Toddler years matter a lot because this is when a majority of the brain development occurs. He might appear to be a magnet soaking in all the information he finds and learning at a pace you cannot imagine. The age at which you start proper schooling for your child is always a matter of personal choice. Leaving the academics aside there are lots of other things that your toddler can learn as well. Enter- enrichment classes! They have gained so much popularity simply because they can help keep the toddler engaged productively. They can be fun ways to bring out the hidden talents in the tiny tots.
When it comes to enrichment classes the options are many but what exactly would suit a toddler? That now, is the big question! These are the most complicated years of development. Toddlers know so little yet they know so much! It can be quite difficult to judge what a toddler really likes doing and this is where enrichment classes can be beneficial. Here are the most popular enrichment classes that are chosen for the children below preschool age- these are the ones that suit children below 4 years:
Reading and writing classes
You get to choose these separately or together as one. These would not straight away jump to pushing your child to read large paragraphs. They start slow and they start the right way. The communication skills of toddlers are fast developing. So this would be a great age to teach them reading and writing. enrichment classes for toddlers would all be helpful on using phonics to help them read. But there are also other methods that might be adopted. Reading doesnt just nurture the ability to read. It inculcates in the children a reading habit at a young age, it improves their articulation and grammar and also influences their language skills on the whole. When it comes to writing, the enrichment classes would focus on a fun and interactive way to make the children learn to write. It can, in the long run gradually make the child a good writer as well. And writing is an important part of fine motor development that is pretty essential in the learning years.
Cooking classes
Children love being involved in the kitchen and this is a main reason why kitchen sets and other such pretend play toys are quite popular. Culinary classes for toddlers teach a lot more than just cooking. These classes can also help spark their creativity and at the end teach an important life skill for them as well.
Theater and speech
Theater classes for children below preschool years are found to help them grow and develop intellectually. These classes are known to improve the confidence levels in children. They also learn to be more expressive and learn to respect others and themselves as well. It brings them out of the shyness and makes them more open to accept their life and improves their social skills to a large extent. Drama and speech combined classes can also train your toddler in public speaking. It might help him more than you can imagine and he is never too young to learn to break free of the fear to face a crowd and deliver a performance. Skills acquired here have long term effects on children.
Dance
Toddlers are very active. Dance is a way to positively harness all their energy and channelize it in a productive way. There are also classes specific for various dance forms if you prefer any particular type for your child.