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7 Short Funny Stories for Kids - To Tickle Their Funny Bones
Kids love stories. Stories, in fact, are more than just a fun activity. They play a pivotal role in the overall growth and development of the child, particularly in the cognitive areas. Some of our best childhood days were when our mothers or grandmothers used to tell us a really good story right before bedtime or during meal time. Do the same for your child. Create memories, make precious moments that your child will look back on and remember with warmth.
Short Humorous Stories for Children
Most of us have heard our favourite stories, especially at bedtime.
Here are a few popular stories that you can tell your child -
1. The Hare and the Tortoise
Once upon a time, there was a hare and a tortoise. They lived in a huge jungle, with other animals like tigers, elephants, deer, and crocodiles. The hare was very fast on his feet. He took part in many races, and always came first, no matter who the opponent was. Over time, his constant victory turned him into a very proud hare. He began to put in lesser effort in the races he took part in because he was winning them all anyway. Now, in the same forest, was a wise tortoise. Unlike the hare, the tortoise was extremely slow. In fact, he was one of the slowest animals in the jungle. He kept observing the hare, and he saw that the hare’s success was getting to his head. So he decided to teach the hare a lesson. He called all the animals of the jungle, including the hare, and openly challenged the hare to the race. When the animals heard this, they all began to laugh. Animals that were faster than the tortoise had lost to the hare. How was the tortoise, which was the slowest animal in the jungle, going to defeat the hare? But they all were curious, and the hare loved a challenge. So he accepted it.
The next day, the hare and the tortoise were all set to begin the race.“On your mark, get ready, and GO!” The monkey of the jungle said, waving a white flag.
The hare took off immediately. The hare kept running and had already covered a distance, but the tortoise was still barely across the starting line. After a while, the hare stopped running and thought to himself. The tortoise was going to take forever to reach the end of the race. It was obvious that the tortoise was going to lose. So the hare decided to take a short nap.
He found a shady, comfortable spot and fell asleep. Meanwhile, the tortoise never gave up. He kept running. By the end of the day, to everyone’s surprise, the tortoise was the winner!
The hare, because of his pride and overconfidence, had lost the race. The moral of this story is, slow and steady wins the race.
2. The Lion and the Rabbit
Once upon a time, there was a proud, evil lion. He said he was the king of the jungle. Every day, he would mercilessly go hunting and kill many animals for his food. Soon, all the animals were worried. They held a meeting and decided that if the lion continues to do this, then no animal will survive. So, they approached the lion and told him a proposal. Each day, they said, they would send one animal to the lion's den. This way, the rest of the animals for that day will be at peace, and the lion would not need to go hunting. The lion liked the plan. So from the next day, the lion would wait in his den while the others sent an animal for his meal. This happened for many days. Finally, it was the turn of a very old but wise rabbit. He was forced to be the meal of the day for the lion. He decided to put an end to this. So, he took a longer route and made sure he got to the lion's den very late.
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The hungry lion who was angry roared at the rabbit and asked him why he was late. The rabbit then told him that he was late because another stronger lion was chasing him. He told the lion that the stronger lion claimed to be the king of the jungle. When the lion heard this, he was furious. He asked the rabbit to show him where the other lion was. The rabbit took the lion to a well. He pointed inside and told the lion that the other lion was inside.
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When the lion looked in, he saw his own reflection but thought it was another lion. He roared in anger, and the reflection did the same. Brimming with anger, the lion jumped into the well to fight with the other lion but ended up falling to his death because of his stupidity. The moral of this story is that sometimes, intelligence is more important than physical strength.
3. The Thirsty Crow
Once there was a crow. It was a hot day, and the crow was extremely thirsty. He kept flying around, looking for some water. After a very long time, he finally found a jar of water. With great happiness, he flew to the jar to drink the water. But when he tried to put his head into the jar, he realised it was too narrow. He tried to tilt the put, but it was too heavy. Sad and frustrated, he kept thinking. Finally, he saw pebbles on the ground. He had an idea.
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One by one, he put the pebbles into the jar. The water level slowly rose, and the crow could drink the water.
