Children’s Education Blog – www.FunIQToys.com

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New research is showing that babies who grow up in a bilingual household develop more brain power than children who don’t. This short video presents the information and provides suggestions for exposure to an additional language for children who don’t happen to be part of a bilingual family!

Watch the Video Bilingual Babies may be Brainier

Earth Day is coming up on  April 22nd, 2009.  I know a lot of people don’t think Earth Day should be celebrated because they don’t think Global Warming is Real.  But even if it’s not, I personally don’t feel that learning to take good care of our planet should be tied to whether there is scientific proof that Global Warming is here or not!.  Taking good care of our planet should be one of those things we do just because it seems like the right thing to do. We all try to take good care of our families and our homes. So the planet is really just an extension of that. 

There are very simple ways to celebrate earth day:

1- Plant a flower.  It is as simple of buying seeds at a store and just planning an event around it.  Afraid that the seeds will not develop into plants? not enough patience to wait for the plant to grow?  you can always buy a nice small plant and go with it instead of the seeds.  And remember that kids love butterflies, so if you find a plant that attracts butterflies, you can double the fun.

2- Take an opportunity to remind all members in the family to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  Go over your recycling procedures at home and make sue everyone understands why it matters.

3- Go on a nature walk.  Sometimes we forget to celebrate the simple things.  This is a great day to rejoice in the beauty of our world by exploring the nature that surrounds us.  Go to a park, lake, the beach and spend some time looking at all the beauty around you.

4- Looking for other ideas?  Check out http://www.funiqtoys.com/earth-day-projects-for-kids.html

Getting Kids to Read…..Sometimes it seems as easy as finding the Holly Grail.  Let me start by saying I am officially a Book Worm. I learned to read when I was 3 years old and since then I have spent my life reading just about everything I can get my hands on.  I love books and I am subscribed to a couple dozen magazines from business, to parenting, to light reading.  I just crave information.

So when I had kids, I started envisioning lazy days just sitting on the sofa with the whole family reading.  Well, that dream didn’t last long. My kids just did not like to read.  They would read the minimum required by homework, and that was it.  I spent money on books and time at the library picking different types of books and different authors hoping that I would find the “right book” that would just awaken their love of reading.  All my efforts failed.  That is until we found Rick Riordan.  He has written a series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  Think Harry Potter but instead of the kids being children of Sorcerers and Witches, they are children of the Greek Gods.  The books are amazing.  The adventures are so much fun, and the kids learn all about greek mythology in such a fun way that they don’t realize they are learning.  They are also easy to read. So even young children who have already mastered the reading of chapter books, can easily transition to these books.

My 9 year old son was the first to start reading them.  Then, I joined him and we read the first 4 books of the series in a matter of days.  Then my 7 year old daughter started browsing one of the books and she also got hooked.  I have to say these books changed my children’s lives.  They went from thinking reading is boring, to thinking reading is absolutely wonderful, and to understanding that books are the doors to all sort of magical worlds.  So if you are looking for a way of getting your kids to read, I would recommend you try these books.  And be prepared, because once they start reading these books, they won’t want to do anything else but read.  These books are just absolutely engaging.  The first 4 books of the series are:
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2)
The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 3)
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)

But hurry up because the 5th book is coming out in May.  Our dilemma in our house is who will get to read it FIRST!

Is your Child Ready for Kindergarten? Does s/he have the skills to fully leverage school? Unfortunately it is estimated that many children start kindergarten without the basic academic, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed. The result? they spend the school years trying to catch up and end up more likely to drop out of school all together. Scientific studies have proved the importance of early quality education, and how key it is as a predictor of future success. Although this article talks about what the State of Pennsylvania has concluded regarding the importance of early education, its conclusions apply to all children. See full article on the importance of early education.

For years researchers have thought that IQ – the standard measure of intelligence, or the ability to solve new problems and reason well—could not be changed. You were either born smart, not smart, or somewhere in between. No one really believed there was something that could be done to boost your native intelligence. That is changing now though! A study published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences shatters that belief. See Full Study Here.

Several training sessions were run using a computerized test that was designed to become harder as the participants’ scores rose and easier as their scores went down. The participants’ intelligence was measured before taking the first test and after each training session. The researchers found that intelligence levels began improving after 12 days and were significantly better after 17 days.

“Our findings clearly show that intelligence is not immutable,” says coinvestigator Susanne M. Jaeggi, a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at the University of Michigan. But, she adds, “you can’t expect to get smarter if you do such a training once or twice. You really have to stick to it for a fairly long amount of time.”

That is certainly good news for our children, as we now know that a little bit of brain training on regular basis can bring long term benefits in their brain development.

Many kids feel they are not smart because they are not getting good grades or high test scores in school. When in reality, being smart is much more than that. In fact, some kids are better able to show their smarts through art, music, or emotions – among many other ways-. That is where the concept of Multiple Intelligences comes in. It is important to show our kids that they can be smart in many ways. For example:

Word Smart. Children who are Word Smart like words, reading, writing, or speaking. They enjoy word games, foreign languages, storytelling, spelling, creative writing, or reading. Word Games are a perfect way to develop Word Smarts.

Logic Smart. Children who are Logic Smart love figuring things out and are skilled in numbers and math concepts, like finding patterns. They also love science. Math Toys, Logic Games, Strategy Games; and Brain Teasers and Science Toys are a fun way to develop Logic Smarts.

Spatial Smart or Picture Smart. Children who are Spatial/Picture Smart love to look at the world. They see pictures and images in their head. They may be able to take what they see and show their vision through art, design, architecture, or invention. Puzzles, Building Toys, and Art Toys are some of the ways to develop Spatial Smarts.

Science Smart or Nature Smart. Children who are Science/Nature Smart are very observant and enjoy classifying things like plants, animals, or rocks. They also like to get involved in ecological causes. Science Toys are a fun way to develop Science Smarts.

Music Smart. Children who are Music Smart appreciate music, rhythm, and patterns in sounds. They like to play instruments or listen to music. Music Toys are a fun way to develop Music Smarts.

Body/Kinesthetic Smart. Children who are Body Smart use their bodies to learn new skills. They are good athletes, dancers, or actors. They also may like crafts and building/repairing things. Fine Motor Toys and Gross Motor Toys are a great way to develop Body Smarts.

Self Smart. Children who are Self Smart understand their own feelings, know what they are good at, and are aware of which areas they want to improve. They are good at setting goals for themselves, and may like to keep a journal. Emotional Development Toys are a perfect way to develop Self Smarts.

People Smart. Children who are People Smart like other people and are great at interacting with people. They are likely to be involved in social causes or social groups. Social Development Toys are a fun way to develop People Smarts.

Get Spatial Smart with these Resources

Children’s Art Galleries. This online arts festival includes a list of art galleries online to which kids can contribute their art for display.

Invention Dimension. Invention site for older students sponsored by MIT. Includes links to other invention sites for kids.

Get People Smart with these resources

Do Something. Learn how to help others while building relationships with peers.

Get Logic Smart with these Resources

Berklee College of Music. Have you ever wondered about potential careers in Music? This site lists a wide variety of careers in music and sound and has helpful descriptions of the different kinds of jobs.