How to Teach Computer Basics for Your Child

Teaching your child computer skills is essential.

Child With Laptop 

      Computers are a part of everyday life. How is it a part of a kid's life?Computer Fundamentals begins orienting kids to everyday technology items, their proper use and care.

         Computers are being used more and more for a variety of tasks. If your child grows up without knowing how to use a computer, it could cause her to miss out on a lot of job opportunities. Your child can start using a computer at an early age. By age three, most kids have the motor skills necessary to do some basic computer functions.

 Teaching basic computer skills can seem like an easy task.

Before you start the teaching process, make sure your computer is ready for little hands.

It is best to wait until a child is at least three years old to begin teaching computer skills.  Before age three, child probably won’t be able to grasp and understand the concepts because they are still developing their visual, language, and speaking skills.

Install kid-friendly input devices.  Purchase a mouse that will fit comfortably in your youngster’s hand.  Also, look for a mouse that only has one click (instead of the normal mouse with double-side clicks).  There are various keyboards on the market that are specially designed with children in mind.  Look for one that contains large key labels and has fewer keys.  There are also some that are color-coded to enhance a child’s learning experience.

  Start shopping around for computer software or learning games that are appropriate for your child’s age group.  Make sure the learning materials are engaging and fun; this will increase their desire to learn. 

Begin with the Basics

       However, if your child has never even seen a keyboard, the task suddenly becomes much harder. Teaching the basics of computers is everything from the keyboard to how to use the applications on the computer. You will need to set up the lessons in periodic stages. It could take a lot of time for your child to learn the skills. Remain patient and helpful, and your child will eventually master computer basics.

       Introduce the child to the keyboard. Show the child the board and name the basic keys: letters, numbers, enter button, space bar, escape and back space. Use a color-coded keyboard, which shows how certain parts of the keyboard are grouped together. Consider using a smaller sized mouse. The mouse fits a child's hands perfectly, while the brightly colored keyboard groups together the vowels, the consonants, numbers and other function keys of the keyboard.

      Show your child how the arrow glides across the computer screen when you move the mouse around. Let your child move the mouse to get a feel for it. Invest in a smaller sized mouse like a mouse intended for laptop use. It will fit in your child's hand better than the standard-sized mouse. Install software that allows your child to practice using the mouse and keyboard. The website Edutainment Kids can suggest some practical software games that will help kids develop computer skills. Look for games that are "click less," which allow your child to hover over a button for a few seconds to select it. This teaches children that the mouse creates an action on the computer screen.

      Create shortcuts for her by adding the folders to her desktop so all she has to do is click on the folder to open it. You can create a shortcuts to applications, websites, saved folders, software programs and installed programs to make it easier for your child to find and open by themselves. This is a good method to take with children under the age of 12.

      Don’t expect your child to be a computer genius right out of the gate.  Begin with computer basics and etiquette, building a good foundation for future computer use. 

      Sit your child down in front of a computer. Show him the monitor, the keyboard, the mouse and mouse pad, and the computer box itself. Provide him with a picture with labels. This will help him remember the terms and give him something to study.

     Describe what each feature does. The computer monitor displays the picture, the keyboard is used for typing, the mouse is used to move the cursor on the monitor, the pad aides the mouse in movement and the computer box is how everything is powered. It is not necessary to go into detail just yet.

       Show your child how to turn on the computer and monitor screen. Once the operating system has loaded, allow the child to practice moving the mouse to click on various icons on the screen. Allow him to practice this for several minutes before moving on. Use this time to discuss the term "Icon," and double-click the icons to pull up and close some of the applications. Explain what the applications can be used for and that by double-clicking on the desktop icon, it immediately opens that particular application.

       Allow your child to practice on the application. He will need to practice at each teaching session. A good application to start with is a simple office document such as Microsoft Word. The child can practice using the cursor and keyboard. You can use this time to teach parts of the application as well. Teach your child features such as how to open up a blank document, how to save work, how to change font size and style, and how to zoom in and out.

