Help: How To Get 14 Mo Interested In Learning Activities?

[Meeko]

Sorry for constantly repeating myself.......but NAEYC has a great little pamphlet that I give to all parents at enrollment. It is called "Play is FUNdemental". It explains how children should be learning through play.

If parents get given something "official" they often accept it better. I have had some think that learning means their child will bring home worksheets each day . The pamphlet has helped me get the message across a bit better.

I also use the "apple example" when talking to parents at interview. I tell them that when learning about apples for example, I COULD give them a print out of an apple with all the parts labelled etc.......but in reality, the child learns more by us cutting up real apples, printing with some of them, eating some raw and then making an apple pie with some etc.

A worksheet would be "school". But by having fun, they would learn MORE.

You can order the NAEYC pamphlet very cheaply from their web site.

[LK5kids]

He is learning each and every day! He is doing exactly what he is suppose to be doing!!! A 14 mo. old has no use for colors and shapes in the context of memorizing and verbalizing their names. There is plenty of time for that! The 14 mo old I have loves to sit on my lap each day and look at books but only watches on and off during story time and is just doing his own thing around the room.

Also, take a que from him and put on music often. I have shaker eggs and all the kids love to dance and shake those, including the 14 mo old.

He has been here on planet earth for a VERY short time.....give him time to explore and play. Everything is new and exciting to kids and the world is a fascinating and wonderful place!

Play, play, play....that is the order of the day!

Isn't it Sweden that is play based until age 7?

[Cradle2crayons]

I always use my own son for examples to parents who are worksheet obsessed. He's never done the first worksheet. He's almost five and will be starting k in August. He knows all of his numbers, letters, colors, shapes, etc. he cal also add in his head and subtract from his brain too. I know this not because I've quizzed him, but because I've heard him say more than once " ah man I've eaten five of my fruit snacks so there's only five left" because he already knew there were ten to begin with. Once he's started k, he will get his share of worksheets, but until then, I want him to just be a kid.

[Blackcat31]

Here is a couple other pdf files about the importance of play and both can be printed off and used as a handout for parents

http://www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/DAP%20and%20Play%20Handout.pdf

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/pdf/projects/play/pdf_files/play_fact_sheet.pdf

[Heidi]

He is learning each and every day! He is doing exactly what he is suppose to be doing!!! A 14 mo. old has no use for colors and shapes in the context of memorizing and verbalizing their names. There is plenty of time for that! The 14 mo old I have loves to sit on my lap each day and look at books but only watches on and off during story time and is just doing his own thing around the room.

Also, take a que from him and put on music often. I have shaker eggs and all the kids love to dance and shake those, including the 14 mo old.

He has been here on planet earth for a VERY short time.....give him time to explore and play. Everything is new and exciting to kids and the world is a fascinating and wonderful place!

Play, play, play....that is the order of the day!

Isn't it Sweden that is play based until age 7?

Finland.... I LOVE lovethis Finlands educational philosophy!

[Blackcat31]

Finland.... I LOVE lovethis Finlands educational philosophy!

I am a Finlander!

My grandmother (still living) was born and raised in Finland. She came to the US as a young adult.

My own mother spoke Finnish until she went to Kindergarten.

I spent ALOT of time while growing up with my grandmother.

She lives in Finalyson MN ( :



*....and yes, I say "sow-nah" NOT "sawna" :: ::