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Parallel Play - How Does It Benefit Your Child
If you were a single child, you would probably remember playing with toys and games by yourself or with your parents, till you began playing with your friends. This transition from independence to social engagement is a necessary developmental milestone that a child needs to undergo. Parallel play in toddlers helps them engage socially with others from an early stage and interact properly, too.
What is Parallel Play?
Parallel play is the time when your kid emerges out of himself and begins to get ready to engage with other kids or people to play around with. Be with going from playing with toys all alone to sharing the toys with another and playing together, or simply choosing to go and play with a bunch of kids in the garden. In the initial years, a child engages in pretend play. As he grows parallel play takes an important place in his life. Parallel play marks an important developmental stage where a kid steps outside his comfort zone for the first time and makes an attempt to have another person in the vicinity of his playing environment and attempt to establish a relationship.
At What Age Should a Child Start Playing with Friends?
When it comes to parallel play, age is not a generalized factor since every kid approaches play and interacting with individuals in his own time, in his own fashion. When your baby is around a year and a half to two years old, he might observe other kids playing by themselves and react to it. Sometimes, he may occasionally pass a ball back to them as an attempt to engage. As he grows, around 3 to 4 years old, the engagement increases and the concept of playing with friends starts dawning on him.
Role of Parallel Play in Child Development
Some ways in which parallel play acts as a key aspect of development in kids include the following.
1. Development of Communication
Not all growth and development has to happen actively. Some of it can take place in a passive manner, too. When at a park or watching a group, your child could learn a lot by seeing how children behave with each other, talk to each other, and perceive. If somebody shouts out for a ball, he will suddenly look towards them and try to look around for the ball, too. This is also how many children pick up words and styles of speaking a particular language.
2. Development of Motor Skills
When playing alone, a kid only focuses on the toys and everything is pretty much in a controlled environment. As parallel play enters the foray, your child will understand how another kid is going to react and will begin to play accordingly. While learning a new sport or a game, this learning act is at its peak and leads to developing new skills by observing others. If playing catch-catch with someone, your child will gauge the person he is playing with and will even try to pick up something new, too.
3. Development of the Freedom of Expression
Various parallel play activities end up in allowing all emotions, feelings, and desires to be expressed fully. Right from jumping with joy when something works out to handling an injury when your child falls down, to facing an argument if he does something wrong, everything from interpersonal behaviour to the surrounding conditions helps your child to explore and express the entire spectrum of emotion. This helps parents understand the natural demeanour of their kid, too.
4. Developing the Sense of Personal Boundaries
Your child will not interact with others the same way he interacts with you. Having entered an unknown zone, he will now begin to sense what he can do and cannot. While pulling your hair playfully might be fun for him, doing the same to someone on the ground is not. Handling someone who takes his ball forcibly to play with it and breaking into tantrums is all that helps your child understand what he ought to do and what he ought not.
5. Developing the Emotion of Camaraderie and Kindness
Most children grow up being highly possessive of what they have. It takes them some time to realize that things are not scarce, and sharing what they have with someone can bring both a lot of happiness. This is the time when you will notice if your child is generally an outgoing kid who makes friends easily, or is mostly aloof and takes his time gauging people and deciding whom to approach. Sharing his toys is the biggest sign that signifies it.
How to Encourage Parallel Play among Kids?
To encourage parallel play in kids, try these following ways. But, don't push a kid into something he is not ready for. Let him take his time to interact with others, he will do it eventually.
Begin gradually by letting the kids play next to each other instead of with each other. Let each one bring his own toys and play with them. This, in the very literal sense of the term, is parallel play and allows your child to step out of the zone gradually and return back to it.
Make sure that kids have enough toys. If your kid has a car and the other comes with an entire toy set, your child is bound to feel left out and would want to participate in playing with the other kid’s toys. Try organizing simpler activities such as colouring books and clay moulds or so, where chances of comparing the quantity or quality of play are minimal.
