What to do with a kid who absorbs everything?

smiley:)

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 4:01 pm

So I am not trying to brag and say my son is a genius but he is 2 yrs old and absorbs everything I teach him right away. He babbles morning till night. He is interested in everything. The problem is he is very high strung, wants everything done right now, wants all the attention. I dont know how to keep him occupied. I dont think the answer is to get more toys because he will be bored of them by tomorrow. Anyone have any suggestions of #1 games that are easy to prepare or play? #2 things that are easy to do with a baby around too (like that I can do while holding the baby. #3 suggestions in general... like how to preserve my sanity???

gryp

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 4:44 pm

If he absorbs everything, then you have the wonderful opportunity before you of an open mind ready for learning.
The obvious thing to do would be to work with his memory skills.
Teach him what it means when two things are the "same." Give him a memory game and various different card games to play with.

Use his excellent memory to learn the basics: Alef-Beis, colors, shapes, numbers, etc.

Does he sit and play? Don't buy toys that can be used for a one-time game- buy open-ended toys, meaning basic toys that can be used again and again a hundred different ways: building blocks, legos, dishes, cars, little menschelach.

To preserve your sanity Smile

make him a daily schedule and you'll see how fast time passes.

smiley:)

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 4:53 pm

I play memory with the peices face up so he just has to find the same ones. I do it with like 30 matches and he does it no prob. Now I play with like 5 sets for real. He doesnt enjoy it.
I dont know what card games to play bc he doesnt understand numbers much. That is one thing I am working on with him but he isn't so open to. I made one game for him with letters. Any other letter ideas? He knows shapes and colors for the greater part of a year.
I have all the games you said (dont know what little mentsheluch are though). He uses it for 10 min, then ready for something else.
Sanity? What's that? I'd love to do a schedule but with the baby around things always get changed last min.

smiley:)

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 5:06 pm

I have considered it but he has a hard time socially and since he is so young I figured to give him this extra yr home, plus I wouldnt be able to find a setting for him now. Sending him out would be a huge challenge for him. He is scared of other kids' unpredictable behavior etc. Plus there are many many children in classes here. He is so little and I'd prefer to have him home now. Plus we live in israel so he'll be faced with learned a new language on top of it.

smiley:)

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 5:21 pm

I would really love to have him get together with other kids, or even lets say have something set twice a week - once the kid comes here and once mine goes there. But even stam getting together is nice. A few problems: 90% of the kids here only know Hebrew. After sukkot I plan to have someone come 2 times a week to work on hebrew with him but for now he knows none. #2 he needs very tame kids. He is not into the screaming, hitting, carrying on stuff and gets very scared by it. #3 I just moved here (not to israel, but to this community) 2 wks ago and dont know a single person.

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 6:00 pm

in many ways he sounds very similar 2 my son. personally I think he is above average in intelligence and he spoke very well from a young age. Almost every day he surprises me with a word or explanation I dont expect him 2 know or understand.
he is also more on the timid side, like if a kid hits him he will run 2 me - not hit back. he also is very demanding of my attention - especially if im nursing! - an doesnt like 2 play for long on his own, altho as he's getting older he can play 4 longer.
but BH he goes 2 nursery till 1pm n then naps for an hour so except for sundays when im home alone with him all day I dont have so many hours to fill.
I do games where I talk n he acts, like I ask him whats a snake in hebrew? nachash, ok, what sound does it make? how does it move?
he also loves repetitive songs like the wheels on the bus, and davening songs with actions - these kinds of thigns can be done while ur washing up or cooking etc an u cant actually play with him but it will keep him occupied an next to you and increase his knowledge. I also get him to help me with the laundry, discussing each item, what colour is the sock? is it big or small? who does it belong to?

my son is just beginning 2 recognise numbers even tho he could count up to 10 along time ago and now he knows till 20. I teach by association, this is 2 for you, this is 3 for tzviki who had an opsher already an now for ex. he recognises the shape of no.3 in his pretzels an gets really excited.
Mentschuluch is yiddish word for little people, that your kid cud act out scenarios with. This is something my son has begun 2 really enjoy, putting them on buses or planes an talking about things he experiences, like that one was naughty an has 2 sit in the naughty spot !

If you have an outdoor space a sand table with a sand-wheel, bucket n spade keeps kids busy for hours. Or better yet, take him to the beach, u sit n relax with the baby an watch him run around digging n building etc

When he's on a playdate with only one other child I dotn think the different language will be a barrier as children play through action an I think it will be a great way to introduce the new language to him.

Good luck getting to know your new neighbours.

PS, how olds ur baby? Cos I put mine into a semi-routine so I know more or less what time he will be sleeping an what time he needs 2 eat so I can more or less plan the days activites in advance.

gryp

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 7:47 pm

smiley:) wrote:

In card games, I meant just basic ones with a number, letter, color, or shape.
It is normal for a child to play with something for just a few minutes and then move on to the next activity. Some kids like to play longer, some kids like to just dump all the toys and play with none of them.

