Thematic activities for children from one year old: let's use our imagination

Hello, dear mothers!

Today I want to tell you about how to usefully spend time at home with your baby. Thematic classes for children from one year old, what do they include and how can you study them?

You can have themed weeks or themed days. You can call it whatever you like and spend as much time as your baby wants.

Danilka and I spend themed weeks, but not 7 days a week, but 4-5 days. Because I see that he is bored with one topic and in a few days we will move on to the next one.

What are themed weeks?

Weeks like these bring together the immensity. More precisely, they include all types of children's activities and are aimed at ensuring that the child, first of all, finds it interesting, exciting, educational and asks for more such activities.

When conducting such classes, the child greatly expands his horizons, studies a certain topic in depth, and develops diversified. He fantasizes with his mother and, of course, plays.

A great way to develop early at home. You can invite friends, it will be even more fun and interesting.

Themed weeks can be spent with children from one year old to school. Accordingly, for kids we take very simple tasks, and for older children we complicate the tasks and introduce new age-appropriate exercises.

So it’s much easier for mom to do things, she doesn’t have to invent anything about what to do with her baby today.

Invent a magic box or a magic mailbox or a chest at home, as you wish.

In which you will put tasks for the whole week or for every day, unnoticed by the child.

This is great discipline. And the children will be excited about something new and interesting every day.

You can also leave surprises for your child in it, just be careful! Children get used to it very quickly and then, if the treasured surprise is not there, they begin to tear at this poor box and look inside every five minutes.

Thematic weeks, based on their name, are dedicated to a specific topic or holiday that should happen that week.

It turns out that you play a very interesting game for several days: either fly into space on Cosmonautics Day, or create magic during the Christmas holidays.

We give children a fairy tale and the opportunity to visit it, since modern children become adults very quickly and practically do not believe in miracles.

So a neighbor’s 3.5-year-old kid told me that there is no Santa Claus and that all this is an invention of adults! But what about the flight of fancy and expectation of a miracle?

In fact, it is not the topic itself that is interesting to children, although this also happens.

But mostly they enjoy the process, what is included in this week, what awaits them, what needs to be made, what to play.

Educational activities and games for children from 2 to 11 years old

Go to classes

Just think: the whole point of educational activities for children is to help parents organize fun and useful leisure time for their child. Yes, you can attract parents with various slogans and meanings: “after three it’s too late,” “we need to raise a harmonious child,” and others. But the truth of life is that no matter what we do with children, any activity develops them. Especially if there are elements of novelty in this activity. Teachers really know how to take care of this.

What is customary to do in children's centers and clubs? Educational games, in contrast to entertaining ones, help the child gain new experience, learn to solve new life problems, and teach them to build communication around a gaming problem situation. In children's centers and clubs, children engage in activities that they cannot do at home or on playgrounds, because there are not many parents with minimal pedagogical training. Let's get acquainted with the games that “developers” can offer you.

Composition of the theme week

These are the categories of tasks we include in our week. You can combine them so that you get 7 days or as many days as you want.

information material (cartoons, presentations, music, videos, songs, audio stories, online games)

fine motor skills (clothespin games, jigsaw puzzles, sensory boxes)

gross motor skills (assembling from cubes, construction sets, playing with water)

articulation gymnastics (finger and breathing exercises and games)

speech development (books, flashcards, magazines with stickers, stories based on pictures, search books, poems, riddles, demonstration material)

logic, attention, memory (puzzles, games: find a pair, find the differences, what is odd, who is hiding)

creativity (applique, drawing, modeling, crafts)

role-playing games, performances, performances

experiments and observations

outdoor outdoor games

outdoor games at home

You can also plan to visit various places that are relevant to your topic. If your topic is architecture, for example, then you can visit unusual buildings in your city or an architectural museum, if there is one. Children's plays or movies.

Educational games for children 2-3 years old

First of all, we note role-playing games. This can be either classic mother-daughters or interaction with a doll that comes to children’s classes and gives them interesting tasks.

Games for both fine and gross motor skills are important. Sorting objects, climbing, throwing a ball, jumping over low obstacles, not just in the company of an adult, but also together with other kids, coordinating efforts, taking turns, showing patience and demonstrating mutual assistance, is very useful for two-year-old children. Two- and three-year-old children are able to cut out simple shapes (strips, pieces) with children's scissors, sculpt from plasticine, draw “scrawls” and name them thematically.

Preparing a thematic week

Choosing a topic

We collect concepts that it can include, based on the age of the child. For example, the theme Mother Winter: for children from 1 to 2 years old, you can include such concepts as: snow, snowflakes, snowman, slide, sleigh, Christmas trees. From 2 to 3 years old, add the following: warm clothes, blizzard, blizzard, winter games: snowballs, hockey, skiing, skating, etc.

