Yesterday I was talking about Matilda, an extraordinary girl despite her parents who ignore her qualities. Something that may happen to many children. A pity, don't you think? These children are fascinating if they manage to cultivate their gift despite an unfavorable environment.
But what should be tried is that they are not in that situation. That we discover (uncover) the talent of our children. And let's see how it is done. There are no magic formulas or "future artists" tests. Is more simple.
It is normal that at first we do not know what kind of artist our son will be. But we should not ignore any sign. And to discover the talent of the little ones, you just have to try that the environment of our children is stimulating, that we are open to their interests, that we offer them to learn continuously.
As you can see, we really have to do very little. Because they absorb the information around them and have an immense ability to learn. The best way to stimulate them is to play with them.
Babies from birth (in fact already in the womb) receive many stimuli that help them develop. That is why it is important that we respond to your games since childhood. Those first games are a world of learning for them.
The game contributes to fun and meaningful learning. It will be the child who gradually determines what type of game interests him most, if he is inclined to books (and different types of books), dolls, kitchens, cars, board games, drawing, for sports ...
The point is that the child is motivated to learn, and the game gets it. They will have time to train academically in the concepts that interest them most (in fact at that time the motivation will already be at the base), but when they are young it is time to play.
Being motivated increases their self-esteem, and that makes them want to continue playing and learning. The girl in the novel we mentioned yesterday, Matilda, could have diminished self-esteem the fact that her father does not want to buy a book, but luckily he looks for them by his own means and continues to grow.
How to know if the child is motivated?
It will not be difficult for us to see that the games and learning in question motivate him. Let's see some guidelines thanks to which we can investigate what they like most, since motivation is both cause and effect of learning:
- We must arouse your curiosity.
- The games close to the child, which reproduce situations they know ... are the first to practice.
- The child feels that he controls the activity, or strives to resolve it with our support.
- We must convey that they are capable of performing the game or activity. Provide them with security and support.
- Play with them: by talking and sharing they are learning in the best possible way.
- Do not propose goals with a high degree of difficulty, which does not fit your maturational age.
- On the contrary, an excessively easy task loses interest for the child and leads to boredom.
- Let's promote curiosity, exploration and manipulation, very important for learning.
- The portentous imagination of children is their best tool to learn and know the world. That is why we must let them daydream and allow them to fly with the imagination, learning from and with them in that unique experience.
Finally, we cannot forget that the game is not only a learning strategy. The game provides rest and recreation and with it the children develop and strengthen their experiential field, eliminate stress and make them happier. For all this we should devote more time to the game.
I don't know if our children will be internationally renowned artists or as extraordinary as Matilda, but surely they will be extraordinary as they alone and playing is how they are going to prove it best.
In Babies and more | The importance of early stimulation, The importance of free play, Einstein never memorized: he learned by playing
