Teaching children things that will help them in their near and distant future brings a passionate flame into my heart. Going through everyday things that an adult does without even thinking, such as cooking, cleaning and many other things is a constant learning experience for children, I believe. Kids are learning new things all the time. Having them help you with things that you think of as simple could be a fun opportunity for them to learn.
Cooking with children is one of my favorite activities to do, let alone the fact that it is usually extremely fun for them. While they stir or pour they are using their motor skills and learning self help skills that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. I don’t worry if they spill. It is inevitable that they will spill something at some point until they acquire the skill they are working on. It takes a certain amount of pressure and strength to stir flour and wet ingredients to make dough that a child has yet to learn. It takes even more strength sometimes to allow them to spill and not quickly clean it yourself. Sometimes things are faster to do if you do it for the child, but if you do so they will never learn.
I believe that a child should learn as soon as possible (around 12-24 months) to put toys away after they are done. I know this may sound so soon, but the earlier you teach this the better their organization skills and memory of where things go will be. If they are hard to get to put something away, as most 1 and two year olds will be, walk over with them and hold their hand as they pick it up. Guide the child to where it goes. I love it when I see them smile after picking up something they played with and putting back in the right spot. All children love praise for an accomplishment.
Everything a child does each day helps them prepare for the future. Everything I can teach a child brings such joy to me. It makes me so happy seeing children grow and learn. Seeing how they develop each month is so rewarding, even if you are not the parent, but a nanny, child care provider, teacher or even just a family friend. Children are our future. They more you do with them and the more they learn, benefits get greater and they grow older with each blink of the eye.
This author writes about family and health. Please check out www.happyhealth.net for more information.