4. The Boy who Cried Wolf
Once upon a time, there was a very naughty shepherd boy. He would take his sheep for grazing, then climb up a tree, and shout for help, claiming that a wolf was attacking his sheep.
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Every time this happened, the farmers and other men would come to rescue him and his flock. But once they saw he was lying, they would leave angrily. Then, the boy would laugh. This went on for a long time, but one day, a wolf really came and attacked his sheep. But this time nobody heard him or offered to help him because they did not believe him anymore.
5. The Crocodile and the Monkey
Once there was a monkey. He lived on a berry tree. One day, a crocodile came near the banks of the river where the tree was located. The monkey felt bad for the tired and hungry crocodile and gave him some berries. Soon, they became good friends. Every day the monkey would give the crocodile berries. One day it so happened that the monkey gave him some extra berries to take home for his wife. When the crocodile took the berries to his wife, she loved it. But she was a very mean crocodile. She told her husband that she wanted the monkey's heart which will be much sweeter than the berries. So the next day the crocodile went to the monkey and said his wife had invited him home for dinner. Happily, the monkey agreed.
[caption id="attachment_216049" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Source: www.momjunction.com[/caption]
But when they got to the middle of the river, the foolish crocodile told him the truth, that his wife wants to heat the monkey's heart for dinner. The monkey was smart, so he quickly told him that he had left his heart in the berry tree, so he had to go get it. Happily, the crocodile agreed. But when they got to the banks, the monkey jumped to the highest branch and saved himself. He then told the crocodile that he would never trust him again. The foolish crocodile was sad, and he had to go home to his evil wife without the monkey's heart.
6. Hansel and Gretel
Once there were two siblings. The boy was named Hansel, and the girl was Gretel. Their mother died, but they lived with their father. Even though they were poor, they were very happy. But one day the father married again. His new wife was a very evil woman. She told her husband that they should leave the kids in the forest because they can't afford to feed them. The father refused at first but eventually agreed. So the next night, the parents took Hansel and Gretel to the forest. However, Hansel knew of their plan because he had heard them. So, he had collected white pebbles that he threw along the way. The evil stepmom after walking for a distance left the kids in the forest and got home with the father. But Hansel and Gretel found their way back home following the white pebbles trail. The next day, the evil stepmom decided to do this again. But she didn't let Hansel collect any pebbles. Since they had no time, they couldn't find their way back, and they were truly lost. Hansel and Gretel kept walking, but they were tired and hungry. Suddenly, they saw a beautiful gingerbread house.
Excited and happy they started eating it. Then, an old lady came to them saying that she would take care of them. Hansel and Gretel were happy, but they didn't know that she was a witch. She put Hansel in a cage and started making him fat, so she could eat him. And she made Gretel do all her household chores. One day, she decided it was time to eat Hansel. She asked Gretel to make the fire hot. Gretel had to think fast. She thought of a brilliant plan to save her brother. When the fire was hot, she called the witch and asked her to check. But when the witch was doing that, she pushed the witch into the fire. This way she saved her brother. They two siblings escaped and lived happily ever after.
7. Two Cats and the Monkey
One day two cats found a piece of bread. But they kept fighting for it. The first cat said it was his, but the second cat refused and claimed it to be his. A clever monkey that was walking their way decided to help them. He took the bread and told them that he would split it in half and share it equally with them. The cats agreed. But when he did this, one piece was bigger than the other. So he took a bite to make it equal. But this time, the other piece was bigger. This went on for a while. He kept taking a bite off from each bread to make sure it was the same size. However, in the end, he ate up the whole bread. The angry cats asked him why he did that, and the clever monkey replied saying that if they had dealt with the problem on their own, this wouldn't have happened, but since they were stupid and could not do that, they both lost what they could have. The happy monkey went home while the two cats remained hungry.
Stories go way back. Storytelling for some is an art, and for others, it's a tradition. For ages, people have been telling stories to their children. These are a few of the most popular stories for children. Your child will love them. Make sure you tell him or her these stories. Stories can enhance a child's imagination and creativity. It can also increase the child's vocabulary. Most of these stories come with a moral. This helps your child learn values so he or she can choose between right and wrong. Stories do a lot more than mere entertainment. So go ahead and incorporate the habit of listening to stories.
