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Benefits of Storytime for a Child’s Development

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Do you remember enjoying story time as a child? It was a special time when we could gather around and listen to someone read us a story. The benefits of storytime are still being discovered, but it is clear that they are numerous. For example, research has shown that children who participate in storytime have a better vocabulary, improved literacy skills and enhanced social interactions.

So if you’re looking for ways to help your child excel, make sure to add storytime to the list.

What Are the Benefits of Storytelling for a Child’s Development?

1. It Enhances Curiosity

One of the best things about storytime is that it encourages children’s natural curiosity. By telling stories, we give them a peek into another world, which can spark their imagination. As they imagine what it would be like to be in that world, they will be prompted to ask more questions about it. In turn, this will help to foster a love of learning in them.

2. Develops Literacy Skills

Reading out loud is a great way to help children develop their literacy skills. When they are exposed to stories, they hear and understand the correct way to pronounce words and learn how to sequence events. This will set them up for future success in reading and writing.

3. Teaches Children Values and Morals

Stories can teach children about values and morals in a way that is fun and engaging. By listening to stories, they can learn about topics such as kindness, courage and determination. This can help to shape the kind of person they want to become. Values and morals are an important part of any child’s development, and storytelling can be a great way to teach them these things.

4. Advances Social Skills

One of the best things about storytime is that it helps children develop their social skills. When they are gathered around listening to a story, they interact with one another. In return, this can help them learn how to communicate and cooperate with others. It can also help them to build friendships.

5. Encourages Imagination and Creativity

Stories can inspire children’s imagination and creativity. By imagining what life would be like in the world of the story, they are exercising their creative muscles. This skill can help them to come up with new ideas and be more innovative as they grow older.

6. Enhances a Child’s Listening Skills

When we are telling a story, we expect our listeners to pay attention. This is a skill that children need to develop to learn effectively. By listening to stories, children are practicing this skill and becoming better listeners. This is a skill they can apply in other aspects of their lives and even when they grow up, for instance in the workplace, where they’ll be expected to listen to instructions and follow them.

7. Inspires Empathy

Stories can help children to develop empathy. By understanding the feelings of the characters in the story, they can put themselves in other people’s shoes. This can help them to be more understanding and compassionate toward others.

How important is storytime for kids? Hopefully, this article has answered this question. These are just a few of the many benefits storytelling provides, and you should implement it as part of your child’s overall growth and development.

Tips on Reducing Screen Time

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We’ve all struggled to keep our kids busy or entertained at some point, especially during the last few years when many extracurriculars and family outings became harder to safely navigate. For many busy parents, technology provides a quick solution to a difficult problem. But with kids unable to socialize as they would have in the past, many have become overly dependent on screens for entertainment and comfort.

We know that too much screen time can negatively impact our physical and mental health, but once kids become accustomed to a certain amount of it, how can you reestablish healthy limits? Giving your child less screen time may initially seem like an impossible battle, but there are simple ways to start to cut back. Follow these tips to help your child find a healthier balance.

Lessening screen time for children

While screens can help facilitate learning and growing, too much of anything can have negative effects. Children exceeding the appropriate amount of screen time may struggle more with anxiety, depression, concentration and even sleep, which can cause even more complications. So, how do you approach reducing screen time for children in a healthy way? Here are some suggestions:

 

 

While it may seem impossible to give your child less screen time at the outset of such a major change, it is well within your abilities to change your family’s relationship to technology and help build up healthier, more balanced coping mechanisms for your children. If you’re looking to fill free time with interactive, educational fun for children up to nine years old, visit Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center online to learn about how we can help your child learn and grow.

Tips for Stimulating Your Child’s Mind

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The brain development that occurs in the first three years of a child’s life plays a crucial role in their overall growth, contributing significantly to their thinking, learning and problem-solving skills. As a parent or caregiver, it’s only natural to want to ensure you’re doing everything you can to make the most of this rich period of early development. However, figuring out exactly how to stimulate a child’s mind can be a somewhat overwhelming task.

Child development experts, educators and parents all seem to have their own beliefs around what toys, books and activities should be incorporated to optimize mental stimulation in children. Where do you begin? In this article, we’ll go over some of the top recommendations to help optimize your child’s development.

Activities to stimulate a child’s mind

Engaging your child’s mind in different ways throughout the day is the best way to stimulate mental development. What might these activities include? Here are some examples:

 

 

There is no one-size-fits-all roadmap to teach you how to stimulate a child’s mind—you know your child best and will have to determine for yourself what they respond to and what systems work best for your family. What we can all agree on, however, is that participating in a diverse set of engaging activities intended to stimulate a child’s mind is good for children—and their caregivers, too! If you’d like to add more variety into your child’s routine, visit Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center online to chat with our teachers about creating a tailor-made curriculum to help your unique little one grow.

How to Introduce Foods to a Picky Eater

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Picky eating is extremely common in young children. This can be frustrating for parents who want to ensure their children are getting a balanced diet. When a child refuses to eat a food and steadfastly says no to so many of the items you put in front of them, it’s understandable for the first instinct to be to try to force the child to eat.

You’ll quickly find, though, that young children have very strong wills and can’t be forced to eat something they don’t want to eat. Besides, attempting to force the matter will only develop a negative association with that food, making it even less likely they will eat it in the future.

Instead of using force for getting your child to try new foods, try the following steps instead:

Contact us at Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center for more tips about how to introduce foods to a picky eater.

How to Pick the Right Day Care for Your Child

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Figuring out how to pick the right day care for your kids can be daunting. With so many options to choose from and with it being such a big decision, it’s easy to put a lot of pressure on yourself.

To make the decision easier, we’ve put together a list of priorities you should have to help you in choosing the right day care for your child. Take a look:

These are just a few examples of some of the most important considerations when choosing the right day care for your children. For more information about the factors that should go into your search, contact us at Kids Kingdom Early Learning Center.