They say that pregnant women usually have a craving not just for food but for collecting baby things. Did you find this? When I was pregnant, I didn’t have a clue what to prepare. Of course, I knew that my baby would need the basics like baby bottles, baby clothes (especially those cute onesies) and baby bath kits just to name a few. You could often find me in the baby section of the department store but never buying anything as it was overwhelming plus it was utterly confusing. Babies have so many must-haves including baby learning books, toys and DVDs. At the time, I didn’t think that it was necessary for my baby to have those, being a newborn and all. Later on, I realized that those learning mediums could play a role, even for newborns. Though I still think that you should not worry too much about all this and just go with your instincts most of the time!

Image by Christine ™ (Formerly with the red wall.) via Flickr

My child is hungry for knowledge. If you keep telling your child not to eat the books then may be your two year old will get what you mean eventually after much chewing! Toddler years are known to be the most active time for a child’s development, making it a challenge for parents. It is hard to cope with your toddler’s energy levels sometimes. But exploring with all the senses is completely normal and this includes putting things in their mouth to see what they taste like! But there are ways to remain more or less sane during this wonderful but exhausting stage of your child’s development.

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If your toddler is already walking and running, then they will always be on on the go until they exhaust themselves. They want to explore every single corner of your house, even the dingy ones. So make sure you constantly clean every nook and cranny of your house for it will be well-visited by this little inspector frequently and he or she way wish to taste it all! I know it’s hard to cope with the cleaning especially when you have a toddler and if you’re working at the same time.

Even when your toddler isn’t hungry, they are likely to eat everything. I’m not exaggerating. They tend to put everything in their mouth. It’s one of their exploration techniques. Be it a book, a toy, real food or every bit of dirt that they can find on the floor! They are sure to taste and chew it. You will be surprised how many times a day you will hear yourself telling your little one this sentence, “This is not to be eaten!” It is best to really keep an eye on them every second. But of course, it’s nearly impossible for you to concentrate on your toddler’s every move. You have to make sure that your belongings are out of his or her reach, especially the accident prone materials such as scissors, pointy things and any medications or household chemicals. Anything that is not suited to be in your toddler’s grasp needs to be out of reach.

At this time, it is wise to be clear with your toddler that no means no. Children who learn clear boundaries at an early age will be happier and more secure. The sooner they know that there are certain things that cannot be done or given to them, the better. You don’t want your little one to be spoiled over things like that. You also have to be firm when you’re saying no to them. Otherwise, you’ll just see your authority flying away for they are not going to want to accept that no anymore next time.

As a parent of a toddler, it is vital that you ready yourself for a continuous patience refill as you will really run out of it. You have to find an outlet for your frustrations so it will not affect your interaction with your kid. It is understandable that there will be times when you have reached your limit, but then you have to remember that you are dealing with a toddler who barely understands the concept of right and wrong. Not yet, at least. They are still on the stage where they are developing feelings and learning to express those feelings. This is what growing up is all about.

For parents, new parents and parents-to-be out there, parenting is not for chickens. Your toddler needs you more than anything. (This is why seeing the orphans from the recent Japanese earthquake and Tsunami is so upsetting for all of us.) Having a kid, a toddler for that matter, is a wonderful thing. I assure you. But of course, they are still young so there really are times that things will not go according to your plan or liking. But you can’t just give up when things go berserk. It’s their time of learning, so teach them. It’s definitely not a piece of cake. But it’s an integral part of being a parent.

Using sign language with your baby can help you to communicate better with the little one. It is a great communicating tool. When babies can not talk they can make you understand their needs by using sign language.

Babies pick up sign language very fast. Making a baby learn sign language is beneficial because it increases their vocabulary and also helps them to talk earlier. As soon as you start teaching the infant sign language, you will see that both of you ca understand each other better.

Go through the tips given below to learn the effective ways of teaching children sign language.

1. It is never too early to teach your baby sign language. When your baby is as little as six month you can teach your small one how to communicate through sign language. Even if your baby is 18 months old you can teach him or her sign language. No matter how old is your baby it is beneficial to teach them sign language.

2. Pick a few keywords for your baby for sign language such as food, milk, water, apple, toys etc. But don’t use concept words when you are teaching baby to use sign language. Babies are unable to decipher concept words like happy, sad hungry etc. Since there is no object to relate to, these words become difficult for the baby to understand.

3. Before teaching your baby it is better that you learn sign language yourself. Then you will be able to use them in the proper manner. You can check websites or watch CDs to learn sign language.

4. Teaching your baby sign language is not very difficult when you keep the basic things in mind. For example if you are giving your baby an apple, say apply and show the apple to your baby. Simultaneously you should use the sign language to denote the apple. Repeat these steps each time you give your baby an apple and your small one will soon learn the sign language for the specific fruit.

While teaching your baby sign language you should have patience because it takes a few months for the baby to learn it. So enjoy communicating with your baby through sign language.

Let’s say you are a working mom, have a deadline to meet and need to go to the office. Unfortunately it just so happens that on the same day your babysitter calls in sick and is not able to come over and watch your little bundle of joy.

You are left with no choice but to bring your child to the office while you finish your work. So what can you give your child to catch his or her attention enough so that you can finish your tasks and reach your deadline? An iPhone application can answer this question.

BabyFirstTV apps can be found on iTunes in the US and throughout the world.

1 Sing a Song

Songs are one of the easiest ways to learn a new language. There are many Spanish songs available which are fun, upbeat, and educational. By singing, your child is encouraged to practice the words in a non-threatening environment. Many Spanish songs “canciones de cuna” also have dances which encourage the child to reach, touch, or jump. These songs use movement to teach your child new words. By adding video to these songs Children’s language programs illustrate the objects or actions that are sung. In this way songs can stimulate many of your child’s senses in a fun, relaxed environment which encourages learning.

