Circle Time: Child Development Through Family Bonding

Circle Time: Child Development Through Family Bonding

Family bonding is crucial for a child's positive upbringing, contributing to building self-confidence and helping them explore how they want to shape and cherish their own family. Whether your family is biologically related or chosen, it's a group where you feel the most accepted and comfortable.

In this circle time session, we'll highlight the advantages of family bonding, including the PlanToys that will support you and your loved ones in fostering meaningful connections and discovering new things about each other.

Higher Self-Esteem

Here are a few ways in which family bonding can positively impact a child's self-esteem and contribute to the enhancement of their personalities:

1. Inspires children to be adventurous, encouraging them to explore new hobbies and engage in new experiences.
2. Strengthens their passion for existing hobbies, solidifying a sense of love and commitment.
3. Fosters confidence in approaching and interacting with others, sparking the growth and reinforcement of relationships.
4. Empowers children to feel capable and supportive, fostering a sense of teamwork and companionship.

When choosing play tools, take the above factors into consideration. To enhance confidence, it's beneficial to opt for toys that incorporate familiar elements for the child alongside new components. The Unit Plus series is particularly ideal for this, as it incorporates familiar shapes, colors, and play prompts, while also serving educational purposes for math concepts ranging from addition to division.

Behaviour Control

It's preferable for children to cultivate and uphold their behavioral control in a family setting where they are surrounded by familiarity and understanding. Below are suggestions for supporting behavioral scenarios within the family and how they can influence a child's development:

1. Offer specific praise for completing tasks or displaying commendable behavior more frequently than correcting misbehavior. Instead of simply thanking them for cleaning, acknowledge the effort in organizing a large volume of items, emphasizing the improved functionality of the room due to their hard work.
2. Take notice of their interests and offer tangible rewards for positive behavior when necessary. Select something that is not often offered so it can be easily distinguished as a reward.
3. Making situations less unpleasant and reducing demands can enhance desired behavior. Provide assistance with tasks instead of expecting the child to do them alone.
4. When appropriate, provide a choice of tasks. This gives them a sense of control and exemplifies your trust in them. 

When selecting toys to support behavioral development, consider toys that resemble children and their environments. Dollhouse have proven to be effective tools to develop emotional wellness and strengthen pretend play skills. Click here to view the dollhouses and accessories in the PlanToys collection.

Improved Academic Performance

 Studies have shown that when family members play a supportive role in a child's education it often results in the child looking forward to school and excelling in a variety of ways. Here are a few ways in which you can be an active supporter in a child's educational journey:

1. Foster a supportive home environment by assisting with homework, engaging in reading, attentively listening to concerns, providing guidance, praising accomplishments, and emphasizing the importance of education.
2. Demonstrate an interest in various educational facets, spanning academic subjects to specific interests like art and athletics.
3. Maintain communication with teachers to emphasize the importance of positive relationships.
4. Incorporate discussions about reading and writing into family conversations to highlight the significance of expressing thoughts and opinions.

The Better Aging series was created to integrate play into our lives as we age, promoting generational bonding. Including games like Storytelling Dice in your family's routine provides an excellent opportunity to learn about each other while expanding your imagination and vocabulary.

Conflict Resolution Skills

Living in the same space and dealing with life's changes, conflicts are inevitable. While play is an excellent means of sustaining positive relationships, it's essential to provide children with skills for resolving conflicts positively. Here are some tips that can help:

1. Regularly engage in emotional regulation through activities like play, conversation, and hands-on experiences.
2. Separate the specific issue from the individual, approaching discussions with a clear and reasonable tone.
3. Collaborate as a team to define problems, allowing each person to share their perspective without interruptions. Avoid bringing up unrelated issues and focus on finding common ground.
4. If conflicts persist and the aforementioned steps prove ineffective, consider seeking professional advice.

Select open ended toys that children can play and practice with to expand upon their communication skills and emotional wellness such as Build A Face, Upper Case, and Lower Case Alphabet. Combine creative elements such as art and music to build upon stories and emotions.

Your family is a source of strength, acceptance, and comfort, whether by blood or choice. From building self-esteem to navigating conflicts, family bonding is the key to nurturing a child's growth.

As you embark on this journey, cherish the adventures, celebrate the milestones, and continue fostering connections. The PlanToys suggested are not just toys; they are tools for building lasting memories and understanding among loved ones.

We wish you and your family a journey filled with love, joy, and countless shared moments.