Comments on: Stimulating young minds http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/ Shelly Phillips offers parenting tips, help and classes Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:42:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Fashion Blog http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3556 Fashion Blog Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:01:07 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3556 hey, this is a really great article! thanks a lot for sharing! hey, this is a really great article! thanks a lot for sharing!

]]> By: Shelly http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3427 Shelly Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:17:31 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3427 Hey Nina, I love it that you're taking a more proactive role in making sure your sons needs for intellectual stimulation and attention are better met. Nice! I love the game memory and love to play it with 5-7yolds. I think this game is especially useful because it teaches kids to increase their memory skills in a fun and exciting way. Your son may also enjoy checkers and go fish. Regarding activities, I bet he would enjoy getting more involved in the kitchen and food preparation (dish washing, vegetable chopping with a safety chopper, learning to crack eggs, etc.) And depending on his interests, you can create a challenging game out of just about anything. Sometimes with this age group it's fun to create a treasure hunt around the house or an obstacle course in the back yard. Given how smart your son is, I'd also recommend playing some word games with him while you're busy at other tasks. You can practice rhyming, classify animals into mammals, fish, reptiles or birds, come up with words that start with the same letter, and even make up songs and stories together. I hope that's enough to encourage you to get even more creative. I'm so happy to hear that you're having fun together and may the fun times continue! .-= Shelly´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/" rel="nofollow">Stimulating young minds</a> =-. Hey Nina,

I love it that you’re taking a more proactive role in making sure your sons needs for intellectual stimulation and attention are better met. Nice!

I love the game memory and love to play it with 5-7yolds. I think this game is especially useful because it teaches kids to increase their memory skills in a fun and exciting way. Your son may also enjoy checkers and go fish.

Regarding activities, I bet he would enjoy getting more involved in the kitchen and food preparation (dish washing, vegetable chopping with a safety chopper, learning to crack eggs, etc.) And depending on his interests, you can create a challenging game out of just about anything. Sometimes with this age group it’s fun to create a treasure hunt around the house or an obstacle course in the back yard.

Given how smart your son is, I’d also recommend playing some word games with him while you’re busy at other tasks. You can practice rhyming, classify animals into mammals, fish, reptiles or birds, come up with words that start with the same letter, and even make up songs and stories together.

I hope that’s enough to encourage you to get even more creative. I’m so happy to hear that you’re having fun together and may the fun times continue!
Shelly´s last blog ..Stimulating young minds My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Nina Nelson http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3418 Nina Nelson Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:03:45 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3418 Shelly, Our son just turned 5 and he has always had tons of energy. And is always getting into trouble! My husband and I decided last week that since we believe in prevention in every other aspect of our life, that we should practice that with our children instead - make sure they aren't hungry, tired or bored. We decided that this is exactly what Isaac needs because he is so energetic and smart. Lately we've been playing a lot of Connect 4 with him and we've noticed a difference in his behavior. And now he beats us all the time! Do you have any other suggestions for good games for 5-year-olds or activities that you've used in the past? Thanks. Nina Shelly,
Our son just turned 5 and he has always had tons of energy. And is always getting into trouble! My husband and I decided last week that since we believe in prevention in every other aspect of our life, that we should practice that with our children instead – make sure they aren’t hungry, tired or bored. We decided that this is exactly what Isaac needs because he is so energetic and smart. Lately we’ve been playing a lot of Connect 4 with him and we’ve noticed a difference in his behavior. And now he beats us all the time! Do you have any other suggestions for good games for 5-year-olds or activities that you’ve used in the past? Thanks.
Nina

