- Early Intervention
- Speech
- Gross Motor Skills
- Fine Motor Skills
- Cognitive Development
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Comments
On this page it becomes clear that it isn't easy to relate a game to a special "development field" . The ability to put objects into corresponding holes (a game we put on the fine motorpage) also has something to do with cognitive development. This is why we ask all readers whose orientation is more scientific than ours (in case they read our pages) to overlook our maybe incorrect arrangement - we only want to deal with practical opportunities for intervention.
General hints
Elias has begun to be interested in little picture cards and similar things very early and started to name them (eventually using sign language) or even to find the same motives. This was a big challenge to his concentration and it was important not to frustrate him and to maintain the interest in such exercises.
Therefore we never offered such games (as later lottos and different puzzles) in the open playing box and only played them for a short period of time, often first presented as an opportunity to choose. E.g. I show him 3 games and he shows me which one he would like to play with. We then play maybe about 5 minutes and when he starts to lose his concentration or possibly shortly before we stop. The period of time depends on Elias' present situation, the interest and the age. Altogether we reached that he plays the corresponding games with big passion and learns a lot. Surely, there are also phases where he doesn't have any interest at all - and then we just drop this kind of activity for some time and offer it lateron.
Recognizing objects, first adjusting
Besides to picture books Elias used to like playing with the Junior-Memory from Ravensburger games very much. Here simple nature objects are fotographed. First Elias showed me the card and wanted to me name them and then started to show identic cards. I will never forget the moment when he pointed at the real orange and then at the orange on the memory card! Moreover, the card are stabile and easy to hold.
Lottos
Elias plays with Lottos since he was 1 and a half years. Unfortunately there are only few Lottos which only have 4 cards on them. The only one we found he was really excited about... In 'What do you do?' from Ravensburger Bluemini 4 cards with different activities of children have to be attached to a big card like for example clapping, brushing the teeth etc. . You can also practice gestures with it very well. However, we left out the activities with the feet at first, because they were out of Elias' practical comprehension at his stage of gross motor skills then.
The use of usual lottos with nine pictures it depends on the child's interest. Elias can be excited with all kinds of animal pictures. Besides that, we have searched for simple pictures. Flee markets are really good treasure troves here!
By the way, Elias didn't play with the lottos properly at first - like placing the cards on the right place - but he showed us the identic pictures on the big card, maybe making a sign or a noise ('mau') - then the card was often thrown under the table! Now, age 2 1/2 the throwing stage seems to be over!
Other similar games
According to Elias' interest in animals we found one or another game he likes. 'Animals and their children' from Ravensburger primary material is a mixture of 2-parts- puzzles and attachment games; the little kitties go to the cat-mom, the little bears to their bear mother and so on.
There are 4-pages-books in which a animal picture can be inserted in 'Which animal is fiting here?' .
Elias didn't get along with the puzzle parts of this game at first because his fine motor skills weren't that good but it was really fun for him with our support.
Books
While reading books it is more important for Elias just to recognize some objects than knowing the whole story of the book which is rather difficult for a 2-year-old. You won't know the German books so they are not listed here. Now when he approaches his third birthday he enjoys little stories as well.
