Encouraging Child Directed Play

In recent times it can be seen that there is an aggressive marketing campaign on early learning products and a large focus on standardized testing, that have honed in on this very valuable time of development in a child’s life explains an educator at the school of Early Years Education in Dubai.

However, this appreciation for child-directed play has never been stronger, and there could be no better news for children or for their parents. There are many benefits of child-directed play  and for parents to quietly observe their children playing is a fulfilling and magical experience.

Learning to be a responsive play observing parent  takes time, practice, restraint and patience, but once the parent understand this, they learn and appreciate delightful moments of joy, humor and surprise than they ever thought possible. Most parent's need these parenting 'bonus points' to balance the more difficult moments and break up the monotony. This can make a parent feel fulfilled and also encourage their children to exercise, enjoy their independent play skills.

Some of the essentials for nurturing child-directed play explained by the Children’s Nursery in Dubai is safe, enclosed spaces and open ended objects, equipment and toys that encourage creativity, discovery and extensive exploration.

Here are is a list of play objects that are just as inspiring and challenging, durable, mouthable, don’t poke eyes, can be safely used without a parent's constant supervision.

The best toys

• All children love balls and hands down it's the best type of toy for a child of every age. Balls of all sizes, weights and textures are easy to grasp, roll and toss, even for the tiniest of hands.  Balls encourage movement and play for children of ages and are perfect for solo or group play. 

• Another great play object includes, stainless steel cupsand bowls. They’re cool and smooth, and makes loud and interesting sounds, can be stacked, reflect light and is a durable toy. Screw on containers with lids are also a great toy for children and is widely used in most Nursery Schools in Dubai. 

• Climbers are rockers too are great for toddler who love to explore. However, despite most toys being child safe, parents should take safety precautions as well with all equipment. For instance with play equipment that requires climbing, there should be a should always be a mat, rug or other soft surface underneath, so that even if the child falls, the impact is less. Also, if the child is too tired to play with the equipment remove the child from the equipment. Helping children with motor activities hinders their safety, because it gives them a false impression that they are able to jump, roll or step off of equipment independently. For instance, if you're going down the stairs, make sure not to hold their hands to help them down the steps. Young children are impressionable and develop habits with astonishing speed. 

• To stretch your child's creativity and imagination practice the less is more concept. Scraps of fabric can be all children need to create costumes and fantasy play. 

• Attentive observers. Often child-directed play flourishes when parents are there to observe and remain watching as much as possible.

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Tips To Calming Tantrums and Meltdowns

The teacher's at the Dubai Nursery Schools explain that life with toddlers are filled with laughter and giggles in one instance and has tears and tantrums in the next. And for adults seeing the world from their point of view may give a better understanding of why, they have a meltdown and make you think of ways to prevent tantrums.

Why do toddlers have meltdowns and tantrums?

Life and its many events and experiences can be difficult for toddlers to take it all in, and certain events that happen can make them feel sad, angry, and scare them so much that they have an emotional meltdown where they are completely overwhelmed by their feelings.

Here are some of the reasons toddlers have meltdowns at home and at Nurseries in Dubai

• They want to have something that is not allowed or something they cannot have or is not allowed to have and is angry that they can't have it.
• They want something that’s not possible, and can’t understand when you explain that they can't have it.
• Lack of control and choices, about what the child wants to do and where they go.
• They want to be able to do something, but they can't do it.
• They can't say what they want in words.
• Being away from the family setting, at home can be difficult and hard. 

On a day where the child is rested and is calm, they may be able to handle any of these things. But when a child is tired, hungry, sick, cold, hot, or over stimulated, even the slightest thing can make them feel upset and irritated, which can result in a tantrum or meltdown. Sometimes,  parent's may not notice these early cues.

Even if you were the perfect parent or the most understanding teacher, and have done almost everything right, there are still times that the child would still throw tantrums and have a meltdown. Here are some tips provided by the Nursery Schools in Dubai about ways that a tantrum or a meltdown can be avoided or reduced,

• Meet the child's needs. For instance, make sure they are fed, rested and comfortable.
• Know how much stimulation the child can handle. Children often have a limit they can handle until they feel overloaded. For instance, there are children who are sensitive to noise, bright lights and places where there are too many people. So when you plan a child's activities at home, think about how much they can manage.
• Minimize on things that upset the child. Most Nurseries in Dubai identify these and make sure some of the activities are not included in the curriculum, and make sure the child has an enjoyable day and not one that they feel overloaded.
• If you included difficult tasks make sure to coach the child on how things are done so that the child will not feel overwhelmed with the task. This is also better adapted at home as well.
• Talk to the child and tell them the behavior you expect from them. Tell them what to expect if they don't behave well. And if they do behave well reward them.
• Give the child a choice, when it's possible.

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How To Identify A Gifted Child

Whether you're a trained academic, a counselor, school principal or a teacher at the Kindergarten in Dubai, your job involves identifying potentially gifted students, especially from a young age. It is the responsibility of educators to identify, screen  and test students for the gifted program.

So what should educators look for when trying to identify gifted children?, Well each school and country may have a different criteria and guidelines, that should be followed. Here are some helpful characteristic that would help an educator identify a gifted child. 

• Extensive vocabulary or extremely verbal - Most gifted children like to talk a lot. They love to share their knowledge with other children or adults. They are highly verbal, and may possess an advanced vocabulary for their age. When talking to children who are gifted, educators should pay attention to not only how much they talk, but also to the vocabulary the child is using, in daily conversations.
• Curiosity - You may be able to identify the child who always raises their hand up every time you ask questions. Gifted children have a natural curiosity and will ask a lot of questions. They will show a lot of curiosity about everything. They will want to know what the teacher is doing something and how things will work. Look for these children who ask a lot of questions explains educators at Kids Nurseries in Dubai.
• Demonstrate advanced ability in certain areas - Giftedness can sometimes be found when a child demonstrates an advanced ability in certain areas such as reading, math, writing, science or art. If there is a child who consistently finishes lessons before the rest of the class and shows, this could be a gifted child.
• Get's easily bored and needs stimulation - If a child is completing lessons in his or her Early Years Education Dubai class, then perhaps the child is not feeling academically challenged and may become restless and bored. Children who are gifted, and complete work faster than others may ask questions, look for other activities, talk to classmates.
• Defiant and disruptive- Gifted children are not total saints or angels, they too can be disruptive in a class, especially those of a very young age says an educator at the Nurseries in Dubai. In fact, these children can be much more disruptive and rebellious depending on the level of challenge or interest they have in the classroom environment. Look for children who stand out from the rest, they could be that gifted student.
• Perfectionists - Gifted children are perfectionists. These are the children who are always pushing themselves to get A grades, excel in singing, band, karate, and sports and become team or house leaders.
• Independence - Most gifted children do their work alone in the classroom and they tend to enjoy independent projects. They feel limited when they work in a group and work much faster and better on their own.
• Hang around together - Gifted children often hang around with each other. They relate to other children who share in their intellectual level.

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