When children play, they don't "just" play. They are actually learning as they
go along. Every sight and sound, every movement, everything that surrounds them
is an opportunity to learn something new to broaden their mental capabilities.
Parents must alway keep this in mind. Learning can be child's play and child's
play IS learning.

From day one, children need interaction, visual stimulation and adult contact
in order to continue learning and thriving. Each new day is a whole new opportunity
for them to experience and learn new things. Play time with friends, and/or parents
can be a great tool in getting them ready for those later years in life.

Some simple playtime activities to get your children stimulated and on their way
to an early educational experience are as follows:

Bean bag toss is a good game for the younger child. They learn dexterity as they
toss the bean bag into a numbered hole. This also teaches them their basic
numbers as well as simple addition, if they're keeping track of their scores. This
is a game that can be enjoyed by children as young as 2 or 3 years of age, right
up into later years.

Another simple game for teaching colors and counting, is to cut out colored shapes
from felt cloth that they can place on a flannel covered board. Children can spend
hours with these felt shapes, either by making pictures or stories from the shapes,
as well as learning basic counting skills and color concepts.

Even by playing musical chairs, children can learn while having fun. Each time
a chair is removed, they're learning simple subtraction. They can also learn life
skills, such as, you don't always win, but can still have a good time by being in
a social setting with other children.

A lot of board games are also a good way to allow children to learn while enjoying
play time. Snakes and ladders gives them the opportunity to recognize numbers and
learn how to count by the numbers on the board.

The game of "Concentration" can help them to hone their memory skills and keep
their brains stimulated. From the simplest to the more complex form of the game,
depending on age, concentration encourages them to remember where certain words,
shapes or pictures were, as each turn requires the cards to be placed upside down
so they can't be seen.

Flash cards are always a great learning tool to keep around. There are so many
different kinds of flash cards covering many different subjects, from basic
arithmetic, to the simple correlation of words to pictures. Flash cards can be
a lot of fun and offers quality time between parent and child.

"I Spy" is great for learning colors and for the introduction of general knowledge
to expand their scope about the world that surrounds them. Again, parents can
interact by discussing further, a few facts about the item that is being guessed.

Whatever your child's level of learning happens to be, it's always paramount for
the parent to interact. This way you have a better understanding about your child
and are able to give them added help in learning if need be. Repetition is also
a key, as children don't always grasp a new concept immediately. Take the time to
play with them. They won't even know that they are learning, yet they are so eager
to learn.

Learn more about this author, Penny B.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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