“The simplest way of making sure we raise literate children is to show them that reading is a pleasurable activity. And that means, finding them books that they enjoy, giving them access to those books and letting them read them.”
– Neil Gaiman
I’ve grown up loving books. My dad was a writer and his articles used to be published in a renowned newspaper every week for almost a decade. This is one of the reasons why I still prefer spending on book over food any day. They say, children are made readers on the lap of their parents and I can’t agree more!
When I was expecting, I made sure to read a lot and I also researched on which books to buy for my little one. I purchased my daughter’s first set of books when she was a month and half old and I did make some good choices- except, I got all paperbacks. Little did I know that this little squish of mine will grow up too soon to tear the pages down. The first set was in pieces within 4-5 months. I learnt the hard way that it is board books that’s advisable for kids under 2. Similarly, it took me a while and a lot of trial and error to understand what author and category I should consider for my little reader.
I’m often asked by parents regarding which books to buy for their kids and honestly, answering that question in one sentence is difficult. There are a ton of factors based on which books can be purchased- like for example, age of the child, language preferences, topic of interest, budget and reading level.
I always wondered, why don’t we have Indian subscription service of books for babies like they have in several developed countries.
Well, I was wrong because there already existed one- FubuBox! 😊
One day, I was browsing through my Instagram feed and I bumped into one of their posts. I instantly got in touch with them and got one box customised for my girl. It reached my doorstep in a couple of days and we were pleasantly surprised.
Here’s what we received:
- A board book titled ‘Here Comes the Dinosaur’
- A slide and pull book titled ‘Busy Vet’ by Rod Campbell
- And a paperback titled ’The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water’
- A pack of play-doh
What I love about FubuBox?
- They ask you to fill a form to know the age and also understand the interest of the child
- The books are then chosen by an expert panel based on your answers
- They select only those books which are written by well known authors across the globe
- They pick books from various genres to add variety to your child’s reading experience
- They not just send books, but also a surprise gift along with the package 🙂
- They’re extremely approachable and genuinely helpful.
Services:
- They currently cater to 0-6 year olds
- They have three plans- 3 months, 6 months and 12 months
- They also design one time birthday box and gift boxes
- They make customized return boxes too
Click here to directly reach their website and here to check their Instagram page.
Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Regards,
Elina
P.S. This is a sponsored post. All the images used are mine and the opinions are genuine by all means
How To Choose Toys To Make Your Kid Smarter?
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
Benjamin Franklin
A child’s brains goes through a spellbinding period of development in the first three years. It produces a million neural connections every second, which means that the child observes and learns from each and every diminutive thing he comes across!
This learning doesn’t start when the child begins to talk or displays comprehension, but it begins right from Day 1!
Did you know? At birth, children have almost all the neurons they’ll ever have in their life. These neurons double in size by one year and reaches 80% of its adult volume by the time the child turns three!
Keeping in mind the pace at which their mental development takes place and the incredible amount of potential that they possess, it’s crucial for us to make each of their activities a learning experience for them.
According to researches, kids between the age of 1-3 prefer ‘functional play’ i.e. they like to play with the same toy again and again until they master the game and gain confidence to move on to the next toy. This phase is pivotal in encouraging ‘learning skills through play’.
Moreover, consider purchasing toys that grow with the baby. For example, as the baby grows and learns more concepts of one area, their toys should also get more advanced and challenging in that specific area. When practiced in this manner, their skills get sharpened and they master even complex concepts easily.
Skola, one of the most renowned toy brands, has a myriad of Montessori inspired toys for kids between 1-8 years of age. Most of their collection involves multi-sensory approach that has been proved effective in making kids better learners, problem solvers and analysts by improving their memory, fine motor and logical reasoning skills.
Types of incrementally challenging toys you can consider for your babies:
1. Toys that enhance their fine motor skills:
Stackers for young kids and toys involving complex hand manipulations and balancing for older kids– you’ll find a variety of toys that help not only in strengthening of smaller muscles but also improve their eye co-ordination and problem solving ability.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
2. Toys that teach about colours and shapes:
Toys like: Matching the other half of the given object/figure, understanding the intensity of colours, pairing similar objects based on their shapes etc. are some great options in this segment.
This learning will help them in identifying individual colours and geometric shapes and distinguishing them from one another. It’ll also help them understand that both of these are key attributes of all physical objects.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
3. Number games:
This is one of the key areas to work on because understanding of numbers early on sets a solid foundation for all the future arithmetic calculations.
Consider purchasing toys that help in visually associating numbers with physical objects, which thus makes the child understand that each number signifies a specific quantity.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
4. Word games:
Did you know? Babies begin to distinguish speech sounds by 10 months! The first stage of language development is preverbal communication- where they use gestures, cues and noises to get their message conveyed. Once they’re 1.5 years old, they begin to use specific words for specific things. In order to strengthen their vocabulary, frequently using complex words with phonograms helps a lot. Not just that, it sets a firm base for reading and writing and thus making the child confident in communication.
Games that include easy crosswords or word building activities are best for this age.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
5. Toys that focus on pattern formation:
Such toys help them identify similar objects, arrange them through logical reasoning and comprehend distinguished patterns. It expands their problem solving skills and makes them better analysts.
Toys like building blocks or puzzles are great choices for this learning.
To buy an age-appropriate toy under this category, click here
You don’t have to always sit with a book and a pen to teach, make learning fun by including it in all the activities that a child performs!
Thanks for stopping by and reading!
Happy parenting!
Love,
Elina
P.S. This is a sponsored post.
Image Courtesy: Skola’s Official Website