]]> By: Shelly http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3416 Shelly Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:40:16 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3416 Hey Connie, Absolutely I have ideas for a 9 year old! I'll throw out a couple here and if you'd like more individualized ideas, you're welcome to email me directly shelly@awakeparent.com. Again, you want to tap into your 9 year old daughter's interests so she could be reading chapter books, learning about other cultures, learning geography, ornithology, learning the names of marine mammals or insects. Depending on where you are and what season it is, she could collect flowers from the garden to adorn your home, create artwork for her bedroom walls (learn to draw, paint, sculpt or collage). If she loves babies and little kids she could begin a 3 year long program to prepare her for babysitting. You can teach her to diaper a doll, how to hold a baby, what is dangerous for babies and toddlers. If she's into growing plants, she can have a few of her own houseplants to care for, and she can plant a small garden in the spring. If she loves animals she can begin to walk the dog or feed the cats or possibly even volunteer at the local animal shelter (I'm not sure what your local rules are for volunteering ages). I hope this helps and I'm curious, has it spurred any ideas you have about what would be most interesting to your daughter? .-= Shelly´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/" rel="nofollow">Stimulating young minds</a> =-. Hey Connie, Absolutely I have ideas for a 9 year old! I’ll throw out a couple here and if you’d like more individualized ideas, you’re welcome to email me directly shelly@awakeparent.com. Again, you want to tap into your 9 year old daughter’s interests so she could be reading chapter books, learning about other cultures, learning geography, ornithology, learning the names of marine mammals or insects.

Depending on where you are and what season it is, she could collect flowers from the garden to adorn your home, create artwork for her bedroom walls (learn to draw, paint, sculpt or collage).

If she loves babies and little kids she could begin a 3 year long program to prepare her for babysitting. You can teach her to diaper a doll, how to hold a baby, what is dangerous for babies and toddlers. If she’s into growing plants, she can have a few of her own houseplants to care for, and she can plant a small garden in the spring. If she loves animals she can begin to walk the dog or feed the cats or possibly even volunteer at the local animal shelter (I’m not sure what your local rules are for volunteering ages).

I hope this helps and I’m curious, has it spurred any ideas you have about what would be most interesting to your daughter?
Shelly´s last blog ..Stimulating young minds My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Connie http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3413 Connie Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:14:06 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3413 Wonderful article! Now do you have ideas along the same lines for a 9 year old? My daughter gets so bored when none of her friends are available. Thanks for a great post. Wonderful article! Now do you have ideas along the same lines for a 9 year old? My daughter gets so bored when none of her friends are available. Thanks for a great post.

]]> By: Shelly http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3409 Shelly Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:40:24 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3409 I agree completely! Thanks for reminding us to take a holistic approach and consider lots of options and strategies for how to make sure everyone's needs get met. It's funny, it seems like we have a tendency to get on to a relationship and communication kick here at Awake Parent and once in a while I feel an urge to balance that perspective with some practical ideas and activities. But of course if kids are needing closeness, connection, and physical contact, I'm all for giving them that too! I agree completely! Thanks for reminding us to take a holistic approach and consider lots of options and strategies for how to make sure everyone’s needs get met. It’s funny, it seems like we have a tendency to get on to a relationship and communication kick here at Awake Parent and once in a while I feel an urge to balance that perspective with some practical ideas and activities. But of course if kids are needing closeness, connection, and physical contact, I’m all for giving them that too!

]]> By: Christee http://www.awakeparent.com/Shelly/stimulating-young-minds/comment-page-1/#comment-3408 Christee Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:20:20 +0000 http://www.awakeparent.com/?p=877#comment-3408 Shelly, I like your ways of mentally stimulating our children! It's so much better than sitting them in front of a video. And, self-directed activity is emancipating for both parent and child! However, I think there are also times when our children seem to be "in our face 24/7" and what they might be needing is some of our time and attention. So, taking a break to read them a short story along with some cuddle time might do the trick. Or, even if we don't have time to give them undivided attention, physical nearness can still help. Suggesting that he look at a book on my lap, while I do another activity can satisfy my son. Or, suggesting she play with some toys under my desk while I finish working, can also provide "close time" with my daughter without requiring total one-on-one time right at that moment. Shelly,
I like your ways of mentally stimulating our children! It’s so much better than sitting them in front of a video. And, self-directed activity is emancipating for both parent and child! However, I think there are also times when our children seem to be “in our face 24/7″ and what they might be needing is some of our time and attention. So, taking a break to read them a short story along with some cuddle time might do the trick. Or, even if we don’t have time to give them undivided attention, physical nearness can still help. Suggesting that he look at a book on my lap, while I do another activity can satisfy my son. Or, suggesting she play with some toys under my desk while I finish working, can also provide “close time” with my daughter without requiring total one-on-one time right at that moment.

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