Kids are keen to learn. It is amazing to see that a child who is yet to learn to speak is eloquent with his eyes and imitates simple hand movements. They understand places, food, familiar faces and games. The most important link between the mother and child is touch and sound. This is reassurance to them. A child is able to learn faster if words are spoken in simple manner and also explained with examples and expressions. The concept of colors and VIBGYOR of a rainbow is easily understood by a two year old.
There are poems about football and also about rain. The cries of animals poems are interesting and parts of the body are important. Feelings is what children are linked with and the poem on ‘I have feelings – you do to’ is easy to teach. Enacting the poems instill in the child the ability to connect. For instance, the poem ‘ Roly Poly’ is spoken in hushed wishes but children are able to understand the same. Try saying, ‘ Twinkle Twinkle’ with actions and your toddler will get into a robust narration.
Enacting means to elaborate and explain. This certainly is a skill but can be acquired. Actually parenthood naturally makes your learn and be vulnerable. This is the best way to communicate to the child about antonyms and small things about manners. ‘Goosey Goosey Gander’ teaches the concept of upstairs and downstairs. This poem can be done while taking the stairs and kids love when you teach them without a school atmosphere.
New methods of intellectual stimulation used in teaching kids is done by way of charts, flash cards and definitely rhymes. There are rhymes that tell about mothers and fathers day. There are languages to be explored while enacting a poem. ‘ Are you sleeping Brother John,’ is a simple poem which is easy to express. ‘ I love you – We are all a family’ can be done at family gatherings and kids love to enact the same.
Try the ‘Boogie Woogie’ poem and watch the fun. It will be natural that the family participation increases the excitement in children. If kids learn to articulate at a young age, then their perception is heightened. They are able to link to things better and this can be converted as a talent. Vocabulary is highly grasped by children and language does not hold a barrier for them.
While enacting make eye contact with children. If they seem disinterested, give them a favourite toy and ask them if they would like to teach the toys about poems. Each child will surely have a favourite poem and this can be drawn in a chart form. ‘ Teddy bear – turn around’ can be done is phase manner with simple crayons. The ending of ‘Acchoo’ is loved by kids. Enacting keeps them interested in the entire process.