If he understand colors, shapes, matches, and more, and you think he can count to 6, I would buy him a simple game such as Candyland and play it with him. I think it teaches important skills.

It is also important to learn patterns as in red, blue, red, blue, and more complicated ones after that.

You can take a whole bunch of small toys and count them with him, and then start 1+1=2, 2+2=4, and so on.

Does he know Alef-Beis? You can do tons with Alef-beis letters. Flashcards are great, they cost about 2.50. There are so many different types of Alef-Beis, cards, games, and puzzles in any Judaica store.

"Little menschelach," as in little pretend people to act out different situations. Puppets are great too. And dress up clothes.

Since he is home (like mine Wink

), you can have a mini-davening with him each day, and make sure to sing Alef-Beis, the name of the Parsha, and you can even do a very basic big calendar each day and review the days of the week, and cross one off each day. Give tzedaka too.
Chumash Beraishis is full of stories. Tell him a one-liner that you think he may be able to understand- as simple as "Avraham had sheep!" and draw a picture together, or make a collage from different materials. Teach him how to cut with safety scissors. Make an Alef-Beis choo-choo train and hang it by his bed or in the playroom.

You can do tons and tons and tons of stuff with a toddler at home.

It would be great if someone could compile a list of Jewish true stories a 2 yr old can understand. Like Yosef Mokir Shabbos, Dama Ben Nesina. etc.

stem

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 8:08 pm

Read him books! You can get the little parsha reader and read him the parsha every week, and there are tons of good books out there for little kids. Also, does he like to listen to tapes? Uncle Moishy, etc. He also might be old enough for Books-on-Tape. If you can't find any, you can make some.
Projects: teach him to make a necklace by putting big macaronis, onto a thick string. If you use cheerios, he can eat it for a snack afterwards too. Water painting, finger painting, stickering. When my daughter was 2 we made a hagadah out of magazine pictures which I cut and she glued with a glue stick... I know it sounds messy, but you can just do a little every day.
You can go outside with a ball or tricycle at least once a day, baby in the stroller.

GAMZu

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 8:47 pm

I think that bringing a kid who only speaks Hebrew is the best idea! He'll learn from him much faster than from an adult. Really, especially since you said he picks things up 1-2-3.
My son is a bit over 3 and just started cheider. Over the yomim tovim we were guests at a few families. He played with the kids there showing them toys and naming them in English (like animals, etc), which he couldn't do before. He obviously picked it up in cheider and it was from the kids bec. the Rebbes speak Yiddish.
And he's only been going 5 days!

When you do send him, where will it be? Will it be and English/Hebrew school or just Hebrew? This is such a golden opportunity for him to get to know kids who speak only Hebrew. You'll hear him chattering in his new language after 2 meetings.

The problem is most kids his age are in playgroup- that's the prob I had with making play dates for my son.
So find someone in the park, and if you feel it's a good match, invite them over! He'll get stimulated, learn Heb, learn to tolerate other kids (my son was also terrified of kids at that age) and you'll actually get some free time!

smiley:)

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 9:01 pm

mummiedearest wrote:

I have no suggestions about meeting people, sorry. but if you meet someone who has a calm kid, don't hesitate to make a playdate because of the language issue. at your son's age, and with his spongey abilities, he should pick up hebrew fine. and two year olds don't necessarily need to talk to get along. also, hebrew is phonetically easier to learn than english.

Mine is a kid who babbles morning till night so he sure needs to talk. But calm kids are hard to come by so I wouldnt pass the opportunity by.
Will respond to the other great responses soon. Im just up nursing the night...hard to type like this.

smiley:)

Wed, Oct 03 2007, 9:03 am

Thanks so much for the great replies. I did get some ideas from these posts which make work and which I will try, such as: the "what's a snake in Hebrew, how does it move, what noise does it make..", davening/calendar/weather routine, teaching addition in every day activities, patterns, sensory experiences.
Does anyone have any more routine ideas? And more ideas for sensory experiences? Any ideas for songs with hand motions? Any other ideas in general? He has a LOOOOOOT of energy and it is NEVER used up!

cl-yes, our sons sound very similar from what you describe. How old is yours now? I also do think he's got it in the way of intellegence and his language skills are really good. He sounds exactly like what you said that he doesnt know to hit back - he'll just run to you. My son is exactly the same - very innocent but VERY scared of other kids. How did he adjust when he went to school? My son has never so much as been with a babysitter. he is great at throwing fits, and so scared to be around other ppl. How did you deal with it? Truth is, kids are very unpredictabole... and sometimes cruel so I hear where he is coming from. I am also not the most social to say the least so I guess it carries on.
And yes, nursing time is also one of the top times when he suddenly needs my attention! I say to him "please talk quietly now." He says "please talk loud now."
I also think him learning Hebrew one on one as he plays with another kid, could be a good experience. I havent met anyone yet though. I am afraid I wont bc I am not social but we'll see.

