Swimming, climbing, music: what suits my child best?
Interest in
You can recognise the value of early educational opportunities by the child's reaction. Are they already looking forward to the next appointment? Is it more balanced and satisfied afterwards than before? Do they take up the stimuli on their own during free play? Does it make friends with other children? Are they sad when it's over?
Pressure of expectation
Children have fine antennae for pressure of expectation. It could be that your child is only showing interest for your sake. Therefore, observe your child's reactions as critically as possible and free from wishful thinking. Avoid rewards for obedient participation. And this sentence: «That was nice, wasn't it?»
«Förderitis»
Brain research has established that the human brain develops depending on how it is used. However, the social environment is more important for brain development than any training programme. «Förderitis» with painting classes, children's yoga and early English is therefore less important for healthy development than your children's free play.
Languages
Foreign languages are only interesting when other children or interesting people use them in play with a child. In the as-if phase, the children discover language as a «magic wand». While the object phase was about assigning the right name to everyday things, they now learn to turn a building block into a car or to mother a teddy bear like a child. They discover the creative possibilities of language for themselves and soak up the new words like a sponge. When small grammatical errors occur - such as «There are the plates» - it is pointless to explain the correct plural form to them. It is better to repeat the phrase: «Yes, that's right, that's where the plates are.» It is perfectly sufficient for parents to talk, rhyme, sing, look at picture books and read to their children as much as possible.
Ambition
Self-selected children's games are always ambitious. Children actively seek out challenges that are best suited to their abilities and neither under- nor overchallenge them, but rather help them progress intuitively. They don't need much other than time and imagination. No development programme can achieve this.
You can find more tips in André Frank Zimpel's book «Spielen macht s chlau!», GU Verlag, 2014, 176 pages, CHF 21.90.
Want to read more about this topic?
This is an article from the dossier on gaming in our August magazine. It will be available from newsagents from 17 August. Or conveniently at home with a subscription .
Read more:
Experts call for areturn to free play for children - preferably in nature.