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7 Things New Moms Worry About Most and How to Handle Them
Being a mother can be a rewarding experience, but it comes with its set of challenges. New mothers often feel that they are not taking care of their babies the right way even when they are doing just fine! If you are a new mother, within a matter of days of embracing motherhood, you must have realised (and accepted) that taking care of a baby is not as easy as parenting books make it sound. No ‘ten’ tips mentioned in a book can help you shush your baby when he cries incessantly. But that’s not the least of your worries; there are so many things about your baby that might be keeping you and other new moms like you (yes, even the bravest of moms!) awake at nights.
7 Common Baby-related Concerns of a New Mom
All new mothers worry about their babies, especially when it’s their first child. Let’s look at some of the most common worries that you have (or must have had) as a new mother, just like every mom out there!
1. Whether the Baby is Getting Enough Milk or Not
It is very common for a new mother to think that her baby is not getting enough milk (and nutrition), as he always seems hungry and feeds every two hours or so. In the initial days, you must have had a hard time figuring out the amount of milk your baby needed. If you also had your doubts regarding your baby’s nutrition, you may have considered starting or increasing formula feeds for your little one. Some moms even get worked up thinking that they are overfeeding their baby. Being a mom is no piece of cake!
How to Handle It
In the beginning, most mothers feel that they are not fulfilling their babies’ nutritional requirements, but soon they understand that babies need to be breastfed almost every two hours – and it’s normal. If you are a new mum, don’t worry about your baby not getting enough milk, because his cries and wails will tell you that it’s his meal time. Babies are clever; they know what they want and how to ask for it!
2. Baby’s Pooping Habits and Poop Colours
Who would have thought that such tiny human beings could poop so much? It’s both exasperating and surprising that someone so small would need over five nappy changes per day, right? Initially, a baby’s poop is on the darker side and after a few days, it starts appearing green. If a baby is being breastfed, his poop colour will be yellow. However, if he is given formula milk, he will most likely have brown stools. So many colours and so many reasons for them; no wonder new moms get anxious!
How to Handle It
The colour and consistency of baby poop change often, and there is nothing to worry. However, if the colour of the poop is red, white, or black, a doctor should be consulted at the earliest. In case, if your baby's stools are green and watery and he is pooping frequently, you might want to consult a paediatrician. Babies that are in diapers all day long, tend to be prone to diaper rash. As a mother, you must make sure that your baby doesn’t sit around in a soiled diaper. You should change his diapers often. Choose soft and comfy diapers like Huggies Ultra Soft Diapers which are truly feather-soft and will keep your baby comfortable. These diapers are specially made for newborns and come with a wetness indicator (when a diaper is full, the colour of the indicator changes). These diapers offer a snug fit and also prevent diaper rashes in babies.
3. Baby’s Constant Cries
Newborns cry a lot; it’s their only way of expressing discomfort for almost a year. But sometimes, a new mother doubts her skills as a mother when she isn’t able to decipher her baby’s wails. Newborns and infants cry all the time and for various reasons: sleep, hunger, soiled diapers, over-stimulation, under-stimulation, etc. Moms, trust your instincts; you’ve got this!
How to Handle It
In the beginning, it is difficult for a mother to interpret her baby’s cries, and you must have gone through this phase too. But soon enough you must have got the hang of it. However, if you are still trying to decipher your little one’s wails, here’s some help. When a baby is hungry, he may cry and squirm or stretch; he may also make sucking sounds or suck his fingers. When a baby is sleepy, his cries will be accompanied by rubbing of eyes. If you are a new mother, give yourself some time and learn to read your baby’s cues – you’ll do just fine!
4. Baby’s Sleeping Habits
Whether babies sleep too much or too less – moms tend to worry. Some babies sleep most of the time and that’s okay! If you also worry about your baby's sleeping habits, then stop worrying! You don’t need to consult a doctor as long as your baby is breastfeeding properly and is wetting his diapers often.
How to Handle It
Most babies sleep a lot. If your little one enjoys sleeping, let him. Don’t disturb him while he is asleep. Keep a count of your baby’s soiled diapers and keep a note of the colour of his poop. A good number of soiled nappies and mustard yellow poop indicate that the baby is doing just fine.
