Brain is a neural network and neuro activity is highly active during the early years of the child, as the brain process every input from the environment. The signals flows and get processed through the core of the brain. The network structures and links gets reinforced based on the stimulation experienced by the child. Parents engage though different activities, daily routines need to be set and parents need to engage positively with the child.
It is not necessary to buy special products and services for the routine activities. Earlier joint family setup was very conducive for the child as we have numerous relatives all engaging with the child simultaneously, with the growing nuclear family setup the number of interactions reduce. Some of the common everyday activities are
- Love and affection which come pretty naturally need to be expressed to our children, the unconditional love allows for the creation of strong self-confidence and reinforces bonding between the family.
- Talk and sing in the mother tongue. Continue to describe the activity that you are doing, sing as a song and enjoy the moments with the child. The descriptions provide language nutrition that helps in developing vocabulary in children and also helps connect with the environment.
- Respond to the queries from the child.in a right manner. Never ignore any question from the child, your response provides confidence, sense of trust and emotional connect.
- Touch the infant through cuddling, feeding and also build eye contact.
- Modelling is a quick approach, encourage the child to imitate your actions and you can imitate the child’s actions. Appreciate her action by applause and hugging as it reinforces the brain connections to further motivate to imitate facial expressions and emotions.
- Let the infant experience the environment by taking the child on trip around the house, to the market, grocery store, park and neighborhood. This experience encourages the child to discover the entities, smell, sounds and climate around each of the spaces. It is the parents who are young and active who can effectively contribute to spark off the growth and development of the child in his/her earliest years since this is the basis of continued learning and behavior throughout life. Stimulation refers not only to the transfer of toys or devices, but to an environment where the child feels loved, safe and is free to learn. People can develop language skills of a baby applying some simple actions as talking, singing, and reading long to a baby because these activities can improve language knowledge and emotional connection significantly. As the kid ages, parents can upgrade problem-solving, imagination, and creativity by introducing age-appropriate games that seek to improve such aspects, like building blocks, drawing, or pretend play. Physical stimulation also plays an important role; allowing children to crawl, walk, and play-outside enhances motor skills and also builds confidence in child movements. Additionally, communicating with children will enhance their listening skills, and the feeling of trust since questions are asked, and responses listened to. Besides, parents ought to encourage curiosity by exposing a child to various experiences rendering them to learn by observation and practice via nature walks, music, house chores, etc. This is encouraged by consistency, encouragement and praise which will make children not be afraid to explore something new. It is also imperative to nominate healthy behavior in children by ensures their parents show them good examples as they emulate what they learn. Establishing a equilibrium within play, rest and learning steps to a complete development. In other words, young parents can best engage their child by being responsive, present and caring thereby transforming even ordinary day into a breakthrough.
- Read books to the child in the mother tongue and this increases the vocabulary of the child, change of intonation while saying the words builds connect to pictures.
- Singing songs to the child in the form of lullaby or rhymes with sounds engages the child and creates an opportunity for them to imitateAs the kid develops, he/she should be stimulated further through play learning. Early childhood parents may add activities such as spreading blocks, [addressing] crayons or general puzzles, that enhance problem-solving, hand–eye coordination, and creativity. Pretend play-when children associate themselves with being a teacher, doctor, or shopkeeper, this fosters imagination and helps a kid know the surrounding world. Physical stimulation is as well very essential Crawling, running, playing outdoors enable children to develop muscles as well as the ability to be more independent, socialize with others, and develop confidence in their ability to do things themselves. Nature walks, visits to the park or even backyard plays give children exposure to new things and help encourage curiosity and the observation skills in the child.
Cognitive and emotional stimulation is also very important. Open-ended questions can be used by parents to engage children and start a discussion, where parents encourage children to describe their thoughts and patiently listen to them. This assists children in communication skill, critical thinking and expression. Parents are encouraged also to congratulate the efforts and not the achievements so that the children have incentive in trying to experiment without worrying that they might make any mistake. Hardness, the degree of encouragement and the manner of direction works to develop resilience and confidence among learners of a young age.
Parents who are not using age remember that they are role models. Kids tend to emulate the habits and mindsets of the parents, and by leading by example and demonstrating kindness, patience, and good health habits you will teach them the right ones. Involving kids in day-to-day chores, such as, setting the table or watering plants inculcates the feeling of responsibility, instills in children a sense of responsibility and imparts useful Art of living skills. It is also vital to balance between giving children the right amount of rest, nutrition, and forms of structured and unstructured play in order to develop holistically.
Finally there is no better way young parents can stimulate their child by being actively involved and responsive and nurturing. Making learning moments out of everyday moments in life, be it through playing, or discussion, or various types of experiences can instill intellectual, emotional, and social development in a child. Parents can ensure child success by offering love, support, and a safe space to help lay the foundation of life-long learning and success.
reference: https://cchp.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra181/f/buildbabyinten081803_adr.pdf