Now we select tasks according to the given categories. You can search the Internet for a topic that interests you, or look for ready-made themed weeks.

Your scheme is simple: Theme - how I will talk about it - how I will show it - how I will play it

Educational games for children

Oh, what a pity that there are no developmental games for adults! Many uncles and aunts would be happy to sing songs according to a schedule, tumble in the pool and draw suns and houses to hang on the common wall. Since publications appeared in the media with stories about the discoveries of psychologists and neurophysiologists in the field of child development, the idea of developing children through special efforts has been implemented in special institutions - children's centers and clubs. As a rule, classes in such institutions are called “developmental classes.” Their difference from a kindergarten lies in the optional presence of routine moments: sleep, lunch and dinner, etc.

Early childhood schools

You can develop your baby not only at home. Today, many early development schools have been created to help parents. They work using different methods and programs developed by teachers, doctors, psychologists and other specialists. Many have been developed and improved over many years. These schools employ qualified teachers who have studied these methods, have experience in working with children (and this is especially important for young mothers who have their first child) and most of them have a pedagogical education. Schools are equipped with educational materials (Zaitsev cubes, Montessori frames, natural materials, different types of letters and numbers, tables and much more), many have additional sports facilities (sports complexes, swimming pools, sports tracks, dry pools, etc.), in Some also offer music classes for the little ones. Therefore, of course, early development schools are wonderful assistants in a child’s education.

Age

In early development schools, there are usually several groups, each of which solves its own age-related problems and works according to a special program. They are formed by age or depending on the type of activity. So, for example, classes could be:

from 0 to 6 months;
from 5 to 10 months;
from 9 months to 1.5 years.

As a rule, each group has its own age restrictions. At the same time, there is no definite answer when to start classes and where it is better to go. The decision is made by parents, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child, his desire to attend classes and the recommendations of doctors.

Types of activities

Classes in early development schools vary in time and duration; there are also weekend groups. If you have the opportunity to choose, then morning hours are best for studying. It is at this time that the child is full of strength and energy, and therefore will better perceive new information. If the child is under 3 years old, you need to exercise no more than 2-3 times a week for 40-60 minutes. If your child is older, you can increase both the time of classes and their frequency.

Classes are:

individual, when the teacher works one-on-one with the child;
group: one or two teachers work with a group of children;
individual lessons with mother and baby (this is usually required if the baby is developmentally delayed or has health problems);
“mother + baby”: classes are held in a group of children with their parents.

Before classes, the child should sleep well and eat.

Marina, 1.8 years old. At first, she cried constantly and refused to do anything. It turned out that the time of classes partially overlapped with the second sleep. And the girl was woken up early so as not to be late for the start of the lesson. When the class times were changed, Marina began to study with pleasure and now rushes to class herself.

“Advantages” of classes in early development schools

As we have already said, early development schools usually have a variety of developmental materials.
It makes no sense to buy such a large number of benefits for home. Firstly, it's expensive; secondly, it takes up a lot of space; and perhaps most importantly, they cater to a wide range of children based on age, interest and developmental level. Classes held in such groups are adapted specifically for children of a certain age. Most of the lessons take place in a playful way. After all, children perceive new knowledge best through play. It is very good if the classes contain different types of exercises: intellectual, musical, artistic, physical, etc. Kids still cannot concentrate on one activity for a long time, and they need a change of activity. The best option is to alternate exercises that require perseverance and attention with active movements. For example, when between intellectual classes there is a physical training session or a short dance warm-up.

By attending classes in an early development group, the child acquires new knowledge. As we have already said, until the age of 6-7 years, the educational process is easy for a child, brings pleasure and does not require additional motivation. But by studying at “school”, the child not only gains new knowledge, he learns to learn. The baby learns to set tasks for himself - albeit small, but so necessary (for example, to put another cube on his own, draw a circle, or simply put away the paints), think logically and draw his first conclusions. He trains his memory, develops fine and gross motor skills, and gradually, day by day, his concentration increases. And another very important point: the child learns to be independent.

A very important factor in favor of early development schools is social. From a very early age, children learn to communicate with each other, build relationships with “strange” adults, ask for help, resolve conflict situations and simply be friends. After all, what is a baby’s world at home is essentially the world of adults. Who surrounds the little man - moms, dads, grandparents, uncles and aunts who love him very much and are ready to do everything for him. And these adults make most of the decisions for the child. And even if somewhere on the playground a conflict situation arises between children or a controversial issue, it is usually decided by adults too. And when he finds himself in an environment where there are many children, the child learns to do it himself. And in general, we learn the art of communication all our lives, and the sooner our child begins to comprehend this difficult science, the easier it will be for him later. And one more pleasant moment: new friends appear not only among children, but also among their parents.