Again, kids don’t need to be actively playing. Even the simple act of watching their favourite cartoon together will help your kid bond with the other child. Dancing together on a favourite song or watching a game can all work in the same manner.
At times, arguments or fights might ensue among kids. It's only normal. If not an argument, your child may not want to be around somebody else and will retreat into his own room or a different one. For the parallel play to work successfully, it is essential for children to be in the same room together, even if they aren’t interacting with each other. Sooner or later, they will interact and break the ice.
If children have started playing together, teach them to exchange their toys and see how they do it. Another alternative is to refer to both toys with interest and try to bring them together. For example, if one has a monster toy and the other has a duck, you could ask “what would happen if the monster started chasing the duck?” You could then follow it up with making monster and duck sounds and see how the kids react to it.
Make sure the parallel plays occur in a homely environment with not too many children or people milling around. This could add to the stress of the situation and not make them interact with each other. At the same time, keep a restriction on the duration of the play. Your child may not initially be fully interested in it. So a shorter duration could relieve him of the stress and make him better prepared for engaging in it the next day.
Engaging with other children is something kids start learning and doing gradually. For autistic kids or children with special needs, this could be an even greater challenge. Parental support and being a team member throughout the activity can help them explore new boundaries without worry since they know you would always have their back. Don’t force them to engage. Use various parallel play examples to ensure it becomes comfortable for both the kids and soon your child will his very first friend.
Also Read: Importance of Play in Kid's Development Read more
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Importance of Weaning Your Baby at the Right Time
When a baby is born, he remains on her mother’s milk for the first few months of life. As he starts growing, his appetite also starts increasing and requires the introduction of solid foods step-by-step. This gradual transition from breast milk to solid food is known as weaning.
When babies start weaning, they are given different types of foods to develop the taste for new foods. When fed with a spoon or hand, babies also learn to coordinate their lips, jaws, and tongue. It is also a great socializing activity as family members enjoy taking turns in feeding a weaning baby.
Advantages of Weaning That You Must Know
Weaning is the most important transitional phase for a baby as he starts tasting and eating foods that add nutrients to his body. The need to wean babies generally starts from the age of 6 months and can go on till that of 12 months to 2 years depending on the baby's intake, and the type of weaning foods and portions. But since his stomach is still very delicate, he needs food which is easy on his digestive system. The foods that parents can start with once a day are cooked and mashed vegetables, soft fruits, and baby cereals mixed with breastmilk or formula.
The importance of weaning a baby at the right time cannot be stressed enough as it is the way to the all-round development.
1. Babies Start Becoming Self-Dependent
As babies grow, they start experimenting with food by trying to eat it themselves, which can be messy. But this promotes better hand-mouth coordination. Thus, it is important to encourage babies to eat on their own.
2. Personality Development
He starts developing his likes and dislikes towards food starting now. This, slowly but eventually, shapes his food choices. Since the baby is now included in mealtimes along with other family members, he gains more confidence and his personality improves.
3. No More Making Special Food
Babies learn to taste different foods apart from milk and food specially prepared for them. You can also include baby versions of your meal in his diet and introduce him to what you are eating. If you don't feel like preparing a different meal, you can always opt for a meal which is suited to your baby's delicate appetite.
4. Free Time for Mommy
There is a break from feeding duties, so now the mother can have some time for herself. No routine breastfeeding and breast pumping mean that she has more time to herself. This is the time to get the other parent also actively involved in the baby's feeding sessions.
5. Balanced Diet
New, nutrient-rich foods mean that your baby has now access to all the nutrients required for growth and development. With breastmilk no longer being the only source of nutrition, your baby's body can have its share of iron, protein, minerals, etc., from a varied set of food items.
6. Builds Important Developmental Skills
From learning how to coordinate his tongue, lips and jaw movement to chewing and swallowing, babies learn important motor and developmental skills during weaning. They also learn to control hand-eye and hand-mouth coordination as they pick up and eat food on their own.
