hectic lifestyles can be hard especially when you have a 3-5 year old child dangling around your legs craving attention. Before you know it they are teenagers believe me you cannot replace a lost childhood. Take half an hour every day to spend with your child and watch the difference, here are 5 free ways to build an even better relationship between you as a family and have more fun relieve stress an dbecome the best of friends too.
1. Play shop get a small empty box to use as a till or a childs toy till, plastic money or real with adult supervision and empty a few shelves from your cupbaord with tins of beans fruit, custard etcto use as the props for a supermarket game. you be the shop keeper first and show your child how to buy and sell give them a bag not a carrier bag due to safety reasons.Not only will you and your child interact better they will also be leaning valuable new skills and developing in areas such as adding ,taking turns, sharing,socializing,learning new words to add to their vocabulary too a really good activity.
2.Paper and pen or pencils ask them to draw a picture of a cat or other animals, although it may seem simple. but if you don't say to your child "what are you drawing" you can make them feel important that thier picture is worthwhile,even though it may only be a scribble.As a child learns to make marks on a paper they are developing good hand eye coordination leaning how to hold a drawing implement, leaning how to be creative.you can have fun by drawing your own and asking them to copy too you will be talking to your child and developing good verbal communication skills with each other.plis listening skills as your child will be drawing whichever object you ask them and visa versa.You can then take turns to colour the picture in together if only for a short while leaning to be close together as family.
3. Every child loves a story my grandaughter who is 4 loves to read the newspaper. Even though she cannot even read or doesn't know a number written down. By flicking through the paper together she is learning about life. what's going on in the world even if its a picture of 3 puppies stuck in a bag on a lake. She can learn about cruelty, sadness and emotions plus encourageing early reading skills even if she makes up the story what's happening. Sit your child down at the table and go through a magazine or newpaper or your child's favourite book. If it has a lot of words in and you are tired ,make it up, ask what colours on on the page or talk about what's happening in the pictures.
4.Make a mess on a table in the kitchen, where the floor is easy to clean, take 3 cups of flour a bit of cooking oil (3rd cup) plus (3rd cup of salt)mix together in a bowl with up to 3/4 warm water make into a playdough consistency then get some pastry cutters out and start to make pretend cakes pies sausages etc, you all have fun, creative skills are developed, communication skills enforced asking each other would you like 3 sausages for tea make belief play is practised and lots of laughter to be had wipeing flour on each others noses.
5.on a wipe clean floor area Painting, roll a large piece of old wallpaper out and on the wrong side get out the kids paints take off socks and walk all over the paper (all of you) use hands as well.Hang finished picture over a maiden to dry then stick the finished work on the back of a childs bedroomdoor, wonderful.
for more ideas how to get the whole family involved together more visit the premature baby store plus more at www.cheekychumsonline.co.uk
Qualified Baby and Early Years specialist.Owner of Cheeky Chums the Early Baby Store, Baby information plus more at http://www.cheekychumsonline.co.uk
