Read before you walk, languages from birth, after three it’s too late – are these phrases familiar to you? Most parents almost from the birth of a child are burdened with the choice: to try all kinds of methods of child development from the diaper, to instill in them a love for sports and art, to teach reading and writing as early as possible, or to trust their intuition and give the child only what he will show interest in himself.
Many moms and dads cling to the possibility of early learning as a lifeline. Often, intuition and common sense are ignored in the effort to raise a happy, capable child and satisfy their parental ambitions. How can we not overdo the number of activities, but not deprive the child of the opportunity to learn something new?
It is a proven fact that a child needs a lot of movement above all for brain development. Physical activity improves coordination and blood circulation, which helps to saturate the brain with oxygen. And for the development of memory, children from 3-4 years of age should be given the opportunity to move as much as possible in 3D spaces: panda parks, sports complexes, mazes.
At home, a climbing wall is quite suitable. You can give your child a series of tasks for a while. For example, crawl three times on a rope, hang ten seconds on a horizontal bar, then climb the wall five times and throw the ball into the basket ten times. Speaking of sports, my colleagues and I always recommend swimming to children of all ages.
It is especially suitable for children who are prone to anxiety and have difficulties with assiduity. Personally, I am in favor of early swimming. In addition to the benefits for the physical and mental development of the child, I want to note the peace of mind for children on trips to any body of water. But it is important to explain to even well-swimming children the rules of safe behavior on the open water, as well as to tell them about the reverse current. In the first 7 years of life, the pace and level of brain development lag behind the physical, so children may not adequately assess their strength.
Active boys and girls are great for martial arts. My colleagues and I do not recommend boxing and sports with striking techniques because of possible head injuries, but there are many less traumatic directions among martial arts. For example, kids who like competition can go to judo, and those who do not care about the competition can go to aikido.
Martial arts – this is primarily self-improvement. They have a code of honor and the student’s oath. And also important is the personality of the trainer-mentor, following the established ideology and respect for all participants in the process.
One more variant of useful activity for children – modern group dances. I recommend them for the development of coordination, self-control and group interaction. Moreover, in dancing one should be able to repeat movements repeatedly – it is important for activation of mirror neurons and teaches conscious obedience, and this is good during “protest” periods of growing up.
Music lessons and attending concerts develop a child’s spiritual and emotional spheres and instill taste. Playing any musical instrument improves coordination, rhythm, hearing and memory. Singing strengthens and develops the respiratory system. Moreover, music lessons contribute to the development of mathematical abilities and logic. And for children who have difficulty expressing their emotions, music can help to loosen up.
In my family, for example, my eldest daughter plays the violin, and during the quarantine, she mastered the guitar herself. The youngest one sings in a folklore group. I play the accordion and the piano. From time to time we arrange house concerts.
Drawing, art history, cultures of the peoples of Russia and other countries, participation in themed trips and excursions, theater lessons lay the foundation for the intellectual and spiritual development of the child and allow even the youngest person in an accessible form of learning art.
I recommend drawing lessons to children who find it difficult to complete what they have begun and who have difficulties with fine motor skills (for example, bad handwriting). When drawing, a child masters fine motor movements (shading) and willingly and with pleasure finishes the begun picture. Until the age of 10-11, it is better to avoid drawing in classical techniques and according to a template.
Traveling, visiting museums and galleries also have a positive effect on the formation and formation of personality: the better a child’s “observation”, even if he is not yet aware of it, the more potential he has for future creative realization. To develop one’s imagination and realize oneself in creativity is an important human need.
Theater classes (storytelling) perfectly develop speech and allow you to bring your stories to life – this is a good opportunity for children who are constantly imagining and striving to be heard.
A variety of activities will be useful if they are chosen according to the age and personality of the child and do not get hung up on one thing.
No matter how great the parent’s ambition, you need to be able to stop in time, especially if you can see that the child is physically and mentally traumatized by what he or she is doing. And also remember that even if it is “written” on a child that he was born to play basketball or painting, he does not have to dedicate his life to it.
Author Bio: Hannah Butler works as an essay writer in a company that provides expert paper help for students. She likes sharing her experience in the form of articles in such spheres as Psychology. In her free time, Hannah enjoys rock climbing and bike riding.
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