Monthly Archives: September 2021

September 28, 2021 · 12:33 pm

5 Ways to Teach Mathematics to Your Young Toddler

By Annabelle Fee

Mathematics is a key subject at the school level and a vital one to understand for everyday life. However, it can be tricky to bring a toddler’s attention to it and help them to grasp how interesting it can be. Here are a few tips and tricks you can use every day to teach mathematics to a young toddler without them getting bored.

1. Make It A Shared And Fun Activity

Toddlers can easily start learning the shapes and meanings of numbers by the time they are 2 so there is no such thing as too early. Make counting and recognizing numbers a daily activity and you can always make it fun by using music (or even musical counting videos on Youtube) or by aligning it with a fun outdoor activity. Using musical numerical rhymes such as one-two buckles my shoes is also a way to get them to retain numbers better.

Practice counting forwards and backward and encourage children to apply this knowledge to their own daily routine such as counting toys or building blocks. This number sense can then be applied to adding and subtracting albeit on a minor level; for example, if you had 5 dolls but I took 3 away how many do you have left? These daily activates will mean they will pick up what is being taught in school very quickly because of its familiarity.

2. Daily Tasks Can Be Mathematical Too

Encourage your toddler to do daily tasks like setting a table or setting cups but give directions like ‘there should be 3 plates for 3 people.’ This can also be done when they are role-playing in games such as with a doctor’s playset or a toy kitchen. Furthermore, get them to sort items or toys into groups and then count them. For example, certain toys like cars should be in one group and so on and you can get started on basic word problems from there.

As with any learning initiative involving very young children, patience is an essential virtue for a parent as any children’s tutor that specializes in math tuition will tell you. Your child may take his/her time to grasp concepts and even then the result might not be what you want but it is important to remember that the mind loves repetition and the best learning is the type done consistently with practice over a period of time.

3. Encourage Spatial Skills

Mathematics is in part about measurements, directions, shapes, and sizes. Encourage your toddler to notice these aspects in his/her environment on a daily basis. ‘How high do you think that slide is?’ or ‘how fast do you think you were running?’ Direction, movement, positions are all geometric principles they will learn later in their school life but you can give them starters and a preliminary understanding.

Also allow your toddlers to use basic measurement tools such as a ruler or measuring tape. Let them measure objects around the house like tables or chairs and write down what they think the measurements are. It might be too early to teach them the units of measurement such as centimeters or inches but you can give them a primer and just let them follow the numbers on the tape or ruler.

4. Shapes And Sizes

Shapes such as a square table or a round plate or clock are easy shapes for a toddler to recognize and be familiar with. Teach them about the dynamics of shapes and sizes and tell them to point out these shapes as they see them when they are at home or walking around. Buy specific educational toys that inspire toddlers to recognize shapes such as Legos, puzzles, shape blocks (that give you shapes to fit inside a special cube), and so on. Online games on tablets and phones are also available but toddlers should be kept away from the blue light in devices as there is a great deal of research saying it impairs cognitive development at that age.

5. Undertake A Project

Plan a collaborative project with your toddler such as creating a table from scratch or putting together a swing set and allow them to help you. During the process, point their attention towards various aspects like measurements, shapes, and sizes. Let them see that mathematics does not exist just in theory but has practical real-life daily applications that can be a ton of fun. Allow your toddler to undertake measurements or help put an item together and praise them, you can always correct it later!

5 Most Common Eye Problems in Children

By Aaron Barriga

We consider eyes the mirrors of our soul. Undoubtedly, we know it is the most valuable body part.

A child’s health is always a priority for a parent. Eyes being the most sensitive body part, it is normal for you to freak out whenever your child experiences any kind of eye problem.

Over the years, your child can develop a variety of vision problems. Always consult your doctor if their problems cause them excruciating pain.

We will discuss the 5 most common eye problems in children:

1. Refractive error

When the eye struggles to focus light on the retina, it leads to blurry vision and other visual problems. This is called a refractive error.

It is an umbrella term for the following eye conditions:

Astigmatism: Due to improperly shaped cornea, your child can have astigmatism. This affects your child’s near as well as far sight vision.

If the cornea (front portion of the eye) has a physical defect in its curve, the retina cannot focus on the light entering the eye. This results in blurred vision.

Presbyopia: Translated literally into the ageing eye, it is a condition of reduced elasticity of the lens. Because of the loss of elasticity, the eye cannot focus on nearsighted objects.

Presbyopia is not a disease. It is caused by ageing in human beings, which is entirely normal. It is termed a progressive eye condition.

Myopia (nearsightedness): In this eye condition, children can see close objects, but objects at far distances appear blurry. This is a genetic condition, and your child might get affected by it at a young age.

The light cannot focus on the retina, but it focuses on images in front of the retina and hence, this causes blurred vision.

Hyperopia (farsightedness): The exact opposite of myopia, hyperopia is an eye condition where the child can see objects at a distance, but things nearby appear blurry.

