Understanding Early Childhood and Preschool Education by Navendu Sharma

We tend to think that very young kids have only physical needs just because they cry when they are hungry or need to have their diapers changed. We feel that as adults we are much smarter than toddlers. But this is entirely false. Children, especially kids below the age of three are exceptionally intelligent. If anyone has doubts about the abilities of children he needs to be reminded that according to the LIFE Magazine, "from birth to four months, babies are 'universal linguists' capable of distinguishing each of the 150 sounds that make up all the languages in the world!"

Why are Toddlers Smarter?

Very small children are smarter than average adults because their brains are at the formative stage. When a child is born, its brain development receives a fillip from the sudden increase in stimuli. This triggers off electrical impulses that lead to the creation of more and more dendrites in the brain. Dendrites are parts of the neurons that receive information. If adequate stimuli are not provided, the dendrites atrophy, or they die out.

How To Make Kids Smarter

To ensure that children grow up to become good learners when they enter school, parents must prepare children in the zero to three year stage. This can be done by teaching children skills like reading with the help of appropriate preschool books. If this aspect of a child’s education is neglected, then the child may become a slow learner. It must be borne in mind that after the age of three years a child’s brain does not make dendrites at the same rate. There is a double advantage of stimulating the brain by imparting skills like reading. Apart from making the child a quick learner, it also enables the child to pick up advanced skills when her classmates are stuck in the rudimentary stages of learning.

One has to be very careful while choosing implements for teaching very young kids. If inappropriate tools are used at this stage then the damage caused may be irreparable because children are extremely impressionable at this age.


How Interactive books can help in Early childhood education & Preschool Education:

·Interactive books give readers the opportunity to take part in the story line by changing the plot as per his/her decision. Thus interactive reading can hone the decision-making skills in children.

·Interactive books come with multimedia facilities of animated sound, actions, and special effects. This makes reading a richer and more captivating experience.

·More than just reading, listening to stories helps children learn new words and also perfect their pronunciations.

·When kids read books online or through CDs and DVDs, they automatically become well acquainted with the basic functioning of a computer.

What are Preschool Activities:

·Taking children out of the confines of the classroom is always a great way to teach basic knowledge. A visit to the zoo or local bird sanctuary can help them learn a lot about the world of birds and animals. These visits help children realize that learning can also be a fun experience.

·Educational computer games and interactive activities are excellent ways to enhance a child’s hand and eye coordination. It also helps the child to get acquainted with alphabets and numbers.

·Playing is a good way of developing a child’s concentration. Traditional preschool activities include playing with blocks, shapes, and colors. When children play with a particular object, their concentration levels are automatically enhanced.

·Kids enjoy activities like drawing and scribbling. It gives them the scope to express their creativity. Preschool education can use this activity to develop the inherent creativity and sense of aesthetics in children.

·Nursery rhymes and dancing continue to be the perennial area of interest for toddlers. Preschool curriculum encourages children to recite poems and nursery rhymes with physical gestures. This makes learning a more enjoyable and entertaining experience. Recitation also enhances the memorizing ability in preschool toddlers.

·Physical development constitutes a major part of preschool education. Outdoor games and simple exercises help children develop a sense of physical fitness.

(source:- www.educationaltechnologies.com)


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