How do children learn?
For children there is something new to discover and experience every day. Unlike adults, their perception is not yet directed, which means they are open with all their senses to all kinds of stimuli and suggestions. But how do children learn from that?
Curiosity:Children are naturally curious and inclined to explore. This way they quickly find something that interests them and that they can get excited about. Even if parents can't always understand the enthusiasm for a leaf or a particular sound, your child learns a bit about nature and trains their hearing.
Imagination:Children have an incredible amount of imagination. Things appear in places where there are none and suddenly they find themselves in a completely different world. In the invented stories they incorporate their own feelings and experiences and can process both better and learn from them.
Role play:At about three years old, your child begins role play: mother-father-child, teddy at the doctor's or a shop. Either with suitable toys or imagined props, your child learns to put themselves in others' shoes and already practices for the world of adults.
Imitation:Watching their parents clean the apartment or prepare food is already interesting for toddlers. They quickly want to join in and help. If they take on age-appropriate tasks, they quickly learn things for later and will already know how to vacuum and how to cook pasta.
Helicopter parents: Let your child be a child
For some time now the term helicopter parents is on everyone's lips – but what does it actually mean?Helicopter parents hover constantly around their childrenand are too afraid that something might happen. Children must be able to be themselves and sometimes climb the slide alone and perhaps even scrape their knee, because only then do they learn how to do better next time. Getting dirty while playing is as much a part of it as arguing with another child over the same toy.
Parents who intervene too quickly and too often, take important experiences away from their child. Being nearby and supportive is good; however, too much caution can be transferred to your child and they will become timid and dependent on your approval before trying something. So give your child the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them.
How can I let my child be a child?
Give space:Give your child enough free space and make sure that the whole week isn't already booked with activities like sports, dance class, music lessons or tutoring. While the little ones do experience many new impressions, it's not the point of a hobby that your child is constantly under (time) pressure, having to do this today and that tomorrow. After all, there should still be time to simply play alone or with friends.
Consider interests:Let your child decide what they want to do in their free time. If, for example, they want to sign up for a course or club, then primarily take the child's interests into account. Many parents often try to impose their own interests on their offspring or hobbies they themselves maybe never had the chance to pursue. In general, that's the wrong approach, because the child might be enthusiastic about completely different things.
Enjoy family time:When it comes to all hobbies and leisure activities, one thing should not be forgotten: time with the family. Every child needs to spend time with mom and dad and to be held sometimes – even the most fun leisure activity can't replace that. Family time gives kids support, security and above all the feeling of simply being a child. There's also a lot to learn and experience at home. Of course there are also many lovely games for the whole family that you can try together.
