Tag: activities

Tablets for tots

You’ll have noticed that THE present for children this year was…. a tablet.

From LeapFrog’s LeapPad and VTech’s Innotab  to Asus’ Nexus 7 and Apple’s iPad mini, tablets are everywhere, loaded with educational apps and games to keep children amused. So what are the pros and cons of tablets for tots?

+1 They’re ultra portable

Books, DVDs, CDs, card games, pens and paper. Leave them all at home, there’s an app that will so it for you. You can also access media content legally for much less than the book or DVD would cost and easily pop on something for you too.

+1 They’re intuitive

Even children as young as 1 can get their heads around touch screen technology. Unlike traditional PC based educational games tablet apps are easy to get to grips with.

+ They promote hand eye coordination and fine motor skills, literacy and mathematical ability

Children have to learn to control their hands and fingers to use a tablet, and some games encourage matching, sorting and counting skills,  shape, number and letter recognition, and phonics, as well as making a variety of e-books easily accessible.

+ They grow and evolve with the child

Leapfrog and Vtech etc aside adults can get as much use out of tablets as children and teens. The sheer number of apps is staggering and a new tablet now should, barring breakages, provide entertainment for years that can vary according the child’s tastes.

-1 They stifle the imagination

There are some good, creative drawing and music apps out there but it’s no substitute for the opportunities real art materials or musical instruments give you. There’s also no scope to put a lion on Old MacDonald’s farm or adapt what the wheels on the bus do if you’re just listening to a recorded version.

-1 They’re fragile

Most tablets aren’t hugely robust, even when they come encased in rubber, and older children will probably want a 7-inch adult tablet anyway. Young children can’t appreciate that their new toy is a complex electronic device to be treated with care and even with the best will in the world a older child may accidentally drop it.

-1 They’re sedentary activities

You don’t move much when you’re using a tablet and it’s certainly no substitute for running around outside. Repetitive use of one hand could also lead to RSI, especially as the way children use touch screen technology when they’re young will set them up for how they use it in later life and it’s not going away.

-1 Children can access the Internet unsupervised or run up a bill buying apps

Most tablets aimed at the children’s market incorporate parental control but if you accidentally leave that off and your iTunes or Android marketplace account logged it’s scarily easy and fast for a child to run up a bill. Most free apps include a quick link to the full version and an imprudent tap or two could be pricy.

-1 They’re addictive

You know those adults who always have some kind of electronic device in their hand? Chances are they’re addicted. The brain quickly becomes dependent on the instant gratification a smartphone can provide and this can also less to problems with concentration later on. Children are especially vulnerable because their brains are still very plastic, which means new habits can form easily.
Our verdict:

Handle with care, both literally and figuratively! While they might keep children occupied for hours, you should also make time for activities away from the tablet, even if you’re essentially doing the same thing. If you’re a childcarer make sure to communicate with the parents about appropriate usage and stick to their rules.  Consider limiting use to specific locations or certain times of day to ensure that it isn’t overused and always double check the content and parental controls on a standard tablet. Finally, remember an interactive tablet is no substitute for an interactive adult!

Childminding: Rainy Day Ideas

Childminding can bring some challenging times, especially on those days when evacuating to the garden or local park is not an option.  Childminders will often be responsible for children of different age groups, so it is vital to have some ideas up your sleeve to help keep them occupied (and to avoid going stir crazy!).

On that note, here are a few suggestions of activities do engage the children in whilst childminding that can be easily adapted to different age groups.

 

Play Dough

Home made play dough is quick and easy to make, completely non-toxic and a joy to play with.  I challenge you to think of one child (or indeed, an adult) you’ve met who doesn’t enjoy a good dough squishing session!

 

There are many different recipes you can use to make play dough for use while childminding, with varying levels of success.  The following recipe is pretty reliable and makes a large amount of dough. You could even split the mixture and make two different colours!

 

You will need:

  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1.5 cups salt
  • 6 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 3 tablespoons oil (any cooking oil will do)
  • Food colouring (you’ll need more than you think to get a vivid shade)

 

Simply combine the dry ingredients (sieving the flour first), before adding plenty of food colouring to the water & oil mixture.  Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients gradually, stirring throughout.  Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and takes on a nice doughy texture.

 

This play dough will keep for a long time if stored in an airtight tub in the fridge. Try adding rice or lentils for an interesting texture for little ones, or even throw in some glitter!  Older children will enjoy making the dough with you, or you can easily make it the night before for ease’s sake.

 

Finger Painting

Everybody loves finger painting.  Very young ones adore the feel of the paint on their hands, and older ones can get creative and make beautiful pictures to take home with them. Finger painting is messy, though, so it may be a good idea for childminders to pre-warn parents that they plan to do it, so they can provide old clothes for the children to change into for the activity.  Putting newspaper down is a very good idea, too.  Messy play can be a bit of a challenge for the adult in charge, but it’s well worth it for the learning experience that the children will get.

 

Indoor Picnic

You’d be hard pushed to find a child who doesn’t love picnicking.  Picnics in the garden are lovely, but if the weather isn’t accommodating, bring the picnic inside!  Make a finger-food lunch together with the older children – sandwiches, breadsticks, houmous with vegetable dippers, crisps, cut up apples and cupcakes are all good choices – and take the plates of food to a blanket on the floor.  The children will love helping themselves to their lunch, and the novelty of eating on the ground can be enough to convince even the fussiest of eaters to dig in.  For extra fun, make a canopy with a sheet laid over the back of some chairs.