Puzzles? They are one of the best developmental tools!

We have always been drawn to puzzles as an entertaining and developmental tool. We have now reached a level of competence we never expected.

Primarily they support skills building:

-Increased attention span.

-Problem solving.

-Persistence.

-Confidence.

-Goal setting/achievement.

-Coordination.

We have also used them as a teaching tool for early child development:

-Shapes puzzles.

-Number/alphabet puzzles.

-Language building.

In the last several years we found ourselves both catching up to their skills level and our commitment to providing challenges.

It was obvious we needed to invest in larger and more complex puzzles because the children were becoming bored with what was available.

So I began buying 100 piece puzzles (this is for three and four year olds). Initially they immediately decided to begin with two children sitting across from each other at a small table to try and figure out a successful process.

They decided that dividing up the picture in half, it made the most sense and their goal was to finally join the two sections.

In adding a social element to the process they were able to implement an approach that was successful as well as social.

I found myself searching for more challenges and difficult puzzles as they became more skilled.

We are now at 150 piece puzzles and I am amazed at how quickly and successfully they have accomplished every challenge.

Some of the things we discovered by observing and reserving suggestions:

1.       They emptied the content of the box on the table.

2.       Set up a visual to refer to.

3.       Divided the picture in half.

4.       Began the process by matching pieces that they observed would complete each other. Sometimes they had several of these before any of them went together.

5.       They never approached the task by forming the border as is a common approach.

6.       Since we were observing and not interfering we found that this approach was applied all the time and was incredibly successful.

7.       Their creative side was dominating at all times rather than their structured side.

Understanding that these were children who were already successful with less demanding puzzles, it served everyone best by allowing them to arrive at their own solutions.

Fortunately for all involved, this is the approach we use as a developmental strategy and it is always incredibly rewarding for everyone.

Hope this experience can benefit everyone.

Good luck!

The Specific Challenges of Toilet Training

We have had months (one year plus!) in toilet training mode. Our two year olds all decided to train at different times and with different challenges.

Even thought they are all motivated to some degree by the benefits they earn i.e. bigger eating utensils, access to the big slide, lining up with the big kids, becoming part of the “helper” team; they still have their own particular challenges.

This time, one of the children created the particular challenge of having us come up with the solution to doing the bowel movement in the bathtub. Somewhere in the process most children do have that experience, but it is usually by accident, in her case it was deliberate. We decided we had to give her a little help since there was a possibility she was having difficulty, and therefore, some pain, in the process.

So we introduced prunes into her diet. It took three days to have the desired effect of eliminating the pain she was feeling and therefore “holding onto the process”. She has now taken on the task with great pride and a little bragging about her success.

The second challenge was helping one of the boys to feel comfortable sitting farther back on the toilet seat so his urine was not hitting the floor instead of the water. I realize there is a training seat with a cup that can alleviate this problem, however my goal is to train the children so they can be comfortable in any toilet without special equipment.

We had him practice sitting on the seat when he did not need to use it. He gradually became more comfortable and no longer felt that he was going to fall in. He can now go anywhere with his family and not have to be anxious should he require bathroom facilities, instead he is proud! 

Toilet training is one of the last and major challenges in your child’s physical development. You want this experience to have lasting positive results.

We always take particular care that that happens.

This is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying accomplishments when it works well.

Good luck!

What A Success Our Helper Program Has Become!

We expect our children at the daycare to be responsible for their own needs. So when we started the helper program we had no idea how beneficial and rewarding and popular it would be with the children involved.

The program meant that each of the older children (three at the time) would be given assignments that would help the teachers with specific tasks to make more demanding times of the day i.e. lunch/naptime function more smoothly.

During this time, each child proceeded at their own pace and each would be moving at a different time from eating, to washing up, to getting ready for naptime, to diaper changing, to actually getting on their cot and falling asleep.

With everyone going through this process there were a lot of moving parts.

The helpers role was to:

1.Help take of shoes and socks.
2.Get diapers/lotions/skin treatment.
3.Discard diapers (carefully wrapped and safe).
4.Get blankets.
5.Sit beside a child in need of help calming down.
6.Arranging the socks and shoes so they could be easily accessed after nap.
7.Any need that arose throughout the day
     a.Help a child do a puzzle
     b.Clean up
     c.Help put on jackets for outside time.
     d.Help the younger ones with unfamiliar toys.

Each of the helpers had this assignment for a week. It quickly became their favorite time at the daycare!

You may want to apply this task challenge at home. If you are a one child family, your child could take on family tasks. If you are a multi-child family then you may consider following our approach.
Either way, it is an invaluable opportunity to increase your child’s maturity, sense of responsibility, confidence and caring.

In our case, the goal is to increase character building, maturity, responsibility as the rewards. I believe the approach will be most successful if a physical or monetary reward is not involved.

You will be able to enjoy the pride they have in their accomplishments with them!

Good Luck!