by Playrific
Earlier this month in a blog article on Common Sense Media, Sierra Filucci wrote about setting rules for media activities (i.e., TV, videos, games, internet) when your kids visit their friends’ houses for play dates. The issue arose when she discovered that her children had “spent the entire time watching movies and playing video games”, some of which made her “uncomfortable”.
It’s a good article, whether yours is the hosting or the visiting child. The comments and discussion add to the article. Worth reading.
From the web General Playrific Tips Reading Resources Reviews
by admin
By Betty Bardige
Young children love to be experts! Have your child show you how to work a game like one of those on NASA’s Kids website, a new animal she discovered while exploring the Visions of Wildlife in Africa video, how he makes pictures with The Creative Process Coloring Game, or how she solved an especially tricky problem like Patterns– What is Next?
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About Betty Bardige
Betty is a developmental psychologist, educator, child advocate and author of numerous publications including Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children’s Language Development. She also serves as vice-president of the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, which focuses on early childhood years. Betty is a member of the Playrific Advisory Board.
Playrific Tips
by admin
by Betty Bardige
Watch how your child approaches a new game or puzzle. Does she ask for directions, or does she just plunge in and try things? Does she solve a problem through trial and error, or does she look for patterns and try out other strategies? Does she like to work step by step? Does she prefer easy or hard problems?
An open-ended game like the Jackson Pollack Online Painting application allows each child to learn in her own way. You can talk about how the game works, or let your child discover its tricks and teach them to you. You can make “paintings” for each other, talk together about what they show or what you like about them, name colors and shapes, or make up stories about your paintings. You can also set challenges: can you draw a fish?
With a puzzle like the Puppy Jigsaw Puzzle, you can talk with your child about the strategies she uses. Does she move pieces out of the way? Find the edge pieces first? Put chunks together and assemble them? Use color clues? If the child wants help, you can ask a leading question, such as “Do you think that piece goes on the top or the bottom? Why?” or suggest a new strategy: “Maybe you could try…”
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About Betty Bardige
Betty is a developmental psychologist, educator, child advocate and author of numerous publications including Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children’s Language Development. She also serves as vice-president of the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, which focuses on early childhood years. Betty is a member of the Playrific Advisory Board.
Playrific Tips
by admin
by Betty Bardige
Stock your child’s playground with sites that relate to his favorite subjects – favorite places and activities, beloved stuffed animals, toys, and pets, themes of favorite books, things he likes to talk or pretend about. Choose a mix of items – some that appeal to his imagination or humor, and others that provide real images and lots of interesting information. Pick a few sites that intrigue you – so that you can learn together.
Join your child as he explores these sites. With a toddler, you might want to focus on naming interesting objects, naming and imitating actions, and telling simple stories. Be sure to let your child “drive” the computer and take the lead in naming, pointing, imitating, and asking “What’s that?” Help him find lots of examples that fit into his favorite collections or categories (dinosaurs, train stuff, teddy bears and their friends,or whatever intrigues him.)
With a preschooler or older child, ask and elicit questions that will extend vocabulary and understanding. “I wonder why….” “How does that work?” “What else do you want to know?” Search for answers to his questions together – on the computer, at the library, or by asking experts. Join your child in making up new endings to stories, or using the information you discover to create stories of your own.”
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About Betty Bardige
Betty is a developmental psychologist, educator, child advocate and author of numerous publications including Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children’s Language Development. She also serves as vice-president of the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, which focuses on early childhood years. Betty is a member of the Playrific Advisory Board.
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