Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts

Aug 16, 2018

16 Best Parenting Books That All Parents Must Consider Reading

best parenting books for parents the k junction review recommendation

Being a parent myself, an early childhood educator & energy healer, I understand the anxiety that a parent faces in the parenting journey. Those never ending questions, doubts, issues in day to day life, we become clueless about every small thing related to our child. How to potty train, how to wean, how to handle tantrums, how to communicate, how to teach them table manners, and the list is endless. In this much requested post, I am sharing an exhaustive list of parenting books that will surely guide you through one of the most anxious as well as exciting & rewarding phase of your life - parenthood!


Lets begin the list of some really awesome parenting books!



How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish


A book by New York Times bestselling authors that teaches you how to effectively communicate with your child. The book also gives in tips and tricks to parents that teaches them to build a healthy relationship.





The Conscious Parent
Dr Shefali Tsabary

This innovative parenting style recognizes the child's potential to spark a deep soul-searching leading to transformation in parents. Instead of being merely the receiver of the parents' psychological and spiritual legacy, children function as ushers of the parent's development. Once parents are learning alongside their children, power, control and dominance become an archaic language. Instead, mutual kinship and spiritual partnership are the focus of the parent-child journey.




The Art Of Conscious Parenting
Chitra Jha

Conscious parenting is the new guideline that holds the best of both worlds: the familiarity of sure-shot methods and the necessity of modern, emerging ideas for a happy childhood. Equal parts practical and spiritual, this book is the right concoction of everything that spells successful parenting in the twenty-first century.





Siblings Without Rivalry
Faber & Mazlish

A book that offers prompt solutions to parents to help their kid overcome sibling rivalry by examining various methods.





What’s Going On In There
Lise Eliot

Drawing upon the exploding research in this field as well as the stories of real children, What's Going On in There? is a lively and thought-provoking book that charts the brain's development from conception through the critical first five years. In examining the many factors that play crucial roles in that process, What's Going On in There? explores the evolution of the senses, motor skills, social and emotional behaviors, and mental functions such as attention, language, memory, reasoning, and intelligence.

 



The Whole-Brain Child : 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

This book offers a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth.

 



No-Drama Discipline
Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson


Highlighting the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehavior, No-Drama Discipline provides an effective, compassionate road map for dealing with tantrums, tensions, and tears—without causing a scene.




Parenting From the Inside Out
Daniel. J. Seigel & Mary Hartzell

The authors explore the extent to which our childhood experiences shape the way we parent. Drawing on stunning new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, they explain how interpersonal relationships directly impact the development of the brain, and offer parents a step-by-step approach to forming a deeper understanding of their own life stories, which will help them raise compassionate and resilient children.





The Kingdom Of Childhood
Rudolf Steiner

The author stresses the tremendous importance of doing everything in the knowledge that children are citizens of both the spiritual and the earthly worlds. And, throughout these lectures, he continually returns to the practical value of Waldorf education.




Einstein Never Used Flashcards : How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek & Roberta Michnick Golinkoff

The authors offer a compelling indictment of the growing trend toward accelerated learning. It's a message that stressed-out parents are craving to hear: Letting tots learn through play is not only okay-it's better than drilling academics!





Brain Rules for Baby : How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five
John Medina

This book bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice. Through fascinating and funny stories, Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and dad, unravels how a child's brain develops -- and what you can do to optimize it. You will view your children--and how to raise them--in a whole new light.





Simplicity Parenting
Kim John Payne and Lisa M. Ross

The author helps parents reclaim for their children the space and freedom that all kids need for their attention to deepen and their individuality to flourish.






Beyond the Rainbow Bridge : Nurturing Our Children from Birth to Seven
Barbara J. Patterson & Pamela Bradley

This book discusses healthy rhythms in both home and school, play and how it stimulates imagination, how to protect and enliven the child's twelve senses, creative discipline, creation of birthday stories and craft projects for the young child and much more.