The benefits of weaning far transcend just the nutritional needs of your baby. It sets the edifice of healthy eating habits, builds his food likings, develops social and motor skills, and gives you a break from being the only source of food for your little one.
A happy weaning to all new mothers and babies out there!
Also Read:
Early Weaning from Breastfeeding: Causes and Prevention
When & How to Wean a Premature Baby?
Bottle Weaning: How and When to Start? Read more
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How Toddlers Learn Through Music
Music can have a good influence on your toddler. Not only will it give him a tune to sway to, it'll kick-start a learning process. Experts say music contributes to a rich sensory environment for learning. Music education for toddlers exposes them to different smells, tastes, textures, sounds and colors.
A catchy tune can help in your toddler’s development. Just listening to music can help your little one make connections. So allow him to take part in musical activities. Singing a song to him might get his little hips swaying and feet moving too. Want more? A night lullaby can lull him to sleep as well. Are you convinced now about the power of music?
Benefits of Teaching Music to Toddlers
1. Tune to groove to
When choosing music for your toddler, avoid rock or grunge tunes. If you're feeling adventurous, Brazilian or African beats could help your little one break into a jig. Choose a tune with a good hook or melody. Your little one might even mouth the lyrics to the song. Grooving to the music could stabilise your little one’s feet. Toddler music activities will keep him occupied while you sit back and relax.
2. Energy-inducing
A rich, groovy tune will open your toddler’s ears and boost energy in the nervous system. Music will also help your toddler memorise and process the message of the song. Try not to play music with expletives or explicit content. When a good beat catches his attention, he'll learn more. A good beat will fill the emotional and cognitive brain. Of course! Sticking to a music lesson plan for a 20-month-old toddler will not ensure spontaneous responses.
3. Speech help
Music and speech possess a number of shared processing systems. A musical experience for your toddler that enhance processing. This will have a significant impact on language perception. Don’t know where this is leading? It'll give your toddler a boost in reading. Wouldn’t it be nice to have your little one read before time? Introducing toddlers to music comes with a host of educational benefits, so go play that song.
4. Making music fun
If you were thinking about allowing your toddler to play instruments, give it a shot. From a tambourine to a kiddie drum and even a (tightly) closed water bottle—everything has an effect. Toddlers approach music differently. They taste instruments before they play them. It's important for parents to make joyful facial expressions and body language to help their little ones pick it up. Music in toddler development is a slow, but effective process.
5. Gestures
Sing songs to your little one that involves hand gestures like “The Wheels on the Bus”. This will help him learn hand control. Also, songs that teach your little one about body parts are useful for overall development. Not only does it improve toddler-parent bonding, it will help him learn new things over the course of time.
Toddlers and music is a fine recipe for a fun day. Music will not only help your little one groove. It will give her a developmental boost. Read more
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Cardamom Swirl Butter Cookies
Take one bite of these cookies and you can feel it melting in your mouth. We have taken the regular butter cookies to another level by adding cardamom in it. The sweet and mild flavour of cardamom gives these cookies a pleasing Indian touch. Instead of filling your cookie jar with store bought cookies this time, try baking these for a change.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
10 People
10-15 Minutes
15-20 Minutes
Ingredients
150 gm plain flour maida
50 gm wheat flour or atta
60 gm cornflour
120 gm icing sugar
180 gm soft butter
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tsp finely powdered cardamom
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven at 180 C. Line 2-3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2
Sieve maida, wheat flour, cornflour and icing sugar together into a bowl. Add cardamom powder and stir well.
Step 3
Make a hole in the center. Add the soft butter and using a hand blender, mix everything.
Step 4
Soon you will see crumbles of cookie dough forming. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time till the dough comes together and is smooth and lump free.
Step 5
Put the biscuit dough into a large piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe swirls with the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Leave half an inch gap between each of the piped cookies as they will spread while baking.
Step 6
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. When the cookies are done, you will see that the edges of the cookies will start turning golden brown.
Step 7
Take them out of the oven and let them cool down to room temperature. Once cooled, you can store them in an airtight container for up to a month.