For toddlers and babies, singing in a higher pitched, softer voice has been shown to peak interest, relax and comfort while introducing spoken language. Don’t be shy if you are not a great singer, your soft voice will soothe your child and enable them to focus on your words.

2 The “Abuelita” Factor

If you have a Grandparent that speaks Spanish this is the perfect time to get “Abuelita” involved in your child’s learning. Have “Abuelita” speak to your child only in Spanish; she will likely cherish the opportunity to pass on the Spanish language and culture to future generations. Having a loved one or parent speak in only Spanish creates a clear distinction in your child’s mind as to what words are being said in English and what words are being said in Spanish.

3 Lets get Comfortable

Speak to your child in Spanish for everyday communication like “vamos a comer” (let’s eat) or “abre la puerta” (open the door) this increases their comfort level in everyday communication and creates an informal learning environment where learning comes naturally. Using real world situations reaffirms the words they’ve previously learned.

4 Reading is Fun

If you are comfortable reading to your child in Spanish, read from a storybook each night. At the end of the story ask questions to ensure your child is grasping the concepts. If you are not comfortable with reading aloud, use audio books that can be borrowed from your local library to ensure your child is learning. Get your child involved in their learning by allowing them to choose which book they want to read next.

5 Use Movement

It is no secret that kids like to be active. In teaching Spanish we can use this to our advantage. For example, associating the act of jumping with the word “brinca” is a quick way to build your child’s comfort level with Spanish. Acting out the word is a quick and easy way to get your child involved in Spanish.

About the Author:
As a mother of three fully bilingual children, Lydia understands the advantages her children have had in their careers. However, with the birth of her first grandchild, Lydia realized that her children had no resources for teaching her grand-children Spanish. Utilizing her background in education, (Masters in Education from the University of Puerto Rico) she set out to develop a comprehensive program that will help maintain a key element of her grand-children’s culture, their language. Throughout her work and research at the University of Puerto Rico, she learned the importance early education and parental involvement play in developing children’s full potential.

Baby Amigo was developed to be easy to use for parents of all native tongues to teach their children to read Spanish.

For more on this author please fan her Learning Spanish Facebook Page

Lydia Maldonado
Founder, Baby Amigo
www.babyamigo.com

During the first 6 months of life, baby learning takes on the form of exploration. Senses are still developing, and there’s a lot going on and this helps the baby to develop basic awareness skills. When we play with baby doing things such as “patty-cake”, some may think it silly, but this is actually beneficial because the baby is learning coordination. Other such games also help to build coordination and whether it seems to have an impact or not, we are working to strengthen the baby.

As for toys during the initial 6 months of life, the primary focus should be on safety, and in addition, on the learning, or development of the baby. Toys should be of the variety intended for their age because these toys general focus on some aspect of baby learning. Certain toys are developed that will assist the baby in focusing their eyes, more work on coordination and following things around with their eyes. All tasks that are extremely important to baby’s overall development.

We must take care with these toys. Don’t let the dogs play with them, keep things reasonably clean, etc. As we may or may not be aware, another aspect of baby’s exploration includes tasting things, and nearly everything they encounter will make it to their mouth at one point or another.

Rattlers are a good toy for development. They make sounds which help baby to focus on listening. They also promote gripping and holding on to things. You don’t want the rattler to be too loud, but the baby should be able to hear it.

Another good toy is perhaps not actually a toy, but will think it is and that is a teething ring. The baby can begin to develop teeth as early as 3 months old. They will chew on this to help the teeth come through, and it is also soothing to the gums. The best ones will be those containing a gel that can be made cold in the refrigerator. Make sure it stays clean though!

There is a fantastic toy that is sort of an all in one type game that includes a frame that baby will actually lie under. Baby learning takes the form of continued development of coordination as the baby reaches for the items that are hanging from the frame. This also actually exercises baby and he or she begins to build muscle in the extremities.

Other toys beneficial to baby learning include balls, toys that roll, and even safety mirrors all work towards developing baby and getting them ready to move on to the next level of learning.

Once upon a time, people used to believe that reading to baby at a very young age was pointless. We now know that this is wrong, and the sooner that you begin reading to a child, the faster their vocabulary will develop. It is known that reading to children from a very young age has them well advanced in reading by the time they begin school, and those who have been worked with as infants have been known to read on a level 3 or 4 grades ahead of their classmates.

There are books that are geared to developing a child’s knowledge such as assisting the parents in teaching the child their ABC’s, various body parts and other such basic knowledge. Still other books such as fairy tales help the child’s imagination to properly develop. When you look at things on the surface, those who began baby learning at a young age are those who are excelling in their studies in the later years. Take a look at high school students today, and the vast numbers of children who have poor reading skills. Studies have proven that those having trouble in school at that age with learning, are primarily the ones who were never worked with at home.

Reading to children at an early age, and in fact making it an essential part of baby learning opens the door to a whole new world of words for the child. When they begin to understand the words, the door opens further still.

There’s a great many websites available online that specifically deal with toys, games and books designed to develop a baby’s mind and thinking skills as well as helping to build vocabulary more quickly and this should be an important part of your baby learning activities.

Another useful baby learning tool is music. Music affects babies just like it does anyone else. Soft music can be soothing to the baby and it aids in development overall. Again, this would affect the listening and hearing skills for baby and they will soon have a favorite song that for one reason or another especially appeals to them.

Never under estimate the ability of any child to learn, and the more you work with baby in learning, the faster they will develop the various skills needed by all of us.