My baby is 4 months old. For some reason ( I think bc of the older one) I cant seem to get him on much of a schedule yet.

BZgirl-
All of the activities you mentioned we do, but it enetertains him for very short. (then again some girls enjoy this more than boys but not all the time). We read tons of books all the time. I must have about 100 books but he knows them all by heart. I am in israel so it's not so easy to go get books but I am going to ask my parents to bring more. He cant get enough books. He'll read them for hours but it's not so practical for me to read that long with the baby, plus honestly I am so bored of the books.
Will write more soon.

smiley:)

Wed, Oct 03 2007, 10:09 am

Ok will try to write a bit more....
GR-
I can try the card games but dont think he'll get it yet bc he doesnt recognize #s yet. It's normal to move on to new games. The ? is how quickly. Also if he has my attention he can pay attention for much longer.

I actually really wanted to get candyland. I think it would be great for him. Also teaches him the concept of a game. I live in israel so I asked my parents to bring it from the US. They said they have it in their aptmt here in israel so when they come they'll give it to him. Turns out it was a diff game, way above his level, that they have. So I have to wait a few more months but I so want it! I'll try the pattern and addition games you said. Any specific idea for how to go about a pattern game.

He doesnt know alef beit. We;re working on the english alphabet (though maybe I should do hebrew 1st, but he doesnt know hebrew words...) I'll aslo try the davening and calendar. I have to come up with a specific plan but it's a good idea.

stem, I do read him lots of books as I wrote in the post above.I have the 1st 2 parsha readers here but I am not sure if it will be above his level. I can try it.
He isnt so into the necklace thing. I tried it with cheerios. He just wanted to eat them! He likes painting but otherwise I havent gotten him so into projects.We go outside and he loves it. But I need to do it more.

Baby just woke. Have to take another break!

Tamiri

Wed, Oct 03 2007, 10:12 am

Smiley, where do you live?
I am home with a nearly 3 year old who speaks only English, but from just a few meetings with children (at the pool, shul etc.) we are hearing him say funny things in Hebrew. Yesterday he said "ten li kabala" meaning: give me a receipt. I don't know where he heard that, but there you go!
Your child is probably calm because he is at home with you and does not have to be any other way. Having him get together with other children (play group) WHILE YOU ARE THERE is a great way to spend the am. You can go to the park and see who is there.
Another great outlet is the zoo or farm. Once a week we go to a kibbutz where my older sons have riding lessons, and my little one is thrilled by the cows (you can give them hay), the sheep (you can feed them pellets), peacocks, dogs, birds and whatever else there is. Little zoos or petting zoos are fabulous learning activities and the kids get tired out. Childen are fascinated by animals.
I would get him in the pool if you have the option where you live; it's great exercise and it's never too soon to teach your kid (per gemara) to swim.
What else: don't put so much emphasis on him being so smart, it's hard to live up to Mom's expectations. Treat him normally and only introduce what he can handle. For example I did know 2 yos who could READ by themselves but they were self taught, not pushed.
You can do 1-2-3 counting. Show him 3 beans, take one away etc.
Realize that a truly smart kid should be able to entertain himself for most of the day. If you are finding that it's hard work keeping him entertained, then you are likely doing too much with him and that's not good. Show him HOW to play but don't do it for him. Let him explore on his own. You will have more free time (or time with the baby) and be less stressed. More time with mom hovering over kid does not equal better adjusted child.
Good luck.

smiley:)

Wed, Oct 03 2007, 10:31 am

Gamzu-
I hear that getting him together one on one with Hebrew speakers could be good. I just dont want to throw him into a gan of 30 hebrew speakers without knowing a word. I'll prob send him to a Hebrew speaking place. And right, no kids are home during the day. Its a challenge to find kids who are home and kids who are calm!

stem- my older one barely eats, so it surely isnt something that would interest him, to eat and read when the baby nurses. I could read to him, though he babbles away when I do and wakes the baby. My son also for a bit realized he needed me in the bathroom when the other wanted to nurse. I think now he is getting over that.

Tamiri-
I am also in israel. I think its a good thing he is calm. I think the wild kids have a problem! The only reason its a prob for me is that my kid will have to deal with the wild ones.
He is terrified of animals. He hates the zoo, believe it or not. Plus it is a REAL shlep from here and surely not something I would do weekly or even monthly.
I do a little outside pool and he likes it, though now I only have a mud patch to put it in. He is ok but not thrilled with a big pool and I also cant do it regularly.
I surely dont emphasize his being smart. I try to teach him but dont hound him.
baby up yet again... will write after yom tov.