Playing chess, Scrabble and Monopoly is fun and educational for both young and old
theSun, Tue, 24 Aug 2010
THESE DAYS, children have the privilege to pick and choose colourful custom-made toys and games from mega toy stores. On top of that, with today’s advanced technology, the young (and old) are spoilt for choice with electronic handheld games, video and computer games.
Many classic board-games such as chess, checkers, Scrabble or Monopoly tend to get sidelined for these more modern versions of fun. Board-games, however, are beneficial for children, and adults, in many ways.
They are a wonderful alternative and allow you to spend quality family time at home during weekends instead of traipsing around crowded malls window-shopping.
In a quieter and more relaxed home environment, where everyone is gathered around a game, conversations will naturally take place. Talk could initially be about the game but you’ll never know what golden opportunities for bonding and teaching morals and values you may have with them when they open up to share their ideas, problems, and feelings.
Board-games enhance educational and social skills. By playing board-games, children learn a variety of lessons. Young children get to practise counting, matching, colour recognition, reading and vocabulary.
There are games that develop motor skills, manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination for the younger children. There are also those that promote strategy, problem-solving and planning skills for the older ones.
Word-games, such as Scrabble or Boggle, develop language skills such as vocabulary and spelling while others that involve quizzes and questions may test your child’s general knowledge. Games that use ‘play money’ like Monopoly may teach children about various denominations, counting change and managing money. It also helps develop reasoning and social skills.
Studies have also shown that playing games like chess improves logical thinking, math and reading skills. Simple games like Snakes and Ladders can teach young children counting and, at the same time, how to handle disappointment. These games help children learn about life – that we do not win all the time and that there will be ups and downs.
With younger children, it may be all right to bend the rules or give in to them a little to help them win at first. This can help build their self-confidence, sustain their interest in the game, and have an enjoyable experience playing board-games.
Meanwhile, with older children, learning to play by the rules and not cheat can teach them about compliance, sportsmanship and honesty.
Many studies have shown that playing games is beneficial for everyone regardless of sex, socio-economic class, or age. It is also reported that playing board-games reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s in the elderly.
Another formal study, The Venezuela ‘Learning to Think Project’, concluded that chess, methodically taught, helps increase the IQ of elementary schoolchildren of both sexes.
Learning aside, playing board-games together as a family is a great way to relieve stress. It is a wholesome and fun activity that brings family and even friends together for a meaningful time of sharing. In such a setting, you share fun, laughter, and even food.
So if you’re thinking of doing something different this weekend with your children, how about wiping the dust off your board-game collection and start spinning some dice?
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Finding the right balance
theSun, Tue, 10 Aug 2010
CHILDREN are not spared when we see the increasing number of cardiovascular, obesity and diabetes cases around the world, even in Malaysia.
An article on childhood obesity, published in the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (March 2004), quoted research by Segal D.G. and Sanchez J.C. (2001) that "after an obese child reaches six years of age, the probability that obesity will persist into adulthood exceeds 50%, and [that] 70% to 80% of obese adolescents will remain so as adults".
The writers also quoted that as increasing numbers of overweight children and adolescents progress to adulthood, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine and psychosocial problems are expected to reach epidemic proportions.
While eating out or buying take-away lunches are more convenient options for our busy lifestyles, try to schedule some family meal times for certain meals such as dinner, or on certain days of the week when everyone is available to sit down together for a home-cooked meal.
Eating together not only provides family time for bonding, it also gives you the opportunity to prepare a well-balanced meal for the family. You can work more fruits and vegetables into the menu, and cut down on fried and processed foods.
Eating together also gives you the opportunity to introduce new types of food to younger children. It may, however, require a few attempts and some patience to get junior to eat mashed potatoes instead of French fries for instance.
While carrot and celery sticks, or apples and bananas may be boring compared to a bag of chips or candy, some creativity could change perspectives.
Serve them with healthy dips or accompaniments such as peanut butter, cheese or tomato salsa. And include fruits into your wholemeal pancakes, and diced vegetables into your omelettes for example.
Do not bribe children with candy or junk food. Do not force them to finish everything on their plate if they can’t. This will help them learn to ‘listen’ to their appetite and not overeat when they are older.
Involve your children as much as you can when shopping and preparing food. Take them with you for grocery shopping. Show them the various food you need to complete the food pyramid for a balanced diet. Teach them to read food labels. Tell them the different nutrients your body need and in which types of food they can be found.
If you have a garden, get them involved by planting vegetables they like. Ask them to help you wash, cut, peel and chop when cooking. Children tend to be more interested in eating the food they have helped to grow and prepare.
Healthy eating ideas can also be imparted to children when you role-play with them and when you read books about health and food together with them.
Among some fun titles to pore over are Oh the Things You Can Do That are Good for You!: All About Staying Healthy (part of the Cat in the Hat Learning Library Series) by Tish Rabe, Cookie by Lisa Woomer and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
It is without doubt that parents play an important role in teaching children to eat healthily. When children learn to do this from young, they are more likely to continue this habit as they grow older.
CHILDREN are not spared when we see the increasing number of cardiovascular, obesity and diabetes cases around the world, even in Malaysia.
An article on childhood obesity, published in the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (March 2004), quoted research by Segal D.G. and Sanchez J.C. (2001) that "after an obese child reaches six years of age, the probability that obesity will persist into adulthood exceeds 50%, and [that] 70% to 80% of obese adolescents will remain so as adults".
The writers also quoted that as increasing numbers of overweight children and adolescents progress to adulthood, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine and psychosocial problems are expected to reach epidemic proportions.
While eating out or buying take-away lunches are more convenient options for our busy lifestyles, try to schedule some family meal times for certain meals such as dinner, or on certain days of the week when everyone is available to sit down together for a home-cooked meal.
Eating together not only provides family time for bonding, it also gives you the opportunity to prepare a well-balanced meal for the family. You can work more fruits and vegetables into the menu, and cut down on fried and processed foods.
Eating together also gives you the opportunity to introduce new types of food to younger children. It may, however, require a few attempts and some patience to get junior to eat mashed potatoes instead of French fries for instance.
While carrot and celery sticks, or apples and bananas may be boring compared to a bag of chips or candy, some creativity could change perspectives.
Serve them with healthy dips or accompaniments such as peanut butter, cheese or tomato salsa. And include fruits into your wholemeal pancakes, and diced vegetables into your omelettes for example.
Do not bribe children with candy or junk food. Do not force them to finish everything on their plate if they can’t. This will help them learn to ‘listen’ to their appetite and not overeat when they are older.
Involve your children as much as you can when shopping and preparing food. Take them with you for grocery shopping. Show them the various food you need to complete the food pyramid for a balanced diet. Teach them to read food labels. Tell them the different nutrients your body need and in which types of food they can be found.
If you have a garden, get them involved by planting vegetables they like. Ask them to help you wash, cut, peel and chop when cooking. Children tend to be more interested in eating the food they have helped to grow and prepare.
Healthy eating ideas can also be imparted to children when you role-play with them and when you read books about health and food together with them.
Among some fun titles to pore over are Oh the Things You Can Do That are Good for You!: All About Staying Healthy (part of the Cat in the Hat Learning Library Series) by Tish Rabe, Cookie by Lisa Woomer and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
It is without doubt that parents play an important role in teaching children to eat healthily. When children learn to do this from young, they are more likely to continue this habit as they grow older.
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