       Teach your child how to open his web browser

      If he have Internet access on his computer. Internet Explorer is the most common web browser. Show your children how to double-click on the icon or go through the "Start" menu to open up the Internet. Show him how to go to a search engine such as Yahoo! and Google and do a random search. This will simply give the child an example of what the Internet can be used for. Allow him to practice opening and closing the web browser.

      Assess the child by giving him a short quiz at the end. This quiz should include the terms, how to turn on and off his computer, the ways to open and close applications, basic terms and ways to use the applications, how to open and close his web browser, and basic ways to use the Internet.

      

      Let him practice his typing skills using games. The Learning Games for Kids website has free typing games for kids. You can also buy affordable software for your child to practice his typing skills.

Image Credits 

http://www.iwritetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/child_with_computer.jpg

Teach your child to ride a bicycle

Teach your child to ride Bicycling in a different approach!

Coasting without pedals

      Learning how to ride a bike is one of the biggest accomplishments in a young child's life. As a parent, you have the responsibility to teach your child to ride correctly and safely. It is also important to keep the learning process fun and free from pressure.

      It's much easier than the old way of doing it (running behind or along side your child and pushing her) is an outdated and undue punishment for both you and the frustrated Child. A punishment for you, the parent, because you quickly run out of breath (you're not the sprinter you used to be in high school), and a punishment for your child because he doesn't understand why on earth she crashes every time you're getting tired and release your grip of his saddle. He realizes that learning to balance is a scary and stressing ordeal.

 Time it Right

         Most children will be ready to learn to ride a bike between the ages of three and six (mine were 4 & 5). This can vary greatly from child to child, and it’s normal for some children to need more time than others. Children’s motor skills develop at different rates, and regardless of how ready your child is, it’s important not to force your child to try. Your child will find it difficult to enjoy riding if they have been pushed too early 

       In a different approach ,kids aged 4 to 6 can easily and quickly learn to independently ride without training wheels and without an adult gripping their saddle from behind.

       The technique described here is much safer than the old one and has a much higher rate of success, based on the experience of many happy children who learned to ride this way.

Child balance bicycle

       A balance bicycle can be a great tool to help your child learn how to ride a bicycle correctly. The purpose of a balance bike is to help the child learn proper balance and steering. A balance bicycle does not have pedals, gears or a crank set and chain. There are also no training wheels on a balance bicycle.

Balance bicycle are great beginner bicycles, and they can be used by very young children.

Select the Right bicycle: It it important to buy a balance bicycle in the correct size. Your child should be able to walk with both feet flat on the ground while sitting in the seat of their balance bicycle. After walking with the balance bicycle for awhile, your child will learn how to cruise and steer his bicycle.

This is how it works:  Remove the training wheels and remove the pedals from your child's bicycle. Lower the saddle so your child can easily place both his feet on the ground while seated. From this point on, your young child takes full control. He is in charge of moving the bicycle, with no help from you, with no pushing or balancing on your part (unless she asks for it). You can compare the bicycle with no pedals to a two-wheel scooter, which kids love and enjoy riding and balancing with no fear.

A word on children's capabilities: It may come as a surprise, but little children do have good instincts and common sense which translate into self esteem and confidence it they get a chance to use them. In the old way, the child is taught to rely on someone else to balance the bicycle, and not on himself. The adult was the one who controlled the situation, the movement, the speed. The adult was the one preventing crashes and providing a false sense of safety which crashed when he let go. This erodes trust and makes the experience scary.

      With the suggested technique, your young child is the one making the calls. He determines how fast he goes, he is the one moving and balancing, and controlling the bicycle from the get go, he is the one preventing the crash by simply placing her feet on the ground. This builds trust. Trust in his capabilities. This builds self esteem and confidence.

      You explain to your child that all he has to do is create a little movement ahead while balancing. You tell him that he can't fall, because the minute something doesn't feel right, he can always put her feet down on the ground (which is the starting position) and brake. he has to try and hold him feet in the air a little while and keep pushing this way.

