate Place the cut yellow grapes on each end of the kiwi fruit for the

By Julia Gorham Respect, kindness, honesty, courage, perseverance, self-discipline, compassion, generosity and dependability are the key ingredients for instilling good values in your children. You need to spend time with your children and make the time that you have with them really count. Talk to them about what’s right and wrong, and what constitutes good behaviour and what doesn’t. Have these kinds of conversations with your children on a regular basis so that the topic

By Julia Gorham Tree rubbings are a great way to explore the garden or a park with your child, allowing them to experience the patterns of different textures from trees. The Fields Montessori children loved this nature activity. You will need: Pieces of white paper Different coloured, long thick crayons, with crayon paper removed Large trees To do: Take your child into your garden or for a special outing to the park Place a piece of paper over the bark of the tree Ask your