5. Whether the Baby Will Get Diaper Rash if Disposable Diapers Are Used
Most moms think twice before using diapers for their babies. Being new to parenting, you might be apprehensive about diapers because of what you may have heard about babies getting diaper rash. However, with proper care and hygiene, diapers are the most convenient way to keep your little one comfortable and mess-free.
How to Handle It
Diaper rashes are extremely common in babies but using diapers is not the problem. If you change your baby’s soiled diapers frequently and clean his bottom with warm water after each diaper change, the chances of your little one’s bottom getting a rash are minimal. As a mum, you must make sure that your baby gets some diaper-free time daily. If you are looking for a comfortable diaper, you can consider Huggies Wonder Pants for your baby. Huggies Wonder Pants have an air fresh cover that allows free flow of air in and out of a diaper, keeping your baby’s diaper area dry. Be careful to avoid diapers that are too tight or restrict air flow as this can not only cause discomfort but can also keep moisture sitting around near your baby’s delicate diaper area, causing rashes.
6. Whether the Baby's Head Might Be Hurt
A new mother often worries that she will hurt her baby’s soft head accidentally. Babies have soft spots on their head known as ‘fontanelle’. Fontanelle is soft but tough and most likely will not cause damage to a baby’s skull.
How to Handle It
As mentioned above, fontanelle may seem soft but it is tough. If you have recently embraced motherhood, don’t you stress about hurting your baby’s head while placing him down or passing him on to another caregiver. Trust us, you won’t harm him.
7. Baby Not Meeting Milestones on Time
When a baby is unable to meet his milestones on time, a mother may turn the whole world upside down trying to figure out the cause behind his developmental delays. Parents often compare their baby’s development with that of other babies. If your baby is not cooing or gurgling by the age of four months or if he hasn’t started crawling between the ages of 7 and 10 months, there’s no doubt you would have considered dialling your paediatrician!
How to Handle It
It is normal for a new mother to worry about her baby’s developmental delays. But worrying doesn’t help. If you notice any signs of developmental delays in your baby, encourage him to walk, talk, eat his food on his own, etc. With you helping him meet his milestones, he’ll be there in no time! Only consult your doctor if there are extreme delays or if you’d like to put any worries to rest.
When a mother takes her baby in her arms for the first time, she hears a voice inside her head saying, “It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but it will be worthwhile!” You must have heard this voice too. If you have just embraced motherhood, you must be having a hard time taking care of your little one. But soon enough you will learn to take care of him without doubting yourself. And all your worries will vanish when your baby will give you his precious toothless smile. Keep doing what you are doing, your baby trusts you and knows that you won’t let anything happen to him.
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12 Laws of Karma and Its Impact on Your Life
The word karma remains veiled under much mystery as well as misunderstanding. We have all heard the saying ‘what goes around comes around’, or ‘as you sow, so you reap’! While this explains a small part of karma, it isn’t the entirety of it. Karma is not as simple as it is made out to be and it surely isn’t a punishment for bad deeds. It is the energy that is generated by every desire, thought, or decision that an individual life form makes. It is a continuous and active process that does not end when the physical body ceases to exist.
Karma is the action or the influence of action which remains with us. From the ancient Indian yogic perspective, this imprint of karma goes far into our past, well beyond our ancestors, dated to the most primitive species on earth. Every cell that has lived has carried and imprinted a new generation with its action or karma. Our karmic accumulation over a lifetime dictates the reincarnation cycle.
Laws of Karma and The Way They Affect Your Life
Since karma has such a deep-seated impact, it is crucial to understand the law of karma, and the cause and effect it has over your life.
1. The Great Law
This law can be simply explained as follows: Our thoughts and deeds have consequences. The consequences of these can be positive or negative depending on our actions. If we desire peace and joy, we must give accordingly. It translates to what we loosely understand as ‘what goes around comes around’. It doesn’t mean that if you wrong someone, they will reciprocate similarly or that the exact wrong will be done to you. It means, however, that this bad karma will have an undesirable way of showing up in your future.
