Learning to write letters and numbers begins during infancy and toddlerhood

Handwriting Practice for Babies and Toddlers

Guest writer: Doreen Bolhuis – Founder of Gymtrix

Just picture this- a little one sitting at a table, crayon clutched tightly in hand, a brow furrowed with determination and eyes gleaming with delight as the letters flow. It is truly a milestone when a child learns to write their name. It’s a fact that most children learn to write the letters of their name before any others.

As a parent, you will encourage your child and help him or her to learn their letters. But, you might be interested to learn that the fine motor skills needed for handwriting begin early in life. Mastering handwriting skills is a complex process that begins long before a child forms his first letters with a pencil. It begins in infancy and parents can help a child improve fine motor skills to prepare them for handwriting.

How can you help your baby develop better fine motor skills? By providing fun and challenging activities that work the small movements of the fingers and hands. It doesn’t take a lot of time or any special items. Just spend some time with your baby or toddler every day with these simple activities.

For babies:

• Sort cheerios into ice cube trays (it’s okay to eat a few as well!)
• Drop cheerios (one at a time) into an empty 2 liter soda bottle
• Transfer a handful of uncooked rice from one plate to another and back again

Babies love these activities. They love the sound of the cheerios dropping into the container. They are curious about the way their fingers work. They are delighted when you encourage them.

One thing to note: babies will have a dominant hand, one that they prefer to use. You will want to encourage them to use their other to develop fine motor skills equally.

For toddlers:

• Sort uncooked rice into ice cube trays ( this is more challenging than cheerios because rice is smaller)
• Mix uncooked rice with uncooked macaroni in a bowl. Have your toddler pick out only the macaroni and transfer each piece into a small bowl. When your child has mastered this skill, try it again, picking out the rice this time.
• Put rice in a small bowl. Have your toddler use a spoon to transfer rice into another bowl.

Remember to play these games with each hand to develop fine motor skills equally

Have you ever noticed your baby or toddler looking closely at small things (like fuzz in the carpet, a small pebble, an ant, a crumb) and trying to pick them up? Encourage these efforts! Your child is working hard to master fine motor skills, and to learn about his or her body and the world. What’s even better? Perfecting fine motor skills at an early age will help your child graduate to writing his or her name!

About the author: Doreen Bolhuis is a nationally recognized physical education professional and the founder of Gymtrix.
Bolhuis developed GYMTRIX™ based on over 30 years of knowledge and practical experience.

To read more about Doreen please visit preventingobesity.wordpress.com and howtopreventchildhoodobesity.com

Teaching children to be active and healthy from birth

Rae Pica, a children’s physical activity specialist for 25 years and the author of 15 books wrote an article that reports: Recent evidence indicates infants are spending upwards of sixty waking hours a week in things; in high chairs and walkers, playpens and portable cribs, plastic seats, bouncy seats, and seats that swing. We push them in strollers until they’re four or five years old!

We unthinkingly teach a sedentary lifestyle from babyhood!Babies need to move for the sake of their motor and cognitive development. When they spend too much time containerized, they never strengthen their muscles – to lift and turn their heads, to push up on their arms, to develop optimal balance, stability, and motor skills. Early movement experiences are also considered essential to the neural stimulation (the use-it-or-lose-it principle involved in the keeping or pruning of brain cells) needed for healthy brain development. Touch and movement spark the neurons in a babies brain to grow and branch out encompass other neurons.

Adults assume that until an infant is at least able to creep, play and movement experiences are severely limited. But that’s just not so! There are many ways babies can move and play without the ability to transport themselves from place to place. Children learn to play just as they learn to walk and talk – by having it modeled and by experiencing it and practicing it.

Parents only want the best for their children. The simple truth is that babies don’t need fancy gadgets and gear. The best we have to offer them is what their brains were “hardwired” for before birth. It’s free and accessible to all. It is touch, movement and play!

Baby GYMTRIX is a new product that we love! It motivates kids to try new physical experiences and discover how it feels to succeed; it gives them a positive attitude about physical activity that can influence their whole lives. These great DVDs teach parents and caregivers how to help baby move, kick, balance, twist, roll and jump – a must-have for families that want to develop physical strength and a healthy lifestyle for exercise from birth.