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Technology

5 Advantages of Technology on a Child’s Overall Development

Technology plays varying roles in a child’s development, depending on his or her age. While toddlers and younger students benefit from motor skills such as hand-to-eye coordination or language learning, older students gain problem solving abilities and even absorb entrepreneurial habits.

As an increasing number of schools are realizing the benefits of introducing technology in the classroom, the new breed of students is predicted to be happier, well-rounded and job-ready. 

This will be owing to the following 5 advantages that technology lends to those children that it touches!

1. Inspiring creativity

Creative development is not only about arts and games. It helps students to implement their ideas, go beyond the obvious and develop individual thought processes. The skill to create something from nothing is the basis of all innovation. Encouraging or inspiring this ability can help children flourish and bloom. 

Technology tools that assist creative development include Google Auto Draw, Stop Motion Studio, Magic Wall and Digital Art Software and 3D Printing. 

2. Encouraging communication and social skills

New age children prefer to interact with one another in ways that differ to traditional meets and greets. They like to bond over video games, common interest chat groups, robotic toys and social media.

When exposed to technology at the right age, they develop an interest in finding solutions or figuring things out together in a group. This encourages teamwork and social interactions apart from being a good base towards designing their own tech tools, when older. 

3. Developing basic competencies

Certain skills that are vital in the development of any child include motor development, hand to eye coordination, noticing details and developing reflexes. Technology tools such as video games, AR simulations, 3D modelling can be used at any age to impart age appropriate abilities to children. 

Educational online games have been known to promote critical thinking, organisational skills and language development in young children.

4. Identifying talents

Technology is a wonderful way to pin-point young talent at an early age. Since it allows children to express their creativity and communicate better, teachers and parents are able to identify what they are good at. 

Let children choose how they wish to express themselves – via colours, music, puzzles or stories. Make them work on projects together that involve clay modeling, designing, mechanics or 3D printing. Notice how students take on the individual tasks. A teacher’s goal should be to find out what students like and how best they would like to learn.

5. Making learning fun 

Children who go to schools where technology is being used in the classroom, look forward to attending school and learning. Most technology tools for younger children are in the form of bright, colourful, animated forms with sounds or music to keep the young ones engaged. 

This excites children so they welcome the idea of learning. A child who loves to learn is destined to achieve great things!

Education

Why art is important in early child preschoolers education

When we think about Art, our first impressions may be that it’s just a creative hobby or something meant only for those who like to paint or sculpture. But did you know that everyone has an artistic side to them. 

Both spheres of our brains get highly stimulated when we look at or create any type of art. Educationatists and academicians around the world have been realising that linking art to day to day lessons makes it easy for young children to pick up languages, concepts and symbols. Art is also known to help them retain more knowledge and boost student focus through Magicwall AI based Colouring pages books, Designed for kids and preschoolers. 

Art education is one aspect that has been missing from the Indian curriculum for a long time. However as local teachers are experiencing multiple benefits or art, the inclusion of artistic activities in the pre-primary and primary classroom, is becoming popular in many Indian schools.

Here are 4 primary ways that art is helping children in their early education:

Importance of colouring book for kids
  1. Motor Development

Young, developing fingers and hands need to attain dexterity, strength and control. Colouring Art book for children’s activities such as finger painting, crayon drawing, play-doh modeling, brush painting and cutting & pasting are ideal for little ones as it makes their fingers stronger while offering creative outlets. 

The finger muscles develop with acts such as picking up, holding and drawing with a crayon or brush. This makes it easier for them to perform finer tasks including tying shoelaces, opening and closing buttons, brushing teeth or eating with a fork or spoon. 

  1. Language and Communication

Shyness, late talkers, and low confidence can be resolved with art activities. Young children who prefer to keep to themselves, tend to communicate more while creating art. They ask for tools, make up stories about their artwork and work in teams more readily. 

Art can also be literally utilised to teach language concepts, by drawing letters and linking them to make words. Interactive sessions post art creation brings out a child’s inner ideas, emotions and feelings.

  1. Cognitive skills

Art sessions are not only to develop drawing abilities, they also expand the brain’s ability to process information better.Cognitive skills include planning, creating cause and effect connections, organising and understanding. 

Classrooms in which art is used to teach various subjects to young students, are known to produce brighter students who are capable of scoring excellent marks in all subjects at a later stage. 