Veronica, 23 years old. “When Polinka was born, we moved to another area, where I didn’t know anyone, and I called my work friends less and less often: they have a balance sheet and a quarterly report, I have my daughter’s first steps and her first words... When Polinka turned one year old, we went to “mother + baby” classes, where mothers and children from 1 to 3 years old studied. And there I met people who had the same interests as me, and who were concerned about the same issues as me... It was nice to discuss together how children grow, what to feed or what is the best treatment, and also where we can go together go..."

“Disadvantages” of classes in early development schools

Perhaps one of the most significant disadvantages of early development schools is their cost. Unfortunately, very few of these schools are funded by the state or receive financial support from the municipality, and, as a rule, they are self-sustaining. Expensive rent of premises, purchase of materials, salaries of teachers and other expenses fall on the shoulders of parents. And therefore, the cost of such classes is often quite high.

In young children, immunity to infectious diseases is still poorly developed. And if someone in the group gets sick or does not receive treatment, then there is a high probability that other children will also become infected. Therefore, children often get sick during the first year. But gradually the body’s resistance to these viruses increases, which reduces the likelihood of subsequent illness.

The school is not always located close to home. And then the question arises: how to get there? A long journey is a big challenge for a child, and the difference between a car and public transport for a child is colossal. And if you can take a pleasant walk in September, then think about how you will get there in winter. Remember the doctors' recommendations: the maximum travel time should not exceed 20 minutes.

When children go to the same group, mothers involuntarily begin to compare the children's successes. As a result, they worry themselves (after all, there will always be someone who has succeeded more in something than your child). But it is especially bad when parents begin to point this out to the child, thereby taking the first steps towards the child developing an inferiority complex. It is important to remember that early development is not when your baby does something better than another child, but when he does something better than himself! Those. compared to what he would have been like if he had not been dealt with.

Unfortunately, some parents believe that attending classes in a preschool institution is more than enough, thereby completely shifting the responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child to the teacher. This is fundamentally wrong; not a single super-wonderful early development school can replace your communication with your child! Reading books, exciting walks, conversations, playing sports, and simply playing together - all this also affects the formation of the baby’s personality.

What criteria should additional education meet?

The educational process should:

have a pronounced developmental character and be based on identifying the child’s natural abilities and interests;
include a variety of shapes and types;
rely on existing certified education programs;
use developmental techniques when working with children;
take into account the needs of society;
take into account regional and national traditions.

For a teacher working in the field of additional education, it is not enough to have knowledge of the subject - he must also have practical skills in educational psychology.

Educational games for children 4-5 years old

Role-playing games at this age expand in themes and plots. Kids are able to imagine themselves as drivers, salesmen, doctors and act in accordance with the role. Playing role-playing games with peers is much more interesting than with adults at home!

Motor skills games continue to develop the ability to climb, jump, walk backwards, move at different paces, cut, sculpt, design. At the age of 4-5, children are already able to master the rules, so outdoor games according to the rules with a driver, using game rhymes and songs, are added to the classes.

Didactic games continue to introduce 4-5 year old children to color and shape, teach them to master counting objects, perform simple mathematical operations of addition and subtraction one at a time, broaden their horizons and ideas about the world of animals, plants, professions and occupations of humans, and the structure of the Earth.

Games for speech development for 4-5 years old are aimed at improving speech and expanding vocabulary. Preschoolers of this age are able to master complex sentences, reason on given topics, retell stories they have heard and seen, compose a story based on a picture, and even compose simple rhymes.

In addition to educational games for preschoolers, children's centers are happy to engage in theatrical activities, handicrafts, English, and musical activities. As a rule, parents who bring their children to classes at clubs are not disappointed and continue to take their children there for years to come.

What types of classes are there?

Currently, the following classification of classes is accepted in additional education:

combined - presentation of the material, checking homework and what has been studied, consolidating the acquired knowledge;
supply of new material;
repetition and assimilation of what has been learned - tests and tests, analysis of the results obtained;
consolidation of knowledge, skills and abilities - setting a task and independent work of the child under the guidance of a teacher;
application of acquired knowledge and skills - applied activity of a child using acquired knowledge in practice.

The teacher must skillfully apply psychological techniques that will help him navigate the needs, desires and interests of the children's team. To do this, the teacher can use questionnaires, psychological tests, educational simulations of various life situations, business and role-playing games.

Perform developmental exercises from Ikyusha

Mathematics

Reading

The world

Logics

English language

Didactic games for two-year-old children include familiarization with color, basic counting skills, familiarization with animals and plants, and geometric shapes.

Games for speech development for 2-3 year olds are aimed at expanding vocabulary and developing the grammatical structure of speech. Such games help to use words with the correct endings, formulate thoughts, answer questions, and remember synonyms.