Make sure you choose the right spot for this training

      You choose flat ground (no slopes), no vehicles, and no obstacles. You can also take his to the park and find a grassy field, so if he does crash, it's a softer landing. Long pants are advisable, to prevent scratches when falling. Use this opportunity to teach your child to wear a helmet, so he can get used to it.

       After just a couple of lessons your child will get the hang of it. Now he feels the balance, and he masters the first and very important skill of balancing. You can now replace the pedals, move the saddle up an inch, so her feet comfortably reach the ground, but not as easily as before.

      Next, choose a grassy field with a gentle slope, and let your child go down the slope, balancing with his feet on the pedals. After a few runs, he will feel comfortable and add pedaling. It's important you explain to his in advance how to apply the brakes. At this point all you have to do is behold the magic: your child enthusiastically pedals and just can't get enough!

      Many parents say that after years of painful failures, their child finally gets the hang of riding a bicycle with this technique. 

Image Credits 

http://beafunmum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dreamstime_xs_16749602.jpg

How Much Sleep Do Children Need?

The amount of sleep a child needs varies depending on the individual and certain factors, including the age of the child. Following are some general guidelines:

Baby is Now Deep Sleeping 

Newborn Baby : 15 to 18 hours a day

       Newborns typically sleep about 15 to 18 hours a day, but only in short periods of two to four hours. Premature babies may sleep longer and colicky ones shorter.

        Since newborns do not yet have an internal biological clock, or circadian rhythm, their sleep patterns are not related to the daylight and nighttime cycles. In fact, they tend not to have much of a pattern at all.

1-4 Months Old: 14 - 15 hours per day

       By 6 weeks of age your baby is beginning to settle down a bit, and you may notice more regular sleep patterns emerging. The longest periods of sleep run four to six hours and now tends to occur more regularly in the evening. Day-night confusion end.

4-12 Months Old: 14 - 15 hours per day

       While up to 15 hours is ideal, most infants up to 11 months old get only about 12 hours of sleep. Establishing healthy sleep habits is a primary goal during this period, as your baby is now much more social, and his sleep patterns are more adult-like.

       Babies typically have three naps and drop to two at around 6 months old, at which time (or earlier) they are physically capable of sleeping through the night. Establishing regular naps generally happens at the latter part of this time frame, as the biological rhythms mature. The midmorning nap usually starts at 9 a.m. and lasts about an hour. The early afternoon nap starts between noon and 2 p.m. and lasts an hour or two. And the late afternoon nap may start from 3 to 5 p.m. and is variable in duration.

1-3 Years Old: 12 - 14 hours per day

      As your child moves past the first year toward 18-21 months of age he will likely lose his morning and early evening nap and nap only once a day. While toddlers need up to 14 hours a day of sleep, they typically get only about 10.

       Most children from about 21 to 36 months of age still need one nap a day, which may range from one to three and a half hours long. They typically go to bed between 7.30 and 9.00 p.m. and wake up between 6.30 and 7.30 a.m.

3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day

      Children at this age typically go to bed between 8.00 and 9.30 p.m. and wake up around 6.30 and 7.00 a.m., just as they did when they were younger. At 3, most children are still napping, while at 5, most are not. Naps gradually become shorter as well. New sleep problems do not usually develop after 3 years of age.

Image Credits 

http://www.thesleepingminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/baby-sleeping-training.jpg

How to Teach Kids to Handle Cell Phones

How to Teach Your Kids to Use Them Responsibly

       Teaching your child to say “please” and “thank you” is usually second nature; it’s been done for generations and comes pretty naturally. But teaching your children how to use a cell phone responsibly – that is, how to exercise proper “cell phone etiquette” – may be a bit more of a gray area.As public cell phone use continues to increase, a set of general, behavioral guidelines is beginning to take shape. Here are some tips on how to teach this important lesson of proper cell phone use.

      For grade school children, no need for a smart phone. But for basic communication with family or emergencies consider a Pay As You Go plan.

