So often, I am asked, “What do you do with your children to help them in school?”
I think the best answer is to create life experiences that will develop background knowledge and vocabulary.
My almost 5 year old has taken a great interest in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She was recently given a TMNT sweatshirt for Christmas. I decided to take my little turtle to see the turtles in the Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo.
“Turtles in a half shell, Turtle Power”
Since she had developed this interest, it was easy to get her to interact with the exhibits in the Reptile House. She wanted to know the different names of the lizards and turtles. We also had fun searching for the animals because, as she said “they like to camouflage with the environment they live in”.
Combining the fiction of TMNT with nonfiction information made it easy for her to incorporate new vocabulary.
So, my advice to you is to get out there and explore. For 2015, I want to develop my girls’ interests and help them enjoy the big world around them.
How do you spark creativity in your child?
I love this post! We do the same thing here–take what they’re already interested in and expand on it. The zoo is an amazing place for kids to learn!
Thank you! All of a sudden, she became a fan of TMNT and she really interacted with the reptiles at the zoo, asking questions and she really enjoyed her visit.
I love the turtle theme…….great job making the zoo extra fun!!
My answer would be exactly the same as yours! Give them experiences, and give them variety. We like to travel places, watch educational tv, play games, listen to audio books, go to museums. All of these help my kids (ages 7, 4, and 1) develop creativity and make cognitive leaps.
we love going to the zoo also! My little one is afraid of the dark exhibits and clings onto me for dear life but she is getting braver!
We are big outdoors and animal people! I love taking my kids to county parks or nature classes 🙂
I love taking my kids to the zoo. No matter what we always leave with great memories.
We go to the Bronx Zoo at least once a month and always pick a new animal or exhibit to learn about! So fun!