Six Tips for Surviving and Having Fun at Baby Expo’s. It’s always nice to feel that people are catering specifically to your needs, and that’s exactly what Baby Expo’s aim to do for parents. What’s more, the first years go by so quickly that the special events that you’ve shared with your baby will soon […]
Children who have learned to follow instructions typically exhibit more self-control than other children, because learning to follow instructions involves practising to act with intent, which is the exact opposite of acting impulsively. That brings us to the question: “How do I teach my toddler to follow instructions?” The answer is: “By physically showing […]
Have you ever wondered exactly why nutritionists cringe when they see one year olds eat chocolates, cheese curls, macaroni cheese, potato chips and chocolate mousse? It’s because these foods are addictive. Their high-carb-high-fat content triggers the dopamine reward system in our brains to shout for more. And, after a while, they dominate our preferences. They […]
Photo Credit: http://mattnerphotography.com Researchers studied a group of 64 children when they were 3 years old, and the more rhymes they knew then, the better they were able to read 3 years later. They have concluded that this is the case because rhymes train children to be more sensitive to the speech sounds within words. (Read […]
It’s uninspiring when an educational programme considers only the most basic areas of development. Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life, simply because the plasticity of the human brain decreases with age. In other words, the younger your child, the greater an enriched environment will impact on […]
The Practica Programme provides more than 4000 age-appropriate activity ideas for children from birth up to 7 years of age. The kit is packaged in a wooden toy box that includes a set of 8 User Guides and 28 sets of carefully selected sets of educational apparatus. It’s the most comprehensive educational home programme […]
“Instructional play is an enjoyable activity or game that results in learning.” ~ Dr Donalyn Heise in “Dare to be Positive!” We’ve recently had a look at how important it is to intentionally create learning opportunities for our children in which they can practise their ability to remember instructions, focus their attention, complete tasks […]
The following post is aimed at healthcare professionals and teachers. Through the Practica Programme, we meet hundreds of parents from many backgrounds every year. And, similar to you in your profession, we regularly engage with parents who seem to be unaware of the fact that they are headed in the wrong direction regarding the amount […]
Parents of young babies: Dear Practica Parents, You will notice, as you read through the monthly sections of the Practica Parents’ Guide, that we often refer to your baby’s “midline” and what you can expect in terms of him crossing that midline. (The midline is the imaginary line that divides the body into right and […]
For Practica Parents with 2 to 7 year old children: Do you routinely ask questions like “Can you name this colour?” or “How many ducks do you see?” when you’re around your child? If the answer is yes, you may be slipping into the role of a test administrator instead of having fun as a […]
Practica Programme Blog – Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals as Parents “When we are motivated by goals that have a deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live.” – Greg Anderson Most parents feel like this about parenting. However, their commitment to their children can easily turn into […]
Why is it that some people bring out the best in children? What is so different about them that little ones seem to genuinely WANT to please them and enthusiastically do what they say? Inborn temperament certainly plays a role. Consistency and self-confidence also make a difference. Yet, the crucial factor is that these special people have learned to think about and talk to children in a special way. Luckily, these ways of […]