These tips can help you:

• Decide whether your kid is ready for a cell phone

•    Teach basic cell-phone safety

•    Explain responsible cell phone rules

•    Set limits

6 Cell Phone Rules for Your Kids

If you decide your child is ready for a cell phone, set the ground rules first.

• Buy them a basic phone: Yes, you can still get a phone that doesn't include a camera, Internet access, games, and texting. If you're passing one of your phones down to your child, turn off all the extra features. And if your child complains, remind her that phones are tools, not toys. "It's about safety, not social status or games," Knorr says.

• Set limits: Most cell phone companies allow you to cap the number of texts a user can send or receive as well as the number of minutes the cell phone can be used. If a child goes over the designated plan amount, have her pay the extra charges. (Older teens can be responsible for their entire cell bills.) You also can block Internet access and calls from unapproved numbers on most phones.

• Set more limits: Designate times that the cell phone needs to be turned off -- for instance, during family meals, after 10 p.m., and during school hours. If your teen is a driver, insist that he or she not use the phone when driving. Some families don't allow cell phones in children's rooms at night to keep kids from texting or making calls after bedtime. Insist that your child answer your calls and texts right away, and teach your child not to answer or return calls and texts from people they don't know.

• Follow the same limits yourself: Let's face it: You have to walk your talk. If you don't want your child to use the phone during meals or while driving, follow those rules yourself. If you don't want him or her to compulsively check the phone, don't do so yourself. You are your child's No. 1 role model, whether your child admits it or not.

• Create some distance: For now, until the radiation risks are clearer, Moskowitz recommends using ear phones instead of holding the phone up to the ear. Also, don't let kids sleep with their phones under their pillows. He also advises against carrying cell phones in front pants pockets, due to a potential radiation risk to the reproductive system.

• Teach good behavior: Children aren't born knowing the rules about how to use cell phones respectfully, including not using them to spread rumors, not taking (or sending) photos without people's permission, not sending inappropriate photos or texts, not having personal conversations in public places – and, of course, never communicating with strangers, no matter how they present themselves. It's up to you to teach them.

      As parents, it's important for us to understand this technology's appeal, know what it can offer as well as the possible dangers it poses and set limits to guide and protect our kids. Whether your child is begging for a cell phone or has one already, here are some things to consider:

      Most cell phone companies offer text-messaging packages that give users incentive to text rather than talk. If your child is new to a cell phone, you might consider a plan with minimum (if any) text messages until they can prove themselves trustworthy. Parents should also explain to their children that text messaging is not an acceptable forum for discussing more serious matters.

Image Credit:

http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2013/01/child-on-phone.jpg

Teach kids Fine Motor skills at home

Fine motor activities are essential to help your child develop

The Child's  are develop their motor Skills 

        Many of your child’s daily activities—like getting dressed, eating, and writing—require control of small muscles in the hands. We call these skills fine motor skills. Your child can do more things for himself when child has opportunities to practice these skills. There are lots of activities that can increase muscle strength and coordination, preparing children for more advanced skills, from writing with a pencil, using a computer mouse, or playing a musical instrument. Help your child build fine motor skills at home by providing opportunities to...

• Set the table

• Hold knives, forks, and spoons to eat

• Pour juice into a cup

• Wipe the table with a sponge

• Help with meals—stir, shake, chop, cut, and mix

• Get dressed—button, zip, snap, buckle, and fasten

• Use Velcro tabs

• Open and close containers with lids

• Cut with child-safe scissors

• Finger paint

How Children Learn Motor Skills

        Physical development consists of two major components: physical fitness and motor skill development. Physical fitness includes strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition. 

Motor skills include locomotion 

      -running

      -walking

      -jumping

      -hopping

      -manipulation (throwing, kicking, catching, bouncing) and

      -stability (bending, twisting, rolling, dodging).

             Simple activities such as learning how to tie shoes or zipping or unzipping pants are both great examples of using our fine motor skills every day. 

