Tag

Edition 5: Jan 2024

in RESOURCES

The benefits of play for children

January 8, 2024
359

HOW DOES PLAY HELP CHILDREN GROW?

Play helps children grow and change in four ways:

  • physically
  • mentally
  • socially
  • emotionally

PLAY AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT When children play, they learn to use their muscles. Gross motor play involves large muscles. Fine motor play involves the use of smaller muscles.

  • Large muscles like those in the arms and legs get stronger and work better as children run, jump, and climb.
  • The small muscles of the fingers and toes become more controlled.
    • Babies hold on with all their hands.
    • 4-year-olds can easily pick up small pieces.

Balance ability comes with practicing walking along curbs, climbing trees and monkey bars, and playing hopscotch. When parts of the body work together so that the entire body moves smoothly and performs a task, this is called coordination. Children have a lot of energy. They need plenty of opportunities to play physically to burn off energy, then they sleep and eat better, so they will continue to grow. At all ages, motor coordination capacity depends on how much physical activity children do daily.

Music and movement

Music and the emotional and social development of the child

Including music in children’s activities helps children’s development which unites the two hemispheres of the brain. Music and emotions develop in the limbic system. Music provokes all types of feelings and emotions, being a tool that allows children to understand and express what they feel and at the same time strengthens bonds of trust. Music and its importance in the development of children’s body expression.

Body movement is closely linked to the world of sounds. Music stimulates the senses and balance, strengthening children’s muscles. When dancing they adapt their own movements and rhythms, acquiring greater coordination and spatial sense.

in RESOURCES

Why is Good Nutrition Important for Our Children?

January 8, 2024
378

Food is decisive for proper functioning of the body, good growth, optimal learning capacity and the prevention of diseases.

The effects of malnutrition in early childhood can be devastating and long-lasting. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for children’s health.

A varied and healthy diet always goes hand in hand with physical activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children do 1 hour a day of some type of activity. Schools and childcare centers such as group and home daycare centers have activities in their curriculum where children have different physical activities.

It is important that parents share some activity during the time that their children are away from school or from their childcare providers, whether it is riding a bicycle, playing in the park, skating, swimming, dancing or soccer.

It is important to include foods that provide energy and everything necessary that a healthy child needs: foods with energy, carbohydrates, fats and protein. We must avoid juices, soft drinks, chocolates and candies or fried foods and greasy foods.

Serve foods by sizes and portions for different ages. Nutrition for children is based on the same ideas as nutrition for adults. We all need the same types of elements, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. All of them together are called nutrients.

Children need different amounts of specific nutrients depending on their ages:

For 2 year old children:

  • Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ¼ cup
  • Yellow group: combine 4 groups of food of ½ ounce
  • Blue group: Dairy ½ cup
  • Orange group: 1 ounce

For children 3-4 years old:

  • Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ½ cup
  • Yellow group: combine 4 food group of ½ ounce
  • Blue group: Dairy ½ – ¾ cup
  • Orange group: 1 ½ cup

For children 5-8 years old:

  • Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ¾ cup
  • Yellow group: combine 4 food groups of 1 ounce
  • Blue Group: Dairy 1 cup
  • Orange group: 2 ounces

Courtesy of Precious Moment Child Care

Reference: https://www.mayoclinic.org/

Close