The Secret Life of the Unborn Child
Dr. Thomas Verny & John Kelly

The ways in which you respond to and care for your unborn child may affect his physical and emotional well-being for the rest of his life. The choices you make today about your child’s birth may make a vital difference for years to come. You can prepare your unborn baby for a happy, healthy life. This remarkable book will show you how!





My Child Won’t Eat
Carlos Gonzalez

The author explores the reasons why a child refuses food, the pitfalls of growth charts, and the ways that growth and activity affect a child's caloric needs. He discusses how eating problems start and how they can be avoided.





Toddler Calm
Sarah Ockwell-Smith

Toddler Calm is about gentle parenting. It will give you a proven and successful alternative approach to creating a calm and happy family.





Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


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Aug 14, 2018

Sleep Talk For Children's Self Esteem & Other Issues - A Powerful Parenting Tool

sleep talk kids children parenting tool the k junction

Are you a parent who would like to support your child’s development in the best possible way? Would you like access to a quick, easy technique to improve their behaviour? Build their self-esteem and help with lots of childhood issues? The Sleep Talk for children may be the answer.


In this video below, I am going to talk very briefly about sleep talk. It is an awesome parenting tool that I have been using for my son since he was born. I have used it for potty training, behavioural issues, handling tantrums, separation anxiety, weaning breastfeeding, putting to sleep, building self esteem, eating issues and what not. This can be used for children till they are about 12 or 13 years. However magical it may seem, it has a strong backing of a reason why it works.

But before we go on to why it works, let us first understand how it can be used. So how to do sleep talk. Watch this video below to understand.




If you liked this video then you much check out this life-changing online workshop on Spiritual Parenting that will transform your idea about parenting & relationship with your child forever!

Click HERE for more details.


If you want any help in coming up with sleep talk affirmations for your child for a specific issue, you can reach out to us using THIS contact form & our team will help you arrange a one-on-one consultation with the expert. Please DO NOT expect answers to personal queries here.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


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Aug 8, 2018

Things To Consider Before Buying Waldorf Inspired Rainbow Stacker Toy



There are many versions of Waldorf inspired Rainbow Stackers (like Grimm's etc) available in the Indian & overseas market now but before you decide which brand to pick up, here are few pointers you should consider so that your child can make the most out of this versatile toy!


  • Make sure the stackers are exact semi circles, i.e. full arch. To check that, just see the smallest piece of the stacker, does it look like an exact semi circle or close to 1/3rd of a circle? To make the most of this stacker toy, it NEEDS to be exact semi circle. 
  • Make sure that the thickness of all the pieces is at least more than 4 cms. Otherwise they will not stack nicely & tumble down irritating your child 
  • Make sure the color of the pieces is not glaze finish and has enough friction to bear the weight while they are stacked. 
  • Make sure that the wood used is not too light (it happen in case of mdf wood), otherwise the stacking will not be neat & stable. 
  • Make sure the wood used is not too heavy (some kinds of woods are heavier & denser), otherwise it will be uncomfortable for little hands to handle it. 

I hope these pointers are helpful to all. I find all these pointers fulfilled in these Rainbow Stackers by My Dream Shop owned by Surekha Jadhav. So sharing it here for your benefit.



Check out My Dream Shop's 7 piece Rainbow Stacker HERE. 

Below are some inviting pics of the same.








Check out My Dream Shop's 12 Piece Rainbow Stacker HERE.

Below are some inviting pics of the same.


The shop also stocks natural (without color) version of these stackers. Check out all the items of My Dream Shop HERE.



Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


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May 22, 2018

How To Spend Summer Vacations At Home With Kids - 10 Productive Ways (VLOG)


10 Easy & Productive Ways To Spend Your Summer Vacation With Your Child. This article showcases the Facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


Often, parents are so used to kids going to school that they go clueless when the summer vacation comes as to how to spend the time with kids.