•      Turning pages in a book

•      Opening a drawer

•      Eating with utensils

•      Pinching objects between fingers

•      Screwing and unscrewing certain objects

•      Picking up and holding things

•      Throwing and catching things, such as balls

•      Writing or drawing

•      Other activities that require the use of our hands

          Kids with poor fine motor skills often dread paper-and-pencil activities. Using fun activities will give your child a sense of achievement while helping to develop essential handwriting skills.

Among the fine motor skills your child will perfect in the preschool years are the abilities to:

• paste things onto paper

• clap hands

• touch fingers

• button and unbutton

• work a zipper

• build a tower of 10 blocks

• complete puzzles with five or more pieces

• manipulate pencils and crayons well enough to color and draw

• copy a circle or cross onto a piece of paper

• cut out simple shapes with safety scissors

Image Credits 

http://blog.step2.com/wp-content/uploads/finemotorskills.jpg

How to teach your kids about opposites

Opposites are an important basic concept for kids to learn.

          Teaching opposites is an ideal way to help improve your child's ability to communicate.The addition of descriptive words to their vocabulary will greatly transform the level of detail your child can convey - 'soft bunny', 'bigteddy' or 'little boy'.

          We chose opposites because we believe that it is important for a child to understand that not everything is the same.They need to know that not everything is fast, cold, or big but there is also slow, hot, and little items too.

         Opposites are very important to education, but not just to education but to life. Without them, we would not know what soft was compared to hard and what cold was compared to hot.

Some Kids Opposites

big / small                        young / old                    light / dark       

clean / dirty                     happy / sad                   open / closed 

empty / full                       wet / dry                        yes / no

front / back                      tall / short                      awake / asleep

good / bad                      top / bottom                  laugh / cry

fast / slow                        up / down                      stop / go   

near / far                          in / out                           girl / boy 

high / low                         on / off                           soft / hard  

hot / cold                         day / night

                      

Understanding kids Opposites

         Opposites are one of the most important basic concepts that a growing toddler can learn.Many learning programs seen either online or on the TV show a child opposites so that they can learn to detect the differences.Here are some opposites that children began to learn at a very early age:

• Soft

• Hard

• Big

• Little

• Outside

• Inside

• Slow

• Fast

Teaching your child Opposites with Toys

        Toys are something you're sure to already have plenty of... so creating opposite games with toys is only limited by your imagination!

• Find a small teddy bear and a big one to teach big and small or baby and adult.

• Using balls of different sizes and weights you can teach big and small, heavy and light, and float or sink.

• Using a ball and a bucket, cup or box, teach your toddler in and out, over and under, as well as up and down.

• Some toys have volume - for example toy dog, trucks, dolls. Use these toys to teach loud and quiet.

Teaching your child Opposites with Movement

         Here are a few simple activities that you can do with your toddler indoors or out. Once familiar with the game, ask your child to do the opposite. For example, if you reach up, your toddler will reach down.

• Reach high to the sky and low to the ground

• Take a big step and a little step

• Clap your hands loudly and quietly

• Run fast, then slow (toddler’s pace)

• Happy face, sad face

• Fill a cup with water, empty cup

• Open lid, shut lid

• Sit down, stand up

• Turn to the right and then left

• Jump up and crouch down.

Using Games to Teach kids Opposites

        You cannot underestimate the power of simply talking to your baby as the day goes on. Simply narrating aloud whatever task you happen to be putting your hands to is a great way to teach baby. As you do this, look for examples of opposites in your every day life. For example:

Open and Closed

     There are plenty of things in a day that you open and close. The dishwasher door, cupboards, toys with lids, etc. As you go about the day or play with your baby, repeat the action of opening and closing the item and simply say "Open", "Closed". You might also use your hands and chant this common child tune:

Up and Down

      You can have lots of fun when you teach baby about up and down concepts and possibly get a bit of a workout to boot. You can do this by lifting your baby up high and then down low, repeating the words "Up" and "Down" as appropriate. Additionally, you can lie on your back, knees bent with feet planted on the floor. Position your baby on your legs and hold firmly under his arms with your hands. Lift your legs up and down, and say, "Up we go!", "Down we go!"

