All About IT for Young Children

[Addoil]

Hi schellen


Ya, balance is the most important, make sure they play 45 min, in between can teach them TIME concept You hightlight the important point to me. Thks.

Hi sashimi

After read thread regarding the bad handwriting, do agree that handwriting, reading books.... is which we need to concern more right now. As you said pro-computer schooling... in future they have plenty of time FACING the computer. Thks for sharing your opinion

[buds]

Mine i think both started around three years old as well.

Balance and time limitations i agree are of most importance.
In the first place, they won't get to play if homework not done
nicely or diary/journal not updated. I don't really have major
issues with my girls' handwriting. The elder has beautiful small
handwriting - always get \"chop\" (stamps) for beautiful handwriting
in her school activity sheets and workbooks. The younger i can only
say... legible lah for reading, so i suppose its ok and hoping it would
improve with age and more time.

They started with those straightforward CD-Roms and this particular
site that helps to promote reading readiness via online pre-school
stories followed up with games and wordlists to read thereafter.
Some ends with craft ideas. Both my girls like it even till today.
Very simple to navigate and mostly only page turning required
with a computer mouse or laptop keypad at a blinking arrow.

Here it is :-
http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp
Its called Story Place - The Children's Digital Library.
Provides children with the virtual library and activities including stories, riddles, and reading lists for pre-school and elementary aged kids.

[smurf]

My 4 year old likes playing game, but, he doesn't like educational game! he likes those website-free-kind of game, example cooking game, shooting game, etc. and he can play these game for 2 hrs! I'm trying to stop him from playing those games.

[jedamum]

smurf:

he can play these game for 2 hrs! I'm trying to stop him from playing those games.

think you should be stopping him from playing for >30min in the first place. since now he already enjoys the privilege of 2 hrs gametime, you probably should try to cut down gradually.
my (now P1) boy started off with CD-rom educational games at 3yo (he has an old laptop that he knows how to 'operate', so he meddles around with the songs, paint and helped himself to the CD games), then to neopets at 6yo. but he never get hooked onto computer games - probably cos i set a time-frame for him to use, so even if i go for a nap, he'll be discipline enough to switch the computer off when time is up. perhaps he hasn't found the game that could hold his interest for that long yet.

[buds]

Heyya smurf,


I agree with jedamum on cutting down the hours.
Mebbe for a start - cut down to one hour first.
Before he begins, show him the time on the clock.
Tell him the time if he doesn't know how to read
the time yet. And also show him at what time he
is to stop. This, like schellen says... helps to keep
children in time.

\"Freedom within limits...\"
- Dr Maria Montessori

As for educational games, its something parents
hafta to start WITH the child, and not something
the child would want to do on his/her own. When
they get the hang of it, they might like it.. Or you can
entice him by asking him to work with the educational
game first, then he will get his one hour's worth of
games.

[smurf]

Now I totally cut off computer time, though he still pester me to let him play. although, he won't cry when I dun let him play. He doesn't stop playing if I dun stop him.


I tried educational game with him. at first, he likes it but then he will demand to hold the mouse and play by himself. so usually I just let him be. and after 15 mins, he said he doesn;t want to play the game but wold request cooking game.

[Addoil]

Hi bud


like u mention before, ya, I found that education games really need parents to spent some time and play throungh learn with the kids.

For me, my kids will only click here and click there, aftere 15 min will go and look for me (I am in the kitchen). I think they are not really learning if parents just leave them play it alone.

Hi smurf

my kids also like the cooking games like bake the cake. Since he is 4 yo, do you start to give him do some worksheet or writting?

[buds]

My girls like the cooking game too!

They also like those challenging
restaurant games whereby they
are working in a burger joint and
hafta fulfill walk in customers'
orders for lunch. As the child
progresses, the customers start
coming in droves and hafta pick
up speed. After 3 warnings of slow
service or mistake in orders - )which
are not so easy, really cos they have
to make the burger step by step...)
they will then be FIRED!

That's when my younger girl asked,
mummy what does fired mean... ermm,
in this game i mean... cos i don't see the
player going on fire.

So i said, when you don't do your job
well as you're told to do - in this case
failing to deliver the orders on time or
making order mistakes, the boss of the
restaurant decides that you leave the
restaurant - no need to work for him
anymore. But if you improve after the
warnings given, he'll give you a chance
to work better. So, don't give up. Only
few times playing you may not have had
the hang of it yet. I'm sure with more
practice (and lightning fingers hahahaa)
you won't be fired.

She did play again and again then said,
mum, i'll find another restaurant okay.
This one's too fast, I was just fired again.

*But she just say only, didn't mean it...
When i am not looking she does play at
the same restaurant again.

[loyhuieng]

hi… where can i get the cooking game?

[buds]

loyhuieng:

hi... where can i get the cooking game?

Heyya new member loyhuieng,

You can get it free online.
Whichever search engine
you usually use, click free
online games for kids! Thats
how i got it. Sorry, didn't really
add to favourites (cos too many
too add on to) in my account...

I personally LOVE the online SCRABBLE
and made my hubs and kiddies say
\"Mummy's GLUED to this game!\"
(I usually chirp the kids are glued to the
TV as my private coded message to ask
them to stop the TV watching... hehee).

However, now.... that particular online
SCRABBLE is now no longer available to
us Asians. Only to US citizens. Boohoo..
I was pretty good in dabbling with online
challenges with many from around the
world be it guests or registered players.

Now only left with Scrabble Rack. Oh well,
better than nothing...