In this video, in this digital age, I am going to give you some worth listening to old school ideas on how to spend time with kids.

Tag your friends here if you think this knowledge will help them!



Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as parenting is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

#TuesdayLive Archives

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

May 15, 2018

Tips On How To Choose The Right Preschool For Your Child (VLOG)

how to choose the right preschool for your child tips the k junction tuesday live fb live

How To Choose The Right Preschool For Your Child. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Parents were never spoiled with so many choices when it comes to preschool selection for kids. In our generation, we hardly had a choice. But today you can hear options like convent school, Montessori school, play way school, Reggio school, Waldorf school, traditional school, gurukul school, multiple intelligence based school, hybrid school & what not.

Not every parent would know what does that actually mean! So how to choose the right preschool?

In this video, I will give you some tips about making the right preschool selection for your child & your family.


Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as parenting is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Understanding Alternative & Holistic Education

Considering A Waldorf School For Your Child?

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


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May 9, 2018

How To Become A Better Parent - 10 Parenting Mistakes To Avoid (VLOG)

how to become better parent parenting mistakes to avoid the k junction fb live

How To Become A Better Parent - 10 Parenting Mistakes To Avoid. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

To build a better next generation, we need to evolve & become a better parent too.

In most cases, there will be at least one mistake that you should be able to improve upon in your parenting journey after this talk.

Why am I so confident? Because we all are humans at the end of the day, we cannot avoid mistakes but we can definitely be conscious & aware about the way we are parenting, right?

Parenting is NOT easy & just like in any other field, there is always a scope for improvement. So in this video below, I will take you through 10 common parenting mistakes that we as parents tend to do & how we can tackle them & become a better parent. This video also serves as answers to common questions that parents ask me over emails, comments & personal messages about how to deal with typical situations with their kids. So go ahead & watch this video, you might relate to some of the scenarios I mention here.



Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as parenting is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

May 8, 2018

The Only 5 Kinds Of Toys Your Child Needs - Reduce Toy Clutter At Home (VLOG)

only toys child needs kids reduce toy clutter declutter fb live the k junction

The Only 5 Kinds Of Toys Your Child Needs - Reduce Toy Clutter At Home. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.



"My child does not play with his toys!"

"My house is full of toys but hardly some get used by my child"


"My house looks like a toy shop!"


Do you resonate with these comments?

As an early childhood educator & a mommy blogger, I get to see lot of questions from parents regarding which toys to buy for their kids.

In this video below, let us understand the only 5 kinds of toys a child needs, how can we figure out which toys to declutter & maintain sanity at our home!





Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as kids & toys are concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

6 Things To Consider When Choosing Toys - What Is Wrong With Today's Toys!

Buy Super Affordable Grimms Inspired 7 Piece Rainbow Stacker - Waldorf Open-ended Toy

Tons of Ways To Play With Waldorf Rainbow Stackers

What makes a toy Montessori material & toy recommendations

Toy library Rentoys review & discount code

How To Encourage Creativity - Open Ended Art Projects For Kids

What Is Open-Ended (Process) Art & How To Encourage It In Toddlers

An Ultimate Guide To Encourage Young Kids To Read & Fall In Love With Books


You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

May 7, 2018

How To Reduce Screen Time For Kids - 10 Tips For Parents (VLOG)

how to reduce screen time for kids mobile tips parenting

How To Reduce Screen Time For Kids - 10 Tips For Parents. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


In my blogging & consultation journey in parenting & early childhood domain, that one problem that I have come across umpteen number of times with great seriousness is screen time kids are exposed to these days!

Here are tips for parents to handle/limit/eliminate screen time for kids. And trust me, it isnt easy at all. So be prepared for the hard work, but it is totally worth it for the physical, mental & emotional health of our kids & the betterment of the next generation.

In this video below, let us understand how can we reduce screen time for kids.



Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as kids & books are concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

You can check out tons of activities that you can do with children on my blog & youtube channel here -
Early Learning activities
Montessori Inspired activities
Waldorf Inspired activities
DIY & activity videos

Take a look at some kids books & toy recommendations here -
Books & Toys Recommendations
Books & Toys Reviews

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.

Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

May 4, 2018

An Ultimate Guide To Encourage Young Kids To Read & Fall In Love With Books (VLOG)

how to make kids fall in love with reading books encourage children read readers

How To Make Kids Fall In Love With Books - Tips For Encouraging Kids To Read. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


As an early childhood educator & a mom to a 3 year old book lover, I get a lot of queries & see many parents seeking help when it comes to books & young kids. We all know the benefits of reading books to kids but many parents do not know how to introduce books to kids. Some parents struggle to read books to kids because kids do not seem to be interested. Some parents are clueless which books to read & how to read so that it interests the child.

In this video below, let us understand how can we as parents or educators, instill love for books in kids & how to make book readings more interesting for them.




Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as kids & books are concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Our previous FB live videos on the topics of parenting, early childhood education (check the playlist Tuesday Live)

When & How To Introduce Letters & Alphabets To Kids

Kids Book Hauls, Reviews, Recommendations - YouTube Playlist

Book Reviews By Shital

Teaching Reading & Writing - Literacy For Kids - YouTube Playlist


You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.



Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

Apr 18, 2018

How To Prepare Toddlers To Write - Prewriting Skills - What, Why & How (VLOG)

how to prepare toddlers writing prewriting fb live tips parenting issues kids

How To Prepare Your Toddler To Write? Pre-writing Skills - What, Why & How? This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


As an early childhood educator, it pains me to see queries from parents where the kids are not comfortable writing in kindergarten, some do not want to complete their homeworks, some do not want to color properly and the list goes on.

Let us see what the underlying issues could be & how can we as parents, help kids to enjoy writing & not dread it!

This video below talks about how a parent can prepare a child to write, about prewriting skills, its whats, whys & hows.



Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as writing & Montessori is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Importance of puzzles for toddlers & how to introduce puzzles

What are prewriting skills & how to develop

Montessori inspired Practical life activities for young kids

How to set up Montessori inspired arts corner for kids

Montessori inspired shelf activities that I had setup at home

Other Montessori related blogs of mine

Alphabet tracing & prewriting for preschoolers

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

Apr 10, 2018

Montessori - What It Is & What It Is Not (VLOG)

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What Is Montessori & What It Is Not? This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


Montessori is one of the alternative education philosophies. I have seen a lot parents being stuck to the Montessori term per say & not realizing what it is. Montessori is not just the Montessori materials and Montessori inspired toys. It is a way of life.

And then there are some parents who do not know what is Montessori at all and perhaps hearing this word for the first time!

This video will cater to all.

This video below talks about Montessori - what it is & what it is not!



Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as homeschooling & Montessori is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Free Extensive Tour of authentic Montessori classroom (2-6 years)

How to set up Montessori inspired arts corner for kids

What Makes A Toy Montessori

Montessori inspired Practical life activities for young kids

Montessori inspired shelf activities that I had setup at home

Other Montessori related blogs of mine

Free Ebook - The Absorbent Mind by Dr Maria Montessori

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.



Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

Apr 9, 2018

Importance & Benefits Of Pretend Play For Kids

pretend play importance benefits kids

Pretend plays are so much fun! Kids learn a lot while pretending to be someone else. Read on to know the importance & benefits of pretend play. And look at what my 2 year old son did when he pretended to become a farmer & vegetable vendor.


Vegetable shopping anyone? My toddler has become a farmer and has got some fresh veggies from his farm. The rates are very reasonable, 2 or 3 Rs for each vegetable. Rush before the stock ends!




He sold all the veggies to me, strictly after weighing them, and put all of them into the jute bag except baby corn. That is for him exclusively, he said.


