Ensuring Holistic Growth & Development of Every Preschooler

The formative years in a child’s life are the most crucial period, where the foundations of lifelong learning, health, attitude and behaviour sets in. The conditioning and experiences that children have in their early childhood shape their mindset and capacity to learn, cooperate and respond to daily challenges as they grow up.

And in the 21st century, academic excellence alone won’t guarantee success nor happiness in life, hence it is important that your child gets holistic development through education. This is something we at Little Wings, a preschool in South Bopal, Ahmedabad, believe in and put into practice in our education system for the students and guide parents too so they can play an important role in it.

But, what exactly is Holistic Development?

In simpler terms, Holistic Development in preschoolers refers to a child’s growth in all aspects, physical, intellectual, emotional and social. These abilities, when developed and nurtured early in life, help children become well rounded professionals upon growing up. What makes it different from the conventional methods is that it imparts knowledge through experiences and not just textbooks. It makes children an active participant in charge of their own learning, while the parents and teachers play the role of a guide.

How can you, as a parent, encourage holistic development in your preschooler?

The educators at our preschool in South Bopal, Ahmedabad, have always guided the parents on how to be a mentor to their child without being dominant or intrusive. Nurturing holistic development in your child means…

Letting them explore

One of the most natural traits of children in their formative years is their curiosity about anything and everything under the sun. Let it thrive in your child, let them ask questions about matters outside their textbooks, about the people they interact with outside their day care centre, about the food they eat, the sounds they hear. But, refrain yourself from answering their questions right away, make it a fun and rewarding experience for them to find out the answers themselves through conscious learning or by looking for the answers together.

Letting them experience

This majorly involves the physical aspect of holistic development outside the day care centre. It includes the development of gross motor skills such as walking, climbing, and sprinting, all activities where the child uses her whole body for movement. Plan fun and engaging activities with your child which will help in improving their hand-eye coordination, strength, mobility and balance.

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How to Calm Hyperactive & Nervous Kids

Most children have difficulty paying attention, listening to and following directions, sitting quietly, or waiting their turn at times. However, dealing with a hyperactive child is a whole different story. A hyperactive youngster may appear unsteady, leaping from one activity to the next with seemingly boundless energy. He or she may appear to have trouble listening or following instructions. They may struggle in school, receiving below-average marks, sometimes even displaying behavioural issues. This is especially true for children who have ADHD.

But, what is ADHD?

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a medical condition where attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control are impaired, due to abnormalities in brain growth and activity. ADHD can have an impact on a child’s studies, home life, and friendships. Inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness are all symptoms of ADHD in children.

There isn’t an easy answer on how to care for a nervous, tense and hyperactive child. But the experts at Little Wings Pre School, considered to be the best play school and preschool in South Bopal, have come up with a few tips for parents on the best way to raise a hyperactive child.

Channelise Their Energy

Find a way for your child to release her pent-up energy and relax her brains. This could be running, playing or some other form of physical activity. You may also get her an activity box to help focus on soothing games and activities. This will help improve  memory and concentration, as well as, help in overall skill development.

Break Down Complex Instructions

A child with ADHD may find it challenging to follow and remember a long list of instructions. Break the assignment down into smaller bits instead. When you’re teaching, make sure she maintains eye contact, and break down the information into small, digestible parts. Have her repeat each step back to you.

Writing down instructions might also assist the child in complying with them. A written step-by-step list can help a hyperactive child concentrate on one small step at a time. She can use the list to refresh his recollection of what she was instructed upon, and can then mark off the tasks as they are completed.

Create a To-Do List

Having a list of tasks created by the child herself can aid in the development and reduce dependency. A written list also provides a visual reference for her, in case she becomes distracted or forgets what was to be completed. Teach the child to consult the list whenever she is bored or uncertain about what to do next.

Do not reprimand herif the to-do list is not completed within a certain amount of time. Use positive reinforcement to encourage the child to perform the things she is able to. Allow her to execute tasks in any sequence she wants rather than starting at the top and working her way down.

Lists are an important tool of teaching at Little Wings Preschool and Childcare Centre too.

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Why Your Child’s Daycare Needs a Child Psychologist

According to UNICEF, as a child’s brain develops, the quality of early experiences makes a critical difference. It either provides strong or weak foundations for learning, health and behaviour throughout life. It is the time when most of the physical and mental changes occur in a child, more than any other stage of life.

Sometimes they might have a condition that affects their learning, which they might not know about themselves, and they need someone who can understand this without having to verbalise it. Hence, it is very important to ensure that they are provided with the best possible environment for holistic growth. Preschools provide children with a safe and comfortable space to learn in a high-quality facility and have a smooth transition into primary schooling. But teams at the best preschools and daycares know that you need a trained health professional or child psychologist who has studied human behaviour and is an expert in the ways children think, feel, behave and learn.

So, one of the best daycare schools in South Bopal, Ahmedabad, is here to share why having a child psychologist is a must for any day care.

Conducts assessments

Child psychologists are trained to empower children to make sense of what happens in their minds and lives. They help children in a way that they understand. Hence, experts in the best preschool near Bopal, Ahmedabad conduct psychological assessments or tests to get a better understanding of a child’s developing mind. The tests reveal specific strengths and weaknesses of the child, positive and negative stimuli, environmental problems, along with all the other factors that influence the child’s learning process. With this they can also develop an individualised treatment plan for different children in order to help them learn a little better.

Now, when it comes to psychological assessment, most of the parents conjure an image of their children lying on a couch, talking about their feelings to a person who is taking notes across from them. But this is not the case. This assessment is a series of measures that is different for every child. It helps the expert to provide information on how the child learns the best.

Special attention to emotions

Childhood depression, anxiety or stress is a thing. Though the idea of a little child getting stressed may be difficult to fathom as people consider this age as the happiest phase. Others think that such young children lack the developmental maturity to experience the core cognitions associated with depression. The study, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), found that between 2016 and 2020, the number of children ages 3-17 years diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29% and those with depression by 27%. The age group of preschoolers falls under this category.

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