12 expert ways to boost your child’s development
From listening and cognitive skills to movement and following directions, we take a look at some of the best things you can do to bring on your child’s development in leaps and bounds ...
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1 Practise following directions by making it a game
Ask your child to follow a direction and make it something entertaining so that he or she finds it pleasurable.
You might say ‘make a silly face’ or ‘spin around in a circle’. Or why not play a game of Simon Says?
2 Eye contact is everything
Okay, it can be hard to ALWAYS give your child your full and undivided attention thanks to needing to get the dinner on/tidy away dishes/life in general – but, where possible, look at your child when he or she talks to you. It sets them a good example on which to model their own listening skills.
3 Repetition, repetition, repetition
It’s a good idea to ask your child to repeat instructions back to you to ensure that they’ve understood what it is they need to do.
4 Offer choices
Small children often respond best to being given a choice rather than what they perceive as being a command.
You could say ‘would you rather wear red socks or green socks?’ or ‘would you prefer an apple or banana?’ The important thing to remember is that you need to be okay with either option!
5 Be positive
Give positive, concrete suggestions by letting children know what to do rather than telling them what not to do.
For example, instead of saying, ‘Don't run’, say, ‘Walk'.
6 Balancing act
Give little ones the confidence to boost their balancing skills without even leaving the ground.
Lay out a piece of string or tape on the floor and set them the challenge of walking along it in a straight line.
7 Set up an indoor obstacle course
Here’s a fun way to give their motor skills a leg-up: create an obstacle course throughout the house.
Activities could include scattered cushions on the floor for them to weave through, lay out a sheet for crawling under, and throw beanbags or soft balls into a laundry basket.
8 Let’s pretend to be an animal
This is another lovely way to get kids moving.
Take it in turns to instruct each other to act like an animal – you could waddle like a duck, gallop like a pony or slink around like a cat.
9 Go for a family walk
Really, there’s no easier way to encourage movement, and if your child gets bored, jazz things up a bit for them by collecting leaves together or counting how many red cars you spot on your journey.
10 Play number spotting
Give their numeracy skills a hand by talking about numbers you see when you’re out and about together – on buses, on doors, on price tags.
11 Ask questions
Discussing previous events is a great way to boost your child’s memory skills.
For instance, after you’ve been to the supermarket, you could say, ‘What food did we see at the supermarket?’
You can also try the same after you’ve read a story together – ask your child questions such as, ‘What did the fox says to the mouse?’
12 Go on a ‘shape’ walk
Harness their understanding of different shapes by looking out for them in your neighbourhood and talking about them.
You might talk about the circular shape of car wheels, or the rectangular shape of the shop door.
