| QUESTION: |
How to keep little one busy? de Christie K. - 05/06/02 - Baie de San Francisco
| What are your ideas to keep a little one( 4 year old) busy while one is busy with a chore at home, other than the traditional video tape?
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Editorial Committee RESPONSES:
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FrenchParents Editorial Committee:
Valérie Hufbauer - 12/06/02
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My son (3 years old) loves to play with the computer. I open Word, then he writes his name and other things, then he prints the page. He can play alone for 20 to 30 minutes while I do something else.
There are also some very nice educational activities that can be done on-line and/or with a CD-Rom. This might be a good alternative to TV.
Kids also like to play with a friend. If your son has a friend to play with, he might not need you as much.
I know it does not work with everything, but sometimes if I associate my son to what I am doing things get easier. It works well with cooking for example. I give him a fruit or a vegetable and he imitates me!
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FrenchParents Editorial Committee:
Anne-Caroline Isautier- Rougeot - 21/06/02
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Books on tape are an alternative. You can get them at the library too! There are tapes and CDs with stories that your little one can listen to and follow along to in an accompanying book, which are appropriate for his or her age.
They're great!
ALso, even easier for a 4-year old to use than a CD-ROM ona a computer are electronic 'educational' toys. We have one from V-Tech which produces songs, and sounds of animals and of letters when various buttons are pressed.
Here in the US, Leapfrog( www.LEAPFROG.COM) makes truly interactive educational toys that start at age 3 and need not for the child to master use of a mouse- just his or her finger!
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| Frenchparents Member RESPONSES: |
| How about getting them to help you? de Caroline H. - 25/06/02 |
I have my 3 year old son "help" me with just about everything I need to do around the house: from throwing laundry into the washing machine, to watering the yard and weeding, to preparing dinner (he peels carrots and cucumbers and has his own cutting board and "butter knife" to cut vegetables...no sharp knives please!)...
I think the key there is to deconstruct a seemingly complex into a set of smaller tasks that are manageable for that age...and most of all to relax and have fun. It might take longer in the beginning, but in the long run it is a WIN/WIN for both sides: your child learns a lot of practical skills and you get a helper whose skills are improving exponentially week by week!!! Who could ask for more?
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