By Sarah Karcher and Brooke Crytzer

Understanding Learning Parents are a child’s most important teachers. Intelligence Intelligence can be defined as the ability to interrupt or understand everyday situations and to use that experience when faced with new situations or problems Intelligence is determined by heredity and by environment

Methods of Learning Incidental learning is unplanned learning Trial-and-error learning is trying several solutions before finding out what works. Imitation is copying everything someone does Directed Learning is being taught, either formally or informally. Concepts- children often organize things into categories, such as color, shape, or other abstract ideas.

The Mind At Work Most Basic Elements: Attention- focusing your mind on one task Memory- ability to use information you’ve learned Perception- ability to use and receive information Reasoning- basic ability to solve problems and make decisions Imagination- creativity in the mind Creativity- using imagination to produce something Curiosity- wondering about the world around them

Encouraging Learning List of things to keep in mind when guiding a young child: Give your time and attention. Allow time for thinking. Give only as much help as needed to succeed. Encourage children to draw their own conclusions. Show how to solve problems. Maintain a positive attitude. Keep explanations simple on the child’s level. Allow children to explore and discover. Help youngsters understand the world and how it works.

Play Activities and Toys Toys are an important part of play. Helps children learn to share and cooperate. Toy Checklist: Is the toy safe? Is it well made and durable? Will it be easy to care for? Will it encourage the child to use his or her imagination? Is it colorful? Will it be easy for the child to handle it? Is it appropriate for the child’s age?

Play Activities and Toys Cont. Children one to two years: Learn through exploration. Anything making the child use their muscles is popular, such as swings, rocking horses, wagons, etc. Children also like Barbie dolls, animals, sturdy books, and containers of all sors. Children two to three years: Child wants to imitate adult actions. Enjoys brooms, shovels, plastic or wooden toys, play dishes, sand boxes, etc. (Some are ready for small tricycles.) Three to four years: Typically like to play more. Like to play dress up, to color, to finger paint, and play with cars, trucks, etc. Able to play on park equipment without much assistance.

Speech Development Speech depends on all areas of development: Physical Social Emotional Intellectual Speech Difficulties Parents get concerned with late talkers. Many children continue to have problems with articulation. Many children between 2 and 5 possibly have a stutter and a lisp. Suggest a speech therapist.