2. The Law of Creation
All life was born out of intention. One must participate in life actively instead of expecting things to work out. The intent to create good must be there to accumulate good karma. With regards to the result of an action, it is the intent that takes precedence over the act itself. Procrastination and complacency do not beget good karma, and we are urged to persevere to create good thoughts and intentions actively.
3. The Law of Humility
To make a change, one needs to arrive at acceptance first. If we see only the negative, we become incapable of moving to a higher level of existence. When we concentrate on the things that aren’t working well, we remain entangled in removing the negative alone, and never in creating or propagating the positive.
4. The Law of Growth
To achieve something, change must happen in us and not in our environment. Waiting for an opportunity, luck, or other elusive factors will make us stagnant and reduce receptivity to life around us. It is often said - “what got you here won’t take you further unless you change yourself to adapt to your needs”.
5. The Law of Responsibility
We are responsible for all that happens in our own life. No external factor can wield a hand in the choices we make. Our happiness, anger, success, or failure is a direct result of the choices that we have made. It is important to understand that to change a bad situation, the change must first be made internally.
6. The Law of Connection
The universe is connected through all the small and large things in it. People, their fate, our past, and our futures are in some way linked to each other. Unless we make a conscious decision to change something, we will continue to walk a written path.
7. The Law of Focus
Being single-minded is the thought behind this law. When you want something, all your energies, faith, and dedication need to go into it to achieve a result. Mindfulness and being present takes much effort but yields blissful results. Having divided and fragmented thoughts give way to negativity.
8. The Law of Hospitality and Giving
It is crucial to show compassion and kindness. If you claim to be righteous and kind to people, you should be able to uphold it in action. Selflessness becomes a virtue only when we accommodate someone other than ourselves in our lives despite the discomfort involved.
9. The Law of Here and Now
This law helps us live reality. It works on the basis that the present is already in motion and there is nothing that you can do to change it. Regretting the past or worrying about the future will strip you of the chance to live the present.
10. The Law of Change
It is said that history will trudge along an ineffective path unless positive energy redirects it. Change is the single constant in a dynamic world. If you don’t accept the change, it will be forced upon you in unrewarding circumstances.
11. The Law of Patience and Reward
We have all heard the quote- ‘Rome was not built in a day’. Hard work cannot be circumvented through luck or wishful thinking. Those who persevere will achieve what they desire.
12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration
The result of an action is of little value if it leaves nothing behind. The right intention and directed energy determine the end result. Positive karmic thoughts should be seen through to the end by positive action.
FAQs
Some frequently discussed queries regarding karma are clarified below:
1. Are There Any Practical Effects of Believing in Karma?
The mere belief in karma does not have any impact on the way we live. It is akin to dreaming about exercise without actually ever lifting a finger to change your lifestyle. Unless there is an application of the belief to find true contentment, there won't be any practical effects seen in your life.
2. Is There Any Impact on People Who Don't Believe in Karma?
Karma applies regardless of our beliefs. The mechanics of karma are fundamental to existence, very much like your heartbeat or brain function. You do not have to understand or acknowledge their function for you to be alive, but they each play their part silently.
3. Is It True, with Hard Work, Anyone Can Make a Good Life for Themselves and ‘Karma’ Has Nothing to Do with It?
The results of every action are multi-layered. If hard work alone made sure of a good life, there would be fewer agonised and unhappy people. Your karma plays a role in shaping your life as well as those linked to you.
4. What Do You Mean By Good Karma and How to Earn It?
Good karma is associated with positive thoughts and actions that orient one towards spiritually realising oneself. We can earn good karma by being forgiving, compassionate, being responsible and respectful, learning from mistakes, spreading love, and sharing knowledge. When we help without expecting in return, when we care without an endgame, when we strive for the sake of completing a task to its best without worry of the result, or when we do not judge others, then we certainly pave the way for good karma to be earned.
5. How to Avoid Bad Karma?
There is no clear definition of bad karma. One cannot be judged as bad on moral or religious grounds in a universal way. We accumulate bad karma when we act against our inherent nature. What appeals to our consciousness as erroneous can be called bad karma. Being wilfully hurtful or causing pain to others piles on the bad karma too. Being shackled by a desire for a result and indulging in our senses can also add to bad karma. Single-mindedly working without desiring the fruits of your action can help avoid bad karma.