On and Off

       How many things can you think of that you turn off and on during the day? Light switches, televisions, radios, water spigots. Then also think about the things that you put on and off your baby; hats, socks, etc. These are all great times to illustrate the concepts of on and off in your baby's everyday world.

Flashcards

        Finally use Your Own Create or buy index cards with pictures of opposites on them. Have your toddler match sets of opposite flashcards - happy and sad, hot and cold, big and small, up and down and so on. They can pair the flashcards as they find the set of opposites.

Image Credits 

BigSmall 

http://students.ou.edu/A/Jesus.I.Avila-1/BigSmall.jpg

Teach your child about shapes

Your child should be able to recognize shape differences by the age of 18 months.

Baby play with shapes 

      The more you show your toddler shapes, the faster your child will comprehend the differences in shapes.To start teaching the kids about shapes, you need all your different types of visual aids prepared.First Teach your child to the Basic Shapes such as triangles, circles, squares, rectangle and oval and when your child to understand the basic shapes after you will be teach more. 

        The first step in learning how to draw is to learn how to draw basic, simple shapes. Almost anything can be drawn using shapes, such as a house, a cat, a book, a ball;even more complicated drawings start with the basic shapes that form the outline of the object. This makes it easier for your child to progress from stick drawings to more detailed artworks - and if they have talent, they will use shapes to draw and paint in the future as well.

Find the Shape

          There are many ways to encourage and help your child to learn about shapes. Because shapes are all around us, it is easy to play 'Find the Shape' at home, in the car, in the store and elsewhere.Select one shape at a time to concentrate on, rather than trying to find all the different shapes.

The Circle   

The Circle

           Show a shape to the kids. First You usually start with circle which is what you find easy for the kids to understand and memorize.

           Say; “This is a circle. It is round. It’s like the wheel of the cars and the bowl you use for eating.”

           Show the shape again and ask the kids, “What shape is this?” Some kids can answer but some cannot remember the shape you discussed. It is understandable of course because it is their first time to learn about the shape.Again, it is always good to repeat the word circle so that the children will understand it more and they will pronounce the word right. You can use anything circle as visual aid for the children to see. The more circular things you present to the kids the better they will understand what a circle is.

Tracing the circle

           Tracing is an activity that is good for enhancing motor skills. It also teaches the children to know the right direction when tracing. Whatever goal you want achieved, always concentrate on the most important thing.

 The kids are tracing the circle because you are teaching them about shape. So, it is not important if they cannot trace the shape very well. In This type of Tracing method you can follow your all teaching shapes.

The Square

The Square

          After teaching the circle, the next shape to teach is the square. You can follow the same steps when you taught the circle. You can play games, trace squares, draw squares, show some objects that the kids can identify and do some activity sheets about square.You can use anything that has a square shape when you teach square. It is important also that you teach the children that a square has 4 equal sides.

The Triangle

The Triangle

         First, you have to introduce triangle to the kids by showing different triangular shaped objects. When you show a triangle, tell the kids that a triangle has 3 sides.You can follow the steps when you taught circle.

The Rectangle

The Rectangle

        When you introduce rectangle to the kids, explain to them that the shape has two long sides and two short sides.This is the easiest way by which the kids will understand the shape.Again, you can follow the steps when you taught the other shapes. Show objects that are rectangular in shape.

The Oval

The Oval

         The best oblong object to use when you introduce the shape oval is the egg.Show the kids an egg and tell them that the egg is oval. Then show other objects as well so that they will learn more about other oblong or oval objects.

Image Credits 

1.Baby Play with Shapes 

http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new-thumbnail/ehow/images/a00/09/jd/teach-toddler-shapes-800x800.jpg

 2.Circle

http://s1.hubimg.com/u/8233492_f260.jpg

 3.Square

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/8235285_f260.jpg

 4.Triangle

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/8235293_f260.jpg

 5.Rectangle

http://s1.hubimg.com/u/8235322_f260.jpg

 6.oval

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/8235341_f260.jpg