  1. Problem solving skills   

When a child is presented with a project idea for an art creation, she or he is forced to think in a problem solving direction. It gives them a challenge which they strive to overcome. 

Their brains reason, eliminate, trigger questions and finally produce a solution.

This process is a vital one in a child’s development. It teaches young students how to approach an issue, no matter what. It also explores and develops their intellectual and creative talents. 

  1. Self expression 

Young children are not always able to express what they want or feel through complex language constructs. Children use art as an alternate means to express themselves. 

Infants who are not understood by their teachers or parents, tend to get frustrated.

Though their needs are basic, they are fundamental in their well-being. Art helps children to subconsciously or consciously communicate their state of mind. This results in well rounded, wholesome and happier kids. 

Hence, young children gain multiple benefits from artistic activities while making teachers’ jobs more satisfying when they are able to witness their students’ effortless progress.

Now Magicwall colouring books for kids by Happymongo available in online shopping through https://magicwall.ai/

Education

How a child’s mind responds to visual art

Why does Visual Art feature in every culture, in each part of our world?

It is undeniably a vital part of our lives. But did you know the way visual art affects a young child’s mind? 

Academicians around the world have been using visual art to educate, develop and soothe children’s minds in the following ways:

  1. By creating a deeper memory bank

If you wish to enter any information into a child’s mind, offer that data via some visual artform. It’s easier for a child’s mind to absorb an image than realms of written or spoken information. 

Any child will show you a longer attention span when shown visual art, and will also be able to retain and reproduce that information more easily. This is especially relevant to those children 

  1. By improving mood and emotional state

A young, agitated mind will calm down readily when seeing or creating some visual art. These activities absorb a child and give him or her an avenue to express themselves. 

Certain colour palettes are also helpful in elevating a child’s mood or fixing restlessness. Light blue and purple shades release calming hormones as do light pink and rose colours. 

  1. By initiating aesthetic exploration 

Beautiful, balanced aesthetics give children the talent to appreciate positive visuals and environments. They can encourage them to further beatify, re-arrange or create new design ideas. 

When a child’s mind is trained to draw, paint or appreciate contrasting colours, textures, and shapes, other faculties of his or her mind develop and grow. 

  1. By healing trauma and anxiety

Visual art can assist children to heal their trauma in two ways. Firstly, a child is able to express his or her tragic story better by drawing or painting it. This offers a release and gives doctors, teachers or psychiatrists an insight into the real problems affecting hurt children. 

Secondly, positive images can help replace dark, troubling memories if shown often enough. Since a child’s mind is in its developmental stage till the age of 8 to 10, therapeutic steps can be taken prior to this time using visual art therapy. 

  1. By triggering future planning 

Visual art created by another individual in the form of paintings or photographs can inspire children to create hopeful dreams. Art created by children can be based on what they like, wish to achieve and aspire to gain.

Visual art in the form of visionary boards is a popular motivational tool for children and adults alike. These boards can consist of pictures cut out from magazines, downloaded online or drawn by hand. Seeing positive imagery can program the young mind to follow their dreams and work towards achieving goals. 

Hence, visual art is a powerful tool that has multiple benefits and no negative side effects. It is being utilised as part of many school curriculum and there are numerous digital art technology tools that make it even more fun and beneficial for today’s young minds.

Training

4 benefits of creativity in the classroom

Creativity is not only about artistic pursuits such as painting, playing a musical instrument or  dance choreography. The creative aspects of our mind are there to trigger our imaginative skills that can help us in our professional and personal lives. 

This is why imparting methods that tap into our creative corners of the mind can benefit us in various ways. Starting this process at an early age is even more beneficial. Creativity has its stages of development like any skill and it shows itself at every point in an individual’s life.

Today, let us focus on 4 primary benefits of including creative training and exposure in the classroom:

  1. Boosts self confidence and self worth

It’s human nature to create, mould and improve things. Our critical brain is able to detect what is wrong and we immediately begin to find ways to fix things. Like a broken cup or a wall frame that hangs a little lopsided! 

When we are able to create solutions, it results in a feeling of accomplishment. 

Making items, beautifying them or altering in an attempt to improve something are vital activities that can do wonders for a student’s self confidence. It especially works well on kids who are shy and insecure. When they are able to see the final product and are appreciated for it, they can take on even more complicated tasks, with enthusiasm.

  1. Makes learning fun 

All children, no matter what age, prefer to engage in fun activities over reading or writing class lessons. When you infuse creativity into the daily curriculum, students understand the material better as they don’t feel the pressure of learning.