During pretend play, a child uses objects to represent something else while giving it action and motion. But this pretend play is not as simple as it may seem. 

The process of pretending builds skills in many essential developmental areas.

Social and Emotional Skills
A child experiments with social roles & relationships of life while pretending to be someone else. He has conversation to himself and others. He learns how to take turns, share responsibility, and creatively problem-solve. When your child pretends to be different characters, he has the experience of "walking in someone else's shoes," which helps teach the important moral development skill of empathy. The child begins to understand the feelings of others. The child also builds self-esteem when he discovers he can be anything just by pretending!

Language Skills
It is hilarious sometimes to listen when a child engages in imaginary play with his toys or friends? I many times hear some words and phrases I never thought he knew! In fact, I often hear my own words & phrases when my son does some kind of pretend play. Pretend play helps your child understand the power of language. 

Thinking Skills
If you think only mazes or puzzles give your child something to think about, then that is not right. Setting up a pretend play scene requires some real thinking & planning skills. They try out new ideas, new ways to solve problems, new ways to resolve conflicts and a whole variety of life skills.

Pretend plays are so much fun & enriching too!!!

What kinds of pretend play does your child involve in? Do share in the comments below.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

Apr 3, 2018

When & How To Introduce Letters & Alphabets To Kids - Alternative Learning (VLOG)

how to teach letters alphabets kids alternative learning education


I get a lot of questions from fellow parents in my Facebook community asking how & when to teach letters to kids. So this video is an answer to those parents & many more who have the same question! This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


It is not a rare sight to see letter based activities for kids as young as 1.5 years. Is it right or wrong? Well there might not be a consensus on the answer. But in this video I am going to tell you, as a certified early childhood educator, what I think about when & how letters can be introduced to kids. It is a very personal opinion but in line with many alternative school of thoughts & some of you might disagree with it but to me. But this is the most organic way of introducing letters to kids according to me.



I hope you liked this video. Any kind of feedback - positive or negative is welcome in the comments below. I hope after this video, your perspective of looking at letters or alphabets & teaching them has changed a bit!

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as introducing letters is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

You can go through other facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

Apr 2, 2018

What Is Homeschooling? Why & How To Homeschool? Homeschool Resources, Community, Mistakes & More (VLOG)

What Is Homeschooling? Why & How To Homeschool? Homeschool Resources, Community, Mistakes & More. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.


Homeschooling is a buzz word these days. Often there are questions, doubts & myths in parents who are contemplating to homeschool their children. I see so many question threads in online parenting communities about homeschooling. I myself get a lot of messages from fellow parents about it.

This video below answers the basics of homeschooling & other FAQs related to it.




Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as homeschooling is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant links mentioned in the video - 

Homeschooling 101 With Renuka Mahesh (Explore Kids World)
Virtual Tour of Montessori Classroom
Understanding Alternative Education (Waldorf Pedagogy)


Resources For Homeschooling

Indian Association Of Homeschoolers - Swashikshan
Facebook Page Of Swashikshan
Pune Homeschooling Group

You can go through other facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.


Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!


Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


Read More »

Oct 11, 2017

This Diwali Gift Learning - Diwali Gift Ideas For Children - Open Ended Learning Experiences

Are you looking for Diwali gift ideas for children this year? Are you bored of buying the same old sweets or crackers or clothes as gifts & looking for better gift options that kids will remember in the years to come? Then do something different this year & gift learning, memories & experiences to kids! Read on to know more.


Diwali, the most important and widely celebrated festival for Hindus, commemorates the victory of good over evil. It is the festive time when families get together, everyone indulges on sweets, lit up diyas, illuminate homes, children burst fire crackers and everyone has a great time.

