Month: September 2020

All children should be introduced to a broad range of experiences from an early age for them to develop physically, mentally and emotionally. Children start to experience new things from the moment they are born, with sensory activities playing a significant part in the first few minutes and hours of their life. For the first few months and years of their life, sensory information and the environment around them will play a significant role in their development. We all appreciate that genetics is a massive contributor to how we evolve as individuals, but at Bangkok’s leading international kindergarten, we believe that experiences are equally as important. In this article, we will focus on how being exposed to a broad spectrum of experiences can influence a child’s development as well as their personality and behaviour. While the “wiring” of the brain may be genetics, how it develops comes from experience and learning. What the psychologists think Psychology theories are incredibly useful when it comes to understanding the role different experiences have on our lives. They help us appreciate how they shape us both as children and adults. There is a consensus that as humans, we learn through three different types of conditioning which are explained below. Classic conditioning – Classic conditioning is how we learn to respond to a particular stimulus with Pavlov’s dogs often being cited as an example. Children quickly, often through repetition, associate a specific action with a response. Just as Pavlov’s dogs associated a bell with food, a baby will know that when they see a bottle, they are about to be fed. It is learning from experience and is essential in terms of their mental development. Operant conditioning – Operant conditioning is the act of rewarding good behaviour and punishing bad. It is often referred to reinforcement learning as could include a child being taken to their favourite restaurant for helping with household chores. It is about encouraging good practices and the avoidance of bad ones. Observational learning – Observational learning is where kids learn from watching the actions of their parents and then replicating them. In the modern world, this now includes steps that they learn from video games and the internet, which is one of the main reasons parents need to be increasingly vigilant about what their child is doing. Modelling good and positive behaviour is what should always be encouraged, so parents need to be aware of their actions and behaviour. The importance of good and bad experiences As parents, we always want to shield our children from bad experiences, but in the real world, this isn’t possible. Dealing with negative experiences and learning coping mechanisms or appropriate actions is essential if they are to become well-balanced adults. Arguably, overly protective parents can have a damaging effect on a child in later life as they may be missing essential life skills. It perfectly illustrates why it is vital to experience a variety of adventures, events and even ordeals. Where do children gain this broad spectrum of experiences? In reality, even as adults, we are exposed to new things everyday so most children will gain this exposure naturally. Children will learn from family, teachers and their peers with many of these practices and skills being required as they grow up. Of course, many actions become mundane, so parents and teachers must make a conscious effort to expose children to different things. It shouldn’t be ignored that where and how and child is brought up will influence their personality. It can be affected by the country, eastern and western cultures as well as religion and personal beliefs. However, it is equally essential that it is the interaction with these influences that will ultimately dictate how our children develop. Often events will combine uniquely for each person, and this will shape the person they become. Ideas to help broaden experiences 1. Further education Education is an incredibly broad topic and extends far beyond academic learning. For instance, you could teach your child how to do things that interest you such your hobbies. If you enjoy cooking, yoga or even DIY, you could show your child how they can join in. Naturally, the level and detail to which you show them will be dependent on their age while also needing to be an appropriate skill for a youngster to learn!  2. Cultural activities and events Culture is again a very wide-ranging topic but includes modern culture such as music and dance or something more historical. Visiting museums, theatres, or even sites of interest will expose them to new and positive things. It will help to broaden their horizons and interests, as well as impacting on their personality. 3. Activities Participating in activities is another great way to expose children to new experiences. It could be joining a group, playing a sport or visiting a zoo. When it comes to activities, your choices are endless and are only restricted by your imagination. Ideally, you want to find something that you are both interested, and this will help to develop the parent-child bond. The influence of parents and caregivers Finally, parents and caregivers will have an enormous impact on a child’s early years. Some children are fortunate to receive lots of love, attention and care. Sadly, some parents don’t have the time that they would like to spend with their children, perhaps worried about work or other issues which a child shouldn’t be exposed to. While this isn’t necessarily the parent’s fault, they should try and find ways to enrich their child’s life. It could be that others help them accomplish some of the ideas mentioned above.  Did you find our article interesting? At Kidz Village, we care deeply about encouraging children to experience new things and broaden their spectrum of experiences. Our acclaimed International School in Bangkok strives to provide the ideal environment to promote all aspects of learning, including broadening horizons. For more information, please call us on +66 2888 3337.

