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Why Lullaby Games Can Help Your Baby Fall AsleepEducational GamesNumerous studies have shown that children from families who play music, sing, and dance together can lead the whole family to experience better sleep and emotional well-being. Lullabies have also been used for centuries to help babies and children to fall asleep. Besides the fact that singing and dancing with your baby is a lot of fun, studies show that it has an incredibly calming effect even if songs are being sung or played in an unfamiliar language. Research also suggests that when mothers or parents sing lullabies gently and softly to their children, it can support cognitive development. Experts state that it helps to reduce tension and creates a sense of comfort that helps them to fall asleep. There are plenty of examples that point to the effectiveness of singing or playing lullabies to help a child fall asleep. Children who grow up in a family that loves to play music or sing have been known to develop a special love for music. Mothers can sing to their children to stimulate their minds before bedtime. Pediatric sleep experts suggest that parents should use lullabies to help their babies ease into a healthy bedtime routine. Huckleberry uses advanced sleep training methods to make sure a child gets quality sleep. It is a fact that music works wonders on adults as much as it does on babies. Music has been proven to strengthen neural connections in our brain. The pleasant sounds of music help reduce anxiety, and just as it can improve the sleep quality that babies experience, it can also help to treat sleep disorders in adults. Families can rely on music and a consistent bedtime routine to improve health and mental well-being. Sing a lullaby to your child to ease them into a peaceful night’s rest. [...]

Best Mobile Apps and Games For Your Baby’s Sleep and Developmental NeedsTips for PlayingPlaying video games with your kids is the perfect solution for getting rid of pent-up energy before bedtime. These research-based educational games and mobile apps have been proven to guide parents through their child’s stages of development. Baby Games: Piano and Baby Phone This is an exciting educational mobile game that features nursery rhymes, baby songs, and rhyming games. It is packed with educational activities and mini-games to keep babies interested. It features animal pictures, and kids can match them to the sounds they make. The game has more than 10 million downloads, and it has a 4.5-star rating. Huckleberry: Baby and Child Tracker, Sleep Experts This useful app gives parents access to expert pediatric sleep consultants at the touch of a button. If your family is struggling to find a balance between work, school, and family life, this app will help you customize a sleep plan that can cater to your family’s unique needs. Huckleberry is also used by parents who need to manage their baby’s sleep regression. BabySparks – Development Activities and Milestones This innovative app allows parents to guide their children through the stages of development through meaningful play. The games were designed by child development experts, and it is suitable for children ages 0-3. It tracks your child’s milestones and development with thousands of activities and games. Khan Academy Kids This game features entertaining, educational activities for children 1 year and older. Khan Academy Kids has games that are specially designed for each age group. Parents can enjoy these educational activities and games with their kids. Some games can be played offline, and the app is available for free on Amazon. Download these mobile apps and video games to support your child as they go through important developmental phases. [...]

Common Questions Parents Can Ask Children About Their Gaming HabitsEducational Games / Guides and ReviewsIt’s not always easy for parents to understand their child’s gaming behavior, but communicating with a child about the games that they enjoy will help to nurture the parent-child relationship. Would You Explain The Way Your Favorite Game Works To Me? Modern games can be confusing and downright complicated for the average parent who is unfamiliar with the latest trends in gaming. If parents ask their children to teach them how to play their favorite game, it shows that you care about their interests. Children will also feel more comfortable playing games in front of you if they see that you are interested. Plan a game night with their favorite games to further engage with their interests. What Do You Feel Or Think When I Ask You To Switch Off a Game? Ask your children to be honest about their feelings when you tell them to switch a game off. Parents don’t always understand the implications of just switching a game off. Children can spend hours reaching a certain stage or level, and instantly discontinuing a game might lead to them losing hours of effort, causing them to experience a lot of negative feelings. Try to communicate with your child beforehand about doing chores and not playing at certain times of the day so that they have a greater understanding of when they need to switch off a game. What Do You Like About The Friends You Make On Online Multiplayer Games? Most games today have a multiplayer element that allows kids to play and communicate with almost anyone across the world. However, some friends might not have a good influence on your child. This might be a good opportunity to teach kids about avoiding toxic friendships. Talking to kids about their friendships will allow them to feel more comfortable about approaching you when it matters most. If parents don’t understand their child’s gaming behavior, it’s much easier to feel uncomfortable or unsure about managing it. Learn more about your child’s gaming habits to maintain a steady parent-child relationship. [...]