I just love Diwali! It is my favorite time of the year because of the positivity, cheerfulness & festival fervor in the air! It is customary to gift sweets, crackers, clothes etc to kids in our friends & family members. Why not do something different this year? Let us gift learning to kids. Sounds different? Let me tell you how this can be done in so many ways. I am listing some learning gift ideas for kids because at the end of the day, kids remember experiences & memories and that gives them learning for life. They do not remember that they got chocolates & sweets as gifts!


Excursions

Kids love outdoors, be it a simple visit to a nearby park. This Diwali let us keep them away from screens by gifting them our time & take them out for excursions. Depending upon the age & interest of your child, you can take him/her to a green farm, plant nursery, dam, boating, camping, fort, trek, adventure sports trip, amusement park or even just a long drive in the outskirts of the city. Nature is the best teacher & kids learn the best when they are amidst nature.

Field Trips

Did you know even a simple trip to a post office or a super market can be a learning experience for a child? You can even take your child to a temple over a hill, a fire station, museum or any such place. My toddler loves visiting new places. It gives us a new dimension to our never-ending conversations. And a holistic learning is already going on during such outings.


Books, Books & More Books


Nothing beats the smell & sight of books for me. They are never enough for me, just the space is less to store them at home. I have hundreds of books for myself & my toddler too & I still do not stop buying! Gift your child a bundle of books this Diwali. Let us raise readers! If you are confused which books to buy for your child, I have put up an exhaustive list of Diwali themed books HERE that you can choose from. Apart from this I have a bunch of book reviews & recommendations too on various topics. So go ahead & take a pick yourself!


DIY & Diwali Activities & Crafts


It is holiday time for the kids & what better than bonding with them over DIY fun Diwali activities. There so many more activities that I am going to do with my son this year. Also, pinterest is full of Diwali activity & craft ideas that you can browse through. If you are working or do not have enough ideas or motivation, you can send your child in Diwali camps happening at many places these days. Let your child soak into the festivities and learn a lot of things too.

Open-Ended & Free Play Learning Experiences
I cannot stress much upon the importance of open-ended & free play. It boosts creativity, confidence, self esteem of the child & the learning that follows organically is incomparable. We have a lot of open-ended toys & a brand that we personally love for its quality, designing & precision is Skola Toys. Toys are the best friends & the best teachers, so it is very important to make an informed choice of what kind of toys you buy for a child.

You might want to read this article - 6 things to consider when choosing toys & what is wrong with today's toys.

The team & designers at Skola Toys believe that play leads to exploration, exploration leads to discovery and discovery leads to learning. Skola toys stimulate the child’s senses by opening up a fascinating world of colours, shapes, numbers, alphabets, science, geography and more. Children between 0 and 8 have an extremely high rate of brain development that constantly seeks information through activity. For these young Skolars, activity, work and play are all synonymous.

We love Skola toys because they are made of natural material (wood) which gives a rich sensory input to kids. They are self correcting in most cases, which means that there is no need for an adult intervention to decide whether the child is working with the material correctly or not. They are open-ended, interactive & facilitates imagination, which is very important during early years. Each toy is targeted very beautifully for a particular skill like fine motor or emotional intelligence or math or language or science (more on science in my next blog post) etc. Moreover, the concept of "learning journeys designed as play" by Skola Toys is amazing & it gives us a concrete path which we can follow to decide which toy/material to get for the child depending on where the child is in his learning journey. Read more about "learning journeys" HERE.

What more can I ask for to gift a child this Diwali? A wholesome sensory playing & learning experience, and in addition to this, their products are sustainable too. No plastics! Good for earth, less guilt for parents.

Here are some amazing open-ended Skola toys that you can consider for gifting kids this Diwali.



If you are unsure of what to gift to your family members' kids, then Skola has an option of GIFT CARD as well.

You might also want to check out more articles & reviews of mine on Skola Toys HERE.

So this Diwali, gift learning to kids! Let us change the trend and do something valuable for our kids, our future generation!

I hope this post gave you some unusual Diwali gift ideas for kids this year. If you have any more ideas, I would love to hear them!


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Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!


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