Students in India are put through immense pressure due to our advanced curriculum and competitive learning environments. 

Fun learning should not be restricted only to kindergarten or pre-primary classrooms as it helps to ease the pressure for all age groups. With creative technology programs such as computer graphics, animation and 3D printing, primary and high school students can learn interactively, absorb more and be stress-free. 

  1. Promotes thinking abilities 

Students are able to be part of brainstorming sessions, problem solving teams, and investigative learning. As they are able to easily absorb concepts via creative learning tools, they tend to ask more questions, give original perspectives and enrich their own minds.

Creative thinking processes have proven to assist students grasp and understand numerical, language and scientific concepts, rather than learning by rote. 

Mastering basic concepts is more fruitful than merely memorizing information. 

  1. Improves focus and attention span

Most students are easily distracted, especially if the class activities don’t interest them.

Since the young mind is always looking for inputs and experience, teachers should adapt their tutoring in ways that suit students. Utilizing creative tools to impart knowledge is one of the most effective ways to ensure you hold any child’s attention and trigger their participation. 

It has also been discovered that children with attention deficiencies react better to schooling when they are taught in a creative manner. 

Hence, creativity is the new blackboard in the modern classroom! But it requires schools and teachers to take that extra effort to make learning fun for their students. If done right, there will be no slow or weak learners in your classrooms. 

Education

5 tips for brilliant early childhood education

Holding a young child’s interest long enough to impart new knowledge can be challenging. 

Teachers all over the world face similar issues when attempting to engage preschoolers, or pre-primary students. This is because a child is always exploring and needs constant stimulation for all 5 senses to be truly engaged and stimulated. Often the traditional chalk and talk method is not enough to maintain a child’s interest. 

So, here are 5 ways in which to appeal to a young one while ensuring he or she is grasping knowledge and retaining it:

  1. Take them outside

Lessons about things that can be found in the natural world should not be imparted in a drab classroom. Take your students on class trips and excursions to witness flowers, birds, insects and other easily found natural elements. 

Make it fun, interactive and real. They’ll never forget it!

  1. Craft and DiYs

Turning basic household items into cars, trains and buildings help kids to understand the mechanics behind each structure. 

Being engaged in the craft activity enhances their focus allowing teachers to share knowledge in a fun setting. Tapping into a young child’s creativity, will help him or her open up and ask questions, clear doubts and retain information better. 

  1. Audio-visual tools

Use music, songs and audio recordings to engage their ears while teaching about certain subjects through videos.

The internet is filled with videos on every topic under the sun! Utilise these to show young children how a fish swims, horse gallops or bird flies. Keep a bank of attractive, coloured images to display in between your lessons to make a good impact.

  1. Create a comfortable environment 

Young children are used to the comfort of their homes and find it difficult to adjust to new places, easily. To make a more conducive environment, create an interactive space that is bright and colourful. 

Throw down some pillows in a corner, create interactive boards on one and a reading corner in another. Place safe, soft furniture that makes students feel confident to move around and interact. 

A positive environment can also be created by keeping the classroom happy and fun. 

  1. Balance between passive and active times

Both passive activities and active ones serve their own purposes. If you wish for a child to pay attention to some new information, avoid following this with a jumping jack session.

If you wish for children to calm down, give them craft activities, do a storybook reading or painting. This will relax them before you introduce a focus-driven teaching session.

Education

How to impart skills to children through creative play

Creative play involves building items, solving puzzles, craft, painting, playing with play doh and more. These activities, though they seem like mere fun in nature, should be a part of every child’s growth and development process. Children absorb via creative play as adults grasp through reading or viewing content. Due to its interactive nature, play instills formative skills and helps kids to understand things and processes better. 

Here are 4 ways to impart vital skills through creative play ideas for pre-primary and primary students:

  1. Dramatic arts and Storytelling

Drama means using or making up stories, getting into the story characters and enacting their roles to tell the story. It has many levels and children love to play different roles.

Get them to make their own costumes, design their makeup and then give them a scene, in which they can freely develop their characters via impromptu action and words. The multiple skills that they will develop include imaginative development, language and expression. 

Younger kids could be guided to act out while you read stories to them. Plays, musicals and theatre is something that can continue to impart social and self development skills till adulthood. 

