Sally Goldberg - Fun Baby Learning Games: Activities to Support Development in Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds

Contents

Copyright
2018 Sally Goldberg

Published by Gryphon House, Inc.
P. O. Box 10, Lewisville, NC 27023
800.638.0928; 877.638.7576 (fax)
www.gryphonhouse.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or technical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in The United States. Every effort has been made to locate copyright and permission information.

Cover photograph courtesy of Shutterstock.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The cataloging-in-publication data is registered with the Library of Congress for ISBN 978-0-87659-748-4.

Bulk Purchase

Gryphon House books are available for special premiums and sales promotions as well as for fund-raising use. Special editions or book excerpts also can be created to specifications. For details, call 800.638.0928.

Disclaimer

Gryphon House, Inc., cannot be held responsible for damage, mishap, or injury incurred during the use of or because of activities in this book. Appropriate and reasonable caution and adult supervision of children involved in activities and corresponding to the age and capability of each child involved are recommended at all times. Do not leave children unattended at any time. Observe safety and caution at all times.

Dedication

To my friend, Sue Augir:

Thank you so much for steering me in the right direction. It was your special touch of friendship and professionalism that helped me get this book back on track and ready for its final meant-to-be destination.

To my husband, Bob Elam:

Thank you for overseeing the track. It was your generosity and love that supported me in this part of my early childhood work, which is such a meaningful and important part of my life.

Acknowledgments

T his book puts early play into a sequenced context. Whatever age or stage your little one is at, you will be able to learn about and then guide your child through it with precision. Guesswork is out, and confidence is in.

This handy resource is here today because of the many helpful people who chipped in with their time, energy, and resources. Marnie Cochran, who was in on the ground level when the book was conceived and begun, played a big role in the formative stage. Thank you, Marnie. Then years later, along came Stephanie Roselli, executive editor at Gryphon House, and she gets the biggest thank-you of all. First, she gave it her scientific touch and then followed that with her genuine stamp of approval.

Thanks also go to the many mothers who tried out the activities, gave me needed feedback, and even posed with their babies for photos. Thank you very much, Corin Wiser and your daughter Hannah, Amber Bloom and your son Tyler, Rayna Spector and your daughter Peri, Guadalupe Griffin and your son Gabriel, Christine Randhawa and your son Liam, Traci Krystyniak and your daughter Rileigh, and Patty Majerus and your son Tommy. Your practical advice, insight, and patient children all helped me a lot!

A finished product looks simple, but there are many dedicated professionals who work behind the scenes to improve quality in every way. Much appreciation goes to Melissa Henninger, content editor, who helped me raise the bar for excellence. Then along came Karen Sommerfeld, copy editor, who took the whole project to the next level with her good eye. Melissa and Karen, thank you both.

Foreword

I was an absolute sponge for parenting knowledge as I anticipated the birth of my first child. As the publisher of a parenting magazine, the resources available to me were bountiful. I read everything I could get my hands on! It was during this time that I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Sally Goldberg.

Dr. Goldberg and I had an instant common bondthe aspiration to educate parents on the importance of early childhood education and nurturing. However, I immediately was intrigued by her refreshing perspective on parenting and the true essence of childhood. Her energy and commonsense approach are welcome alternatives to the numerous modish techniques and gadgets that bombard today s parents.

I implemented Dr. Goldbergs creative ideas with my firstborn. My son and I would spend time coordinating household items of the same color, creating musical instruments from plastic spoons and containers, and making our own flash cards. It was a wonderful moment when his prekindergarten teacher credited his advanced skills to the extra time I had spent with him! Now, my youngest son is also exhibiting an advanced skill level in school. Thank you, Dr. Goldberg!

Parents will revel in the fresh approaches offered in this unique play-and-learn system. Dr. Goldbergs suggestions are a blessing for both the stay-at-home and working parent. When there no longer seems to be enough time in the day, her activities allow a parent to make the most of the precious moments of child-parent bonding. Dr. Goldberg shows us that we can allow our children to take the initiative in learn-and-play activities. It is a golden opportunity for creative play when the child is more intrigued by the box the toy came in rather than the toy itself. After reading this book, parents and caregivers will discover that their recycling bin is actually a treasure chest of toys waiting to happen. Parents and caregivers alike can teach invaluable skills while investing nothing more than some creativity and time.

Dr. Sally Goldberg is an inspiration to me both as a professional and a parent. To this day, I simply need to take a moment to refer to her writings and once again feel grounded in this whirlwind of new-millennium parenting. Thank you, Dr. Sally, for reminding us what a special gift parenting actually can be!

Victoria L. Grimes
Publisher
Todays Family Magazine

Preface

T his book is a theory- and research-based guide to playing with little ones. All activities foster development in one or more of five areascognitive, motor, social-emotional, language, and self-esteem; and each one includes information about the activity, how to do it, and why.

Each of the suggested activities has been carefully selected or specially crafted as a stellar way to encourage a particular skill or emerging milestone. Some you may recognize, as they are based on play interactions that have been passed down through the generations. A few are specifically designed for you to create your own unique add-ons. All are there for you to experience in your own way.

Throughout the book you will see that you are the key player. There is no machine that can take your place. You are vitally needed day in and day out to handle properly the wants and needs of the little ones in your care. When even the most challenging situations ariseproblems that an outsider would never know how to fixpoof, you solve them. How? Easy. You are the parent, and you know how. Find out more about this concept in the epilogue, The Power of the Parent.

Many conveniences have come our way in the digital age. However, none has made the process of guiding children through all their years of growth and development any quicker, easier, or less complex. As a matter of fact, the human touch, both male and female, is still exactly as important to children as it ever was.

Introduction

T he first three years of life are more important than most people think. They lay the foundation for all of life to come. Surprising as this may sound, research tells us that if a child has high verbal skills by the age of three, she will likely be successful in school by age six. I pass on to you these well-researched and highly valued concepts that appear often in the literature. First is that an enriched early learning environment in the first three to five years sets the stage for later success in school, and second is that the R , S , and T of parentingreading, singing, and talking to young childrenare key. Moreover, of all the input young children receive in the early years, it is high-quality and high-quantity language that seems to play the biggest role.