6. How Do We Escape This Karmic Cycle?
Detachment is a key ingredient to freeing yourself from the karmic cycle. The ego needs to be destroyed, and all sense of ‘I’ should be abandoned because the ego is the root of all thoughts, desires, and consequent action. Even enlightened beings have to live out their life to live out their accumulated karma. But they do not add new karma, good or bad, by being detached to external events. They merely observe the world exactly as it is without judging it, emoting towards or on behalf of it. This prevents new karmic seeds from sprouting and aids freeing oneself from the karmic cycle. The entire process depends on how conscious you truly are.
The basis of our existence as a life form is because karma exists. Karma is like a handle on a door. Without the handle, we wouldn’t know what to do with the door. Therefore, we need to know where the handle is. So, if you understand it correctly, karma doesn’t hold you back or create problems for you. The problem is that we are entangled in our karma and we keep accruing more. The key is to detach from external triggers and let karma keep you embodied and alive, but not ensnared. Understand and surrender to the karmic laws and let it become a stepping stone on your spiritual path.
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The Importance of Play Dough and Plasticine for Motor Skills in Preschoolers
Your preschooler must be engaged in a lot of fun play. Playtime is essential for all-round development in your kid. Time will fly and soon you will find your little one ready for preschool. Preschool activities are more of fun play activities. Your toddler will develop all the life skills and be ready for the next phase. Among the long list of fun games, the effect of play dough and Plasticine is more visible. The overall activity has a lot of advantages and as a great parent; you must encourage your toddler to have interest in the game. There are a number of ways to make the game interesting.
So, do you want to know the advantages and importance of the above fun activity? Scroll below to find the same.
1. Fine Motor Development
Your little one is growing and motor development is crucial at this stage. Playing with dough and Plasticine will build up strength in those little fingers and hands. As a result, you will make your kid ready to hold the pencil and pen. Strong fingers are a must and will be an asset for life. A good handwriting is often associated with stronger finger muscles. Kneading and poking the clay will help gain this strength.
Rolling and pinching the dough to make certain shapes will also bring a better control in the hands and fingers. There will be an increased concentration on the fingers that will in turn enable your kid to focus on the job. Also, cutting the dough with plastic knives will increase strength in the forearms. After this, cutting a birthday cake will never be an issue.
2. Unlock Passion
Let you preschooler be a little free at play. Soon, you will see your kid unlocking creativity and imagination. Provide some additional materials like grass, sticks and ribbons and wait for the magic. Soon, your toddler will be able to make some of the Christmas decorations and other decorative with the clay. Imagine a day when your kid will be making toys with the same dough. It will be the best day indeed!
3. Social Development
Playing with dough or Plasticine will make your toddler talk and discuss what she is doing with the people around. Be it for a suggestion or seeking appreciation, your kid will definitely seek attention.This in turn will develop her social skills. Mingling in a crowd is essential for her present and future.
4. Stress Buster
Compare the same activity with a video game or a cartoon show. Without a doubt, this activity will be a better stress buster. In essence, playing with dough will act as a therapy to your stressed kid. Overexposure to TV and gadgets can develop eye strain and other health issues. Physical activities like this will surely nullify the above.
Play time with dough or Plasticine is essential for your growing toddler. Make sure to find some time for it and let your preschooler enjoy the whole exercise. Read more
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Effective Tips to Enhance Critical Thinking Skills in Kids
Is it important for your child to think critically? Yes, it is! Not only is it important for your child to learn from what is taught to him, but it is equally important for a child to analyze, contrast, compare and make interferences of the things that are taught to him. Therefore, there are no second thoughts regarding the importance of critical thinking in a child’s educational development. However, if you are wondering how to enhance your kid’s critical thinking skills, you should read the following article to know some effective tips for enhancing the critical thinking skills of your kid.
What is Critical Thinking?
What exactly is critical thinking definition for kids? Well, critical thinking may involve your kid’s ability to think rationally and clearly as it engages your kid in independent and reflective thinking. It is not only gathering and remembering information; rather it is vaster than that. It involves your kid to deduce consequences from his learning and then make use of that information or look for other sources to solve various problems.