For many children, 2020 has been a challenging year. They have missed out on many of the things that they enjoy as well as giving them many benefits. One thing that has been missing has been hands-on activities, activities where children learn by active participation rather than being told about it in a classroom, by parents or by nannies. Although hands-on activities can cover a multitude of different things, generally they involve use of the hands – hence the name. At our international school in Bangkok, we actively encourage children to take part in these types of activities, whether it is counting bricks, playing games or anything else that involves interaction. There are many reasons behind our thoughts in doing this, many of which we will go on to explain. Of course, we know that books, computers and pencils play a vital role in education, but for this article, we explore the benefits of hands-on activities. Younger children For younger children, especially those of kindergarten age, hands-on learning is more attuned to how they learn naturally. If you think about your child when they were in their early formative years, they will watch you intently, and then try copying before moving on to experimenting on their own. Continuing this style of learning is critical in pre-school children, those of school age and in the forthcoming years. It captures their imagination Children, particularly toddlers, have short attention spans even with things that they enjoy. Play and practical learning is far more fun, and they will find holding their concentration easier. You can still teach them the same topics; it is just about adopting different and often more effective practices. An example could be learning the alphabet; something that can be monotonous, but if we write the letters in sand or using clay to make the letters, it will seem like play rather than learning. Some children find academic learning scary or intimidating, so learning through play helps them to remember things without fear. Enjoying learning from an early age will stand them in good stead for their later school life as well as in further education. It is something that can never be overstated and is why it forms a key role in our early years learning. Learning through experience How many household tasks do you carry out that you find boring or mundane, yet your toddler watches and copies, getting great satisfaction? Although you may find it frustrating having a little helper around, at the same time as you perform these jobs, they are gaining valuable life experience as well as physical and behavioural skills that will be required throughout their life. Even as adults, we learn far more from being shown and then performing the task than we ever do from just being told something. How many people do you know have learnt to drive by only reading a book? Learning by experience in all walks of life has been proven to be highly effective as many academic articles will testify. It encourages interactions and awareness of outdoor surroundings Hands-on learning allows children to become more acquainted with their surroundings, and outdoor activities can be incredibly beneficial. Helping do a small amount of gardening and feeding animals in a park or at the zoo are events that children enjoy, especially when they are younger. Interaction with nature is fantastic for improving both our mental and physical health. If this is something that children can do from a young age, it is a habit that they will hopefully continue throughout their lives. Being outside encourages children to explore and experiment, which in itself will bring interactions which cannot be replicated in a classroom environment. Another benefit of being outdoors is the chance to burn off some energy and run around, mixing with children of their own age. This type of activity is essential for keeping children happy and has many benefits when it comes to their behaviour in addition to the obvious physical benefits of leading an active lifestyle. It allows children to use all five senses A mess is something that will always follow children as any parent or teacher will know. While it can be frustrating for adults, it is a vital component in their learning curve. Most sensory play will involve mess, sadly this is inevitable, but it allows kids to make discoveries about how things feel, and they will quickly learn to experiment and explore. It is a crucial part of learning about the world as it frequently involves sight, touch, sound, smell and sometimes, whether you like it or not, taste! When children use more than one of their senses, it is believed to help them not only to learn but also remember. Great things that you can use as part of the hands-on learning include sand, water, clay and paints (in controlled conditions!). If the activities also involve socialisation, it can help children to learn new words and extended their vocabulary discussing their findings with others. Uses different parts of the brain The first six years of a child’s life is when the brain is developing at the fastest rate. Naturally, this means that it is a critical time for learning and using both hemispheres of the brain helps the body to develop. The right side of the brain is thought to be associated with visual and spatial awareness, along with both creativity and imagination. The left side is believed to develop more in older children and is regarded as being more analytical. Talking, listening and using your hands stimulate more parts of the brain, and when the activities are combined appears to assist learning and memory. It is, in effect, a form of multi-sensory play. Improves fine motor skills Activities involving using the hands will enhance a child’s coordination, and this will be needed in their formative years for activities such as writing and tying their shoes. They will also help to improve strength along developing more functional skills for use in later life. It