Former first grade teacher Jenae, shared this great chart, from her blog I Can Teach My Child, of her 7 areas of development for early childhood. We love this because as a toy company that takes play very serious these are some of the areas that toys can help develop. We thought along with a defenition of each, we would give you a few suggestions on products that may help in the development of each skill.
Gross motor: This involves learning to use all of the “big” muscles in our body. Crawling, walking, running, skipping, jumping, and climbing are all examples of gross motor activity.
A unique instrument for play... how it's used is up to the kids!
Whether they rock it, roll it, sit in it or stand... kids want to move with Teeter Popper! How wildly fun it is!
“POP-POP-POP... POP-POP-POP!” Senses go for a ride every time they play.
A cinch to maneuver - stand, sit, rock, tilt, wobble, wiggle, spin. How children play is however they choose.
Hand kids a Teeter Popper and walk away... but don't look away. Seeing the curiosity, the surprise, the concentration on their faces as they attempt new movements is something you don't want to miss. Teeter-popping excitement is catching, (so are their giggles).
Kids find themselves teetering on the brink of perfect physical play. No special skills needed. In playful exploration, Teeter Popper improves core strength, stability, leg strength, balance, coordination and gross-motor skills.
Curiosity wakes up, senses come alive, imagination engages, and creativity gets moving!
A tremendous sensory learning experience!
Each of these four spheres - two big and two small - is covered in fascinating, nubby textures little ones will love to feel, squeeze, and explore.
Kids can roll them between their hands, over their feet, along their arms - It's a simple yet genius way to heighten sensory awareness!
Meanwhile, they're balls! Which means they can be rolled, thrown, caught, and incorporated into all kinds of active games.
Sensory learning quickly graduates into active play!
Early play and learning are on a roll the moment little ones get their hands on the Sensory Ball Mega Pack.
Fine motor activities teach hand-eye coordination. These activities require a child to learn to precisely control the muscles in the hands. Things like coloring, writing, cutting with scissors, using tweezers, tearing paper, etc. all help build fine motor skills.
This domain includes alphabetics, phonemic awareness, oral, and written language. Even though your little one won’t be able to read for several years, you can (and most definitely should) read to her. Talking about things throughout the day (even when it feels silly) is especially important as well. Learning the ABC’s (as well as the sounds each letter makes) is another example of a language activity.
This includes cause-and-effect, reasoning, as well as early-math skills. Believe it or not, a baby who continually drops a spoon from his high-chair is exercising his cognitive ability. He learns that when he drops it, you will pick it up (cause-and-effect). Counting and patterning are also included in this domain for preschoolers.
Your child is a social being! Learning to “play” (especially with others) is a skill. “Teaching” in this domain also involves making sure a child feels safe and nurtured. Manners and using kind words might also be examples included in this domain.
Activities in this domain include learning to dress oneself, , feed oneself, using the toilet, brushing teeth, bathing, tying shoes, etc. Everything that a child needs to know to start being more independent could be included in this domain.
Teaching that your child is a part of a bigger world with lots of different views and beliefs. This may very from family to family, but it is vital to begin teaching your children right from wrong.
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