Smart Play - Two Kangaroos

Welcome To Smart Play

Welcome to the Smart Play from Two Kangaroos - where moms and dads go to find ideas, activities, and inspiration for helping their babies and toddlers grow and learn through play.

Make it Easy, Build a Toddler’s Vocabulary

Today more than ever reading is important.  As I sit at my computer, responding to e-mails, reading research, and quickly checking weather bug.  I am constantly reminded that those people who can quickly and easily comprehend the written language are ahead of the game.  So how do we prepare our children for this world? How can we help them become more proficient and effective readers?  Studies have shown that the size of a child’s vocabulary is a predictor of future reading success.  Of course, there are variations among children.  Some children, like some adults, are talkers.  They say whatever comes to mind and seem to play with language.  Other children are astute observers; they only speak when necessary and use words sparingly. Despite these variations we, as parents and caregivers can help our children build a broader vocabulary.  Here are a few suggestions:

 

• Use everyday experiences as a time to label and define words.  Have you ever heard a grandmother in the produce aisle talking to a toddler sitting in a grocery cart?  It sounds something like this “My these Granny Smith apples look nice, shall we buy a few to make apple pie for the pot luck tomorrow? Oh honey, you have never been to a potluck, it’s when a group of friends get together for a meal and everyone brings food to share.” This grandma took the time to label, “Granny Smith apples” and define, “potluck” for her interested toddler. 

• Show your child that reading and writing have a purpose. Before you take your child to the grocery store think about all the times you read or write during one shopping trip. Make a grocery list with your child. As you write, read the list out loud and then again as you look for the items in the store.  “Let’s see, we need black beans. We should write that down.  Our list says black beans, I see kidney beans, baked beans, oh, here are the black beans.”  When you read the ingredients on the boxes or check prices include your child.  Involving your child in the process will help him/her experience the connection between words and the ways in which words are uses.

• Introduce your child to new interesting words.  Children more easily learn the words that they are interested in.  Those things they can physically experience make sense in their daily life.  My niece is crazy about ice cream. She started by saying “ice cream” and has continued to learn about flavors, textures and colors as she experiences one of her favorite things.  We, as parents and caregivers can pay close attention to those interests and continue to add words and interest our children’s play.   We have added ice cream scoops to her pretend kitchen and continue to use new words like “double scoop” and “Neapolitan” as we play.   

Part of making life with a toddler "easy" is being prepared.  Be prepared with these suggestions and build your child's vocabulary.  Then write us about your experiences.  It's as easy as a walk through the grocery store with a Toddler.  Perhaps it’s even easier.

 

Why Play?

Today as I watched a pick-up basketball game in the park I noticed the players. I saw their determination, sheer joy and maybe even a sense of freedom. It struck me first because today is the day after the 2008 presidential elections and something about a multicultural group of people participating in a pick-up game in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday spoke to me about freedom. A game of basketball is also a nice way to think about why it is important to make time in our daily life for play. As adults we all have certain activities that bring us joy. These might include participating in a group sport such as basketball, gardening, cooking, or running through the grass with our children. We participate in these activities (we play) because it makes us feel good. Philosopher- psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in The Power of Play reports this inner sense of joy, or as he describes it, “the union of play love and work as flow.”  The expressions on the player’s faces reminded me of this. They were completely engrossed almost unaware of the passing of time.

It is this “flow” that brings us back to the activity again and again. Even if the activity makes us sweat, break a nail or challenges us to think harder than ever. Children are the best example of this. When a child finds an activity which brings them joy, given the choice, they will repeat, repeat and repeat. This is why our children ask for the same book to be read over and over again. It is also why they play the same pretend game day after day. The good news is when we repeat activities we learn. This is especially true for Infants and toddlers but is also relevant when we think about the basketball game I observed at the park. If a person starts out as an average ball player and she plays once a week, enjoying the “flow” she will inevitably become a better player.

Children often repeat their “play” until they master the activity. Mastery is self defined. A child may feel they have mastered a book when they can remember the characters names or retell the story. They may place that book back on the shelf and move on to their next joyful activity. Mastery builds self-confidence and self-confidence provides children (and adults) to try something new. If a person feels confident during a pick-up game of ball they may decide to try another sport or work with a community organization.

So why play? Because when we play, we enter a zone of learning which encourages growth. Play encourages children (and adults) to feel self- confident and to continue to play, learn, and explore. This is what we at Two Kangaroos refer to as the cycle of play. Take a look at this diagram and think about your own life, your child’s life. Most of all, continue to play!