With this condition, children’s eyeballs are shorter than usual and the cornea has a flatter curve. The focus point of light rays falls far beyond the retina when looking at objects nearby.

2. Amblyopia

Amblyopia is poor vision in children’s eyes because of a lack of proper visual stimulation in the early childhood stage.

This condition is also commonly referred to as lazy eye. It can result from diseases like strabismus, a pediatric cataract, or a high glasses prescription that is not detected early.

3. Strabismus (Eye Turn)

In strabismus, the eye muscles do not work correctly in sync. This means that one eye is turned inward, outward, upward, or downward. Hence, this condition is also called crossed eyes.

It can be that your child is born with this condition or can also develop because of an accident or other health problems.

4. Conjunctivitis

This condition is a contagious viral or bacterial infection. Commonly known as ‘pink eye’, your child’s eye will appear red and inflamed with discharge running out of their tear duct.

5. Cataract

In this condition, the eye lens gets clouded, obstructing light, leading to unclear vision and sometimes blindness in your child.

If your child’s pupil looks white when a flashlight is shined upon their eye, your child has symptoms of cataract. Surgery is required to remove the clouded vision in their sight.

Stay Alert

Eye problems are always a subject of concern for parents across the globe. Although, with proper treatment and early diagnosis, you can avoid any kind of severe damage to your child’s eye.

Keep looking for signs of problems in your child’s eyes and always run to a doctor to avoid further damage.

Author Bio:

A person wearing glasses

Description automatically generated with low confidence

Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs with a mission of informing readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care especially LASIK. He loves collecting coasters from the different bars and restaurants he visits during his travel.

Six Thoughtful Baby Baptism Gift Ideas

By Shariq Khan

A baby’s baptism is a special occasion. Commemorating this occasion will ensure that the day remains special for the newborn and the parents. If you’re a family member or a friend looking for baby baptism gift ideas for your nearest and dearest, you’ve come to the right place.

While something like a Clintons card certainly does the trick, when it comes to gifts, there are many thoughtful options that you can explore. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of thoughtful baby baptism gifts that are worth considering for your loved ones. From cute clothes and baby bonnets to a baptism keepsake box or bracelet, there are many ideas you can get inspired by.

So without further ado, let’s take a look!

1. Comfortable Newborn Baby Clothes

Baby clothes are without a doubt one of the cutest things. Since every parent may have their own preferences in terms of colours and designs, gifting them neutral coloured, comfortable baby clothes can be an idea you could consider.

From cream coloured baby bonnets to pastel onesies, there are several amazing designs and baby outfits available on the market. Since parents love dressing up their newborns with many amazing outfits, your gift will surely make them happy.

Photo by **Photography Maghradze PH** from **Pexels**

2. Baptism Keepsake Box

Since baptism is a special occasion for every family, having a keepsake can help you remember the memories of this occasion as if it happened yesterday. This thoughtful gift lets the parents store precious memories with their newborn to remember down the years.

Another idea you could consider doing is get the box engraved with the date and perhaps the name of the little one. This can be that special touch to the gift that will make it even more memorable for everyone.

3. A Simple Bracelet With A Cross

If you wish to give the newborn and their parents something delicate and elegant, consider a beautiful bracelet with a cross charm attached to it. While this may not exactly be something that the newborn can use very often, it’s definitely something they’ll appreciate in the future.

Whether they use it regularly or have it as a keepsake, this bracelet is something thoughtful and special that they’ll always remember down the years.

Photo by **Karolina Grabowska** from **Pexels**

4. Personalised Baby Blankets

Another great personalised gift idea that you could consider giving the newborn is a personalised baby blanket. We all know that baby blankets are different from regular ones in terms of material and size.

Since babies tend to get things messy easily, having extra blankets will always come in handy for them. Moreover, by personalising it, you add a special touch to this and make it even more thoughtful. With this, you could attach a simple yet memorable card to convey your wishes and love for the little one.

5. Crocheted Baby Footwear And Outfit

Warm, cosy baby footwear is something every baby needs. Since a baptism requires them to be dressed well, gifting the parents crocheted baby footwear can be a thoughtful gift that they are sure to love.

You can find some cute baby shoes that will match the little one’s baptism outfit and give it to the parents beforehand so that they can put them on for their little one during the ceremony. You could also consider giving them a matching outfit to make the gift even more memorable.

6. A Framed Picture Of The Special Moment

The entire occasion is full of memorable moments and interactions that will always remain beloved for the parents and the newborn, especially in the years to come. With this in mind, why not capture a few to immortalise the feelings?

With so many amazing memories, you can capture your favourite moment from the ceremony and get it framed. You can then gift this to the new parents, they’re going to absolutely love the gift.

While these are only a few thoughtful gifts for baby baptism, there are many more options that you could explore. Whether it is something functional like blankets and clothes or something more memorable like a keepsake, the sentiment and love behind the gift will make the parents feel touched and happy down the line.

The baby too can have a few keepsakes saved for them to commemorate the thoughtful occasion and have a reminder of how many people love and care for them.