5 Steps For Planning The Ultimate Family Game NightGuides and ReviewsOrganizing a little family game time now and then allows parents to spend some quality time with their kids. Follow these steps if you are keen on planning an unforgettable game night with the family. 1. Make Sure Everyone Is Available Get everyone to participate in the game night. Teenagers or young kids may not always feel up to it, but just having them in the same room might encourage them to join in at a certain stage during gameplay. Just don’t organize the game night if it clashes with another event like an important school activity or when your spouse has made other arrangements. 2. Prepare Snacks And Drinks Make sure that everyone joining the game night has got something yummy and healthy to eat and drink. Games and family activities are a lot more enjoyable when everyone’s tastebuds are satisfied. Get the snacks and drinks ready before the evening’s activities. 3. Don’t Start Playing Too Late If you start the game night too late, the chances are good that someone will fall asleep halfway through the games. Get everything well prepared and set up before the sun goes down. Get started with the games and activities before the youngsters nod off. 4. Decorate And Set Up The Atmosphere Create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere in the family room. Make sure everyone has a good place to sit and that the sitting positions will allow everyone to participate in the games. Play music in the background to set the tone for the evening. 5. Start Playing Something Everyone Can Enjoy Don’t pick the hardest game among the pile of games you own. Make sure to pick a game that is suitable for every member of the family. If the game is too hard, young kids may get discouraged and stop playing. Games should be a wonderful educational experience for youngsters. Game nights are there for the whole family to enjoy. Make some amazing memories with your family by planning the perfect game night. [...]

5 Myths About Computer Games That Every Parent Should Know AboutTips for PlayingThere are many stories going around about the side effects of gaming, but parents should not deprive their kids of these fun and engaging activities without getting their facts straight first. Here are a few common misconceptions about computer games. Computer Games Are Just For Children It is a common notion to suggest that kids are the primary target for video games, but studies show that more than 60 percent of the console and PC market is age 18 or older. Games are continuously being developed to cater to adult tastes. It is up to parents to decide which games are appropriate for their children as not all games are family-friendly. Games Can Cause Children To Behave Violently There is no direct link between violent games and violent behavior. Studies have found a correlation and not a causal relationship between violent behavior and video games. This could simply mean that aggressive people like aggressive entertainment. Girls Don’t Play Computer Games It is true that the gaming market-focused strongly on developing games for male consumers in the past, but the trend has slowly been changing over the last few years. Developers started designing more games for girls and women around the 1990s. Games like The Sims were a huge success among female gamers. Computer Games Can Cause Mental Disorders Some psychologists point to a correlation between mental disorders and playing video games, but what they fail to mention is that almost 90 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls play video games in the US alone. The fact is that most kids who play video games do not develop mental disorders. Research conducted by the U.S. Surgeon General suggests that the quality of a kid’s home environment and parent-child relationships are among the strongest risk factors for the development of mental disorders and not media entertainment. Video Games Promote Social Isolation Critics say video games promote social isolation, but the latest trends and social studies strongly suggest the opposite. Video games are becoming more and more a social affair, a gathering of clans and groups across the world who share in the gaming experience together. Most elderly people today didn’t grow up with video games, and it’s easy to believe the stories about the side effects of video games. However, children should be able to enjoy the games they love with parental guidance. by HealthCentral. From Visually. [...]

How Educational Games Can Prepare Your Toddler for SchoolEducational GamesParents play an important role in their children’s development, and playing is an important part of a child’s transition to primary school. There are plenty of educational games that will get your toddler ready for school. If you play games that involve running and moving around, it can help to strengthen your child’s muscles. Throwing or learning to catch a ball can improve their hand-eye coordination, which will give them an edge in the classroom when they are learning to write. Playing Legos and blocks with your kids to focus on developing their motor skills. Every toddler needs to develop their listening skills from a young age as listening well enables them to learn quickly. Educational games that focus on a child’s listening skills will help them to learn new concepts with greater ease. Parents can read fun and engaging stories to their kids and even ask them questions about the story to keep them engaged. Singing nursery rhymes with your child can stimulate their auditory cortex, and this enables them to associate words and pictures with sounds. Mothers can sing nursery rhymes to babies as soon as they are born. Children learn that words and phrases can share common sounds. Rhyming can be fun and adds excitement to the whole learning experience. Drawing games are a great way to stimulate your child’s creative senses. It doesn’t matter on which surface they draw; the point is for kids to learn how to express themselves in unique ways through different colors. Drawing will also help to improve their hand-eye coordination, and they will eventually impress kindergarten teachers with their artistic skills. Parents can also teach their children to become a little bit more independent before they go to school by playing dress-up games. In this way, they encourage them to dress or to pick out their own clothes for the day. Puzzle games can equip your kids with problem-solving skills from a young age. The ability to group and match different patterns is foundational to developing your child’s analytical abilities. Parents can use educational games to prepare their kids for school at any age. Make sure your toddler is ready for their first day at school by letting them play and learn. [...]

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30 July 2022