Research tells us that human interaction and connection between adults, babies, toddlers and preschoolers matter! The day-to-day interactions between adults and children are essential to their healthy growth and development. Dr. Junlei Li @ The Hunt Institute’s Prenatal to three Summit said, “When it comes to language development, focus on quality NOT quantity. Thirty million words can be an artificial measure. It is much more important to focus on caring and loving interactions every day.”
A recent article in The Atlantic asserts that parents are too distracted with technology and not focusing enough on their children. Guilty? Aren’t we all? While electronics like computers, tablets, smart phones, SMART tables, headphones, ear buds, Bluetooth and the X Box make communication easier in many ways and are excellent tools, they can become a distraction preventing us from fully focusing our attention on those around us. Technology should never take the place of talking, hugging and spending face-to-face time with other people. Conversations and relationships should be give and take. When you carve out time to hang out and be with your child, you show them that they are special to you.
Calling all aunts, uncles, grandparents, parents, teachers and family friends! Check out this list of interactive, engaging and FUN activities – and most of them won’t cost you anything:
- Sit, talk, ask questions and play with a child.
- Go fish! (What do you need? – a fishing pole OR a deck of cards)
- Walk on the beach and look for seashells. Then count & sort them by shape and color.
- Play at the park.
- Hike at the state park.
- Wash the car together.
- Draw with chalk on the sidewalk or driveway.
- Make lemonade or ice pops (The Dollar Store has all the ingredients you will need).
- Kick a ball around the yard or park. Roll a ball on the floor with an infant or toddler.
- Bike together.
- Eat ice cream as a family.
- Make ice cream, cookies or snow cones together.
- Play basketball.
- Pick flowers.
- Collect rocks, talk about the differences you see and sort them into groups.
- Go to a baseball game and cheer on your home team.
- Play active games like Hide and Go Seek or board games like Monopoly.
It takes one person to make a positive impact in a child’s life that will last a lifetime. That person may be a coach, parent, grandparent, mentor, teacher, aunt or uncle. It just might be YOU! Make time for a child in your life TODAY! It matters.
For more information on how to give the children in your life happy, healthy starts, read “What Parents Need to Know…”