Why is it Important to Teach Critical Thinking Skills to Children?
Following are some reasons that may explain to you that why critical thinking skills in early childhood education are important:
It may help in expanding your kid’s knowledge because if your kid is vested deeply into some topic, it will help him gain better knowledge and develop his passion.
It may help your kid to make more sense of the world around him.
It may help your kid in making valuable judgements and also figure out things that may not make so much sense.
It may help your kid to excel in solving various problems.
It may help your kid to become independent thinkers and they may soon take their own sensible decisions.
It may help improve your kid’s academic performance.
It may help enhance your kid’s creative streak.
It may help your kid to have a better understanding and relationship with the peers.
How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills in a Child?
If you are looking out for ways of teaching kids critical thinking skills or looking out for critical thinking activities for kids, the following tips may help:
1. Solving Riddles
As simple as it may sound but asking riddles is not only a fun activity but it is also a great problem-solving activity for your child. This activity helps your kid to analyze information too.
2. Newspaper Reading
Encouraging your kid to read the newspaper on regular basis not only helps in keeping him well-versed with the world but it is also a great way of putting your little one’s mind at work. You may tell him to read a few articles and ask what he may have understood or assimilated from it.
3. Reading Books
You may encourage your kid to read books as this is a great way of making your kid analyze various situations. After your kid is through with the book, you may ask him to summarize it for you. You may ask him about various characters and situations from the book.
4. Inculcate Good Listening Skills
In order to be a good thinker, it is very important that your kid is a good listener too. This means that your kid should listen to and value the opinion of the other person and then keeps his view forward.
5. Helping Them Understand What’s True and What’s Fake
In today’s media and social media frenzied world, it is very difficult to determine what may be true and what may be a sheer rumour. Here comes the need of doubt, which means that your child may have to learn to practise ‘doubt’ where he feels the information may or may not be true.
6. Talking About Implications
Teaching your kid the probable and possible conclusions of a particular action, is also an important aspect of critical thinking. This means teaching your kid, what will happen if a certain decision is made or not made.
7. Discuss More with Your Kid
You may think that a child’s opinion may not matter but it does and it holds more value to your kid than to you because it instigates his thinking. Ask your kid for his advice, opinion or suggestions on various day to day issues of the house.
8. Ask ‘Why’
This means asking more questions and then expecting your kid to give reasons for the answers too. For example, if your kid is mad at his friend for taking his pencil without his knowledge and your kid feels that his friend is wrong, you should ask him why he thinks that it is wrong and also what did he expect from his friend.
9. Do Not Jump to Solve Problems for Your Child
As parents, you may have the innate urge to iron out everything for your child and same may apply when there comes a time when your kid needs to make his own decisions. Let your child deal with his problems and come out with solutions on his own. However, you may guide him when you feel your kid is stuck.
10. Free Play Activities
This is a great way of teaching creative skills to your child. You may give him toys or props that may not guide your kid what to do but he may have to think on his own as to what he should do. For example, you may give building blocks to your child and he may make anything that he wishes to make with it or alternatively you may give your kid a drawing book and let him express his emotions and feelings on the paper.
It is not a tedious task to teach creative thinking skills to your child, however, we recommend that you begin teaching this concept from a young age.
Also Read: Tips to Develop Your Kid's Concentration Read more
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How To Start Teaching Your Baby a Foreign Language
Meeting someone who is fluent in more than one language may be common in a country like India, but it is definitely impressive. Find out just how to raise a bilingual or multilingual child in today's day and age. And yes, this is possible as early as in babyhood!
Most people attribute bilingualism or multilingualism to exemplary language skills, but the truth is that if we begin at an early age, all of us could be fluent in more than one language. Here are a few suggestions to give your baby a headstart!
Why Make Your Baby Bilingual
It is found that children who study languages have more creative imaginations, are better with abstract ideas and can be more flexible while thinking.
They turn out to be better listeners too.
It helps a child understand people from other cultures and show respect towards people unlike them.
In the future, it will open up tons of career opportunities as well.