Step 8
Enjoy with a glass of milk.
Nutritional Information
Calories
182 K cal
Proteins
1.9 g
Total Fat
10.1 g
Total Carbohydrates
21.5 g
Cholesterol
26 mg
Sodium
71 mg
Potassium
33 mg
Tip: Once you have filled the piping bag with the cookie dough, don’t let it sit for long. The dough will become stiff and it will be difficult to pipe. Instead of piping, you can also form small cookie balls to get round cookies. Read more
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Multitasking Mommy - How to make a balance between being a mommy & a wife at the same time
Motherhood is so different experience for everyone, it's a glorious life force. It's really important to make a balance between being a mommy & a wife at the same time, sometimes we just focus on our kid & forget our husband. After becoming a mommy my 1st agenda was maintaining a schedule so I can enjoy some time with my husband as well & I never divert the schedule, I organizes some of the activities on daily basis where my husband, my kid & myself is involved like playing, crafting, colouring, cooking and so on. My son is 3 years old now and I always take his help in kitchen so he will learn things from his childhood. Having kid is the responsibility of rearing a good, ethical, kind, responsible human being; this is the biggest job anyone can embark on.
We always help each others, like we help our kid to learn new things, we also teach him to do household chores in a fun way. I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest Spiritual teacher.
Me time is also very important in one's growth, so we try to give some me time to each other. It's even important for a kid as well, it enhance child's imagination & creativity and keep us all positive. Me & my husband avoids fighting in front of our kid, we often discuss about our grievances when my son is not around. In case of any fault, we always apologise to each other so my kid also learns these things.
I take some time for myself also, atleast once in a month I go out, leave my baby with my husband, which gives them quality time to spend with each other, at the same time it gives me a holiday from mommy duties & wifey duties. To practice these kind of things will make a awesome bond. Read more
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 4 months
3 hours ago
Q. I want something very good products to my coming baby
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
2 hours ago
A. Hello dear! Try Babyhug skin care and clothing products for the baby. There are safe and effective for almost every skin type. Consult your doctor for further assistance in this regard. Good luck and take care
Dr. Minal Acharya has added a new answer
Mom of a Newborn child
2 hours ago
Q. Hello Mylo family
Can someone help me to select the baby girl's name. We would like to choose our baby girl a beautiful name which starts from G, Also it would be a great help if it is created from the parents name.
Mom's name - Harshitha
Dad's name - Karthik
Thanks in advance 😀
Read moreDr. Minal Acharya
Nutritionist
2 hours ago
A. dear mum, the name of a baby girl starting with the letter G can be Gayatri, for example. you can do a Google search and browse the internet for all the options.
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
2 hours ago
Q. can we get all item in one parcel which I orderd
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. This is a place which is associated with parenting if you have any questions associated with parenting I can help you with that but if you have any associated with your orders kindly check with the concerned department that they can give clarity about these things
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
1 hour ago
Q. hi have one question
LT 10x18mm and RT 18x20mm and ET 6.5
what it mean??? and should I start intercourse
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
47 mins ago
A. since you are right follicle is 18 mm yes of course you can start with your intercourse for conception as in 1 to 2 days
their maybe rupture of the follicle by which your sperm should be present there for conception
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
30 mins ago
Q. #asktheexpert
why baby vomit
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
27 mins ago
A. for babies less than 6 months may not be a problem. small babies will be having lot of gas because of various reasons it is advisable to do burping of the baby immediately after feeding please give colimex DF drops to the baby they are safe
Abhaya Rajput has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
7 mins ago
Q. I am 9 week pregnant and I have runny nose very badly can I use cetirizine tablet?
Abhaya Rajput
Mom of a 14 yr 4 m old boy
New Answer
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much. Please do not take any medicine without consulting with your gynaecologist. It is advisable to get yourself evaluated by a doctor and follow doctors advise properly. You can also book online doctor’s appointment on FirstCry where the doctor can help you and guide you properly.
Thanks and take care
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