Children Should learn To Be Children First
Copyright (c) 2014 Eli Gali
There is a great disparity even among the most learned of child development experts concerning what age we should 'force' our children to begin learning. Many parents want to see their children as gifted or special and want to brag about how advanced they are in knowing their numbers or letters when this is more appropriate for an older child. In selecting a day care it is really important to choose one that spends as much time allowing children to be children in a structured environment.
Watch any young animal in the wild. No, our toddlers and preschoolers are not animals, but some parents think they act like wild monkeys when they get home from their learning centers. One reason is because that day care has not had structured activities which allow the kids to exert their energy prior to being picked up by parents. Getting back to the lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Every program on nature you see on an educational channel will tell you that the frolicking of these young animals is teaching them skills they will need as adults. They are honing their motor skills which can be a matter of life or death once their mothers have set them out on their own. Learning to fine tune motor skills is not what you would consider a life and death situation, but it does give children more confidence in themselves and handling situations around them. Sometimes they get frustrated, but in that frustration they learn never to give up.
Your day care center should know a good balance between 'book learning' and play time. Sometimes play time can be learning time just in a fun way. It is important that the learning center had separate teachers for the toddlers and different age groups so they can introduce age-appropriate lessons on sharing, interactions, classic lessons and even sporting activities.
In an excerpt from an article by David Elkind titled Too Early in EdNext, he says "Froebel, for example, believed that introducing children to different manipulative materials (which he called gifts), such as a wooden ball, a square, and a diamond, would teach young children not only geometric shapes but also abstract concepts of unity and harmony. Montessori, by contrast, doubted whether children would learn abstract concepts by using manipulative materials. She did argue that there were critical periods in development during which children had to exercise their sensory-motor abilities if they were to fully realize them. Montessori regarded children's exercise of their sensory abilities, and indeed of all their activities, as preparation for adult life. Froebel saw play as a valuable mode of learning for young children; to Montessori it was frivolous and should be the child's work. For example, she wrote that children would be better served if they used their imaginations to fantasize about real foreign countries rather than fairytale kingdoms."
We all want our children to learn, but at a pace that is consistent with their age group. This is why choosing the right learning center is so critical. Most parents want their children to learn, but they also want them to be happy.
About the Author
http://www.planetkidslc.com/ Planet Kids Learning Center is the premier daycare, child care and learning center in Boerne, TX. We believe that building positive childhood experiences are the foundation for a successful future. We're committed to delivering a safe and healthy learning environment that supports the care, education and recreation of children by partnering with families, the community and our employees.
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