Train Them Young
Babies have the capability to mimic sounds. At about 10 months of age, the baby learns to focus on words and sounds a lot better. This is why you should introduce any languages you may want your baby to learn in the first year itself.
If your family is bilingual, speak the second language to the baby at all times so that your baby will learn it fluently. If not, wait until 2.5 years when the first language has been fully picked up so that your baby doesn’t mix the two to form his own mix.
Language Classes
No, it is not absurd to enrol your little baby in a language class. There are classes available for children as little as 2 years. These are for both mommy and baby and can be a fun learning experience for you too. If you are seeking a class, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Native Teachers
Your child might as well learn authentic language from someone hailing from the region of the preferred language. This will ensure that the accent is perfect. The teacher should also exclusively speak only that language in the classroom to the child so that there is no option but for the child to learn to communicate to her in that language.
Needs to be Fun and Engaging
Children are still children at the end of the day and a class that has no interactive and fun activities can be dry and boring. Make sure the class you pick includes rhymes, songs, art and crafts as well. Those are great tools for leaning and serve as a strong way of forming associations in your child’s brain. Songs in that language help with diction as well.
It is Not Too Exhausting
Before you enrol your child in the class, check for the duration of the class. Long hours can be too exhausting and hamper learning greatly. It creates an overload of information. Short, crisp and fun classes are what you need.
How to Make Learning Fun at Home
Even though you may have found a great class to enrol your child in, there are some things you need to reinforce at home as well, to turn your child’s interest into his passion.
Buy some books, music CDs, movies, cartoons and shows in the respective language, making it an activity that your child becomes a part of daily.
Check your supermarket for foods that fit with the culture to inculcate the diet in their lives too. This helps the child get immersed in a culture that is different from his. It is not a complete modification of diet, just an inclusion.
Make labels in the foreign language and get your child to identify them.
Babies can be great learners if only you keep the approach gentle, interesting and not stressful. Help them in their language journey by being an eager companion and teacher. Read more
Abhaya Rajput has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
11 hours ago
Q. I have faint line on pregnancy test . after 10 days my periods start . I want to know the reason
Abhaya Rajput
Mom of a 14 yr 5 m old boy
11 hours ago
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much. But it is really very difficult to say anything without proper examination. 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
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
11 hours ago
Q. hii doctor i am 7 month pregnant how to now my baby weight? what exercise should I start for normal delivery
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
11 hours ago
A. You can do basic yoga for that you have to check with your doctor as to what basic yoga society you can do apart from that you can also do 1500 steps per day that also helps a lot and just consume healthy diet that is what is going to be beneficial if there is no complication you can pull of a normal delivery
Vandana Sharma has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
11 hours ago
Q. i am 7 month pregnant what diet should i eat
Vandana Sharma
Nutritionist
1 hour ago
A. Hello mam have home made meals as better to avoid outside foods to prevent from infections other is have small meals at regular intervals , and keep your self well hydrated with fluids , avoid pineapple and papaya
Rashmi has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
11 hours ago
Q. I am trying to conceive. but I have irregular periods. how to conceive with irregular periods. what to do. plz give me some advice
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 8 m old girl
26 mins ago
A. Irregular periods are mostly due to hormonal imbalance PCOD or PCOS issue so first you need to find out what problem are you facing and accordingly you can take a treatment with your doctor and once your period cycle is regular you know when you are ovulating with that as that is the right time for your conception so to have a detailed understanding and any process on medication need to follow for this please consult your gynaecologist
Sindhu has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
5 hours ago
Q. hii iam 14th week pregnant once I started iron , calcium supplements my motion colour turned into black is it normal ?
Sindhu
Mom of a Newborn boy
7 mins ago
A. Yes it's normal.
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Mom of a Newborn child
1 hour ago
Q. My baby boy is 26 days old, despite of taking 80ml feed in one go he stills feels hungry and keep on asking(crying)for more feed which i had to give only then he calms down. This happens most of the time.Urine output is more than 6times .Is it normal?
Sometimes he grips his own hair so badly and cries a lot. Is this also normal?
Read moreDr Ghouse
Paediatrician
34 mins ago
A. okay no problem is feed according to demand. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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