  1. Craft and Model Making

As we grow old, we lose that part of us that finds pleasure in making craft items! But children love the idea of building a house, drawing and cutting out a boat, colouring a doll’s clothes or making a fort out of boxes. 

There are hundreds of inexpensive ways to teach children spatial skills and motor development through craft activities. You can also invest in airplane models, puppetry kits, or train sets if possible. 

All these activities develop cognitive faculties while bringing out a child’s personality. Young ones will focus better, communicate more and ask questions when engaged in craft time. 

  1. Collaborate and Create 

There are so many projects that can be undertaken as a class. A class musical, play, science exhibition or special show. Divide the class into groups and give each group tasks that they should do and others they need to figure out together. 

A cohesive activity that encourages students to work towards a common goal imparts teamwork, leadership, discipline, communication, problem solving abilities, self confidence and more. 

Come up with class project ideas that involve learnings from your current syllabus such as names of different locations, parts of a speech or animals in the zoo. 

  1. Structured v/s Unstructured Creativity

We often make the mistake of controlling children a bit much during creative play time. Instead of telling a child to draw an orange, ask him or her to draw a picture of their favourite fruit. 

Academicians across the world are finding unexpected benefits of unstructured creative play. If you notice children playing, during recess or lunch break, it is largely unstructured. Which is why they love to run out of the classroom when the bell rings!

Unstructured play is especially great for young toddlers. When a little one is rolling a block around in his or her hand, instead of joining it to another, he or she is doing what comes naturally ie: grasping the texture, dimensions, heaviness, and how it can be moved around before it is used. 

Let students create their own stories, once you have shared a few fairy tales. 

In these ways, creative play can contribute to a child’s development at every stage of his or her life.

Education

Early Childhood Education: Then and now

Early childhood education has its origins as far back as the 1950’s. Though the first recorded evidence exists with relation to Europe and the US, India has a rich academic background that began with the British invasion and subsequent influence.

UNICEF has played an important role in educating our children.  

Though our standards of education have always been high, teaching techniques, especially for younger students, have been archaic. Every lesson has been revolving around chalk & talk or rote learning, with minimal creativity or interactiveness. Examinations in India begin for students as young as 4 and 5 years, with little value given to day to day progress.

These systems are rapidly changing. 

Today, we have digital tools, audio-visual teaching techniques and VR enabled classroom activities. Students are more creative, expressive, adept and confident than ever before. 

Let us explore the latest developments in early childhood education in our country:

  1. Video Tutorials

Today, we have at our disposal a host of videos that demonstrate how things work, how to perform certain acts or how to make things. 

Young students can watch and learn the steps while teachers can guide and correct them. These videos are freely available online and require minimal investment. 

  1. 3D Printing 

A 3D printer in an early education classroom is an amazing piece of equipment to purchase. It shows the cross section of items and offers insight into contents. 

Young students are now able to create from their own imagination and watch it being printed in a 3D format right before their eyes. 

  1. AR Simulations 

Augmented reality depictions work with the existing background and interpose images to create a completely new environment. 

Students can experience space, under the sea, jungles and more via AR for a more enriched learning experience. 

  1. Robots and Mechanics

Students as young as 4 years are interested in robotic mechanics. STEM concepts can be imparted to young students in an interactive manner. It has also been noticed that children are able to grasp coding concepts and programming, like an additional language during their formative years.   

They engage in playful learning, while cultivating their fresh curiosity for technology. They can even learn problem solving while understanding concepts such as sequencing, cause-and-effect, and sensors.

  1. Experiential Science

Young students can tinker in labs designed to teach them scientific concepts and theories. Earlier, they had to  reach the primary classes to be able to enter a science lab. 

But with the new and safe learning tools, we are able to expose young children to the basics at an earlier age. 

Hence, technology is gradually transforming the moden early education classroom. Teachers are required to work with technology to impart learnings. Such tools are helping young ones develop cognitive, social, motor and psychological qualities quicker while giving them a sound foundation for further learning. 

It has also been discovered that group tasks help young children to communicate and develop their soft skills. Slow learners tend to open up and grasp knowledge better, thanks to advance tools. 

Technology makes the modern classroom more fun and students look forward to coming to school.  

Education

New Age Teaching Methods for New age Students

As we change with each generation, the way we absorb information, what we absorb and what we wish to retain changes.This is not only a phenomenon that occurs as we age… But something that separates the current Gen Z, Gen X or Millennial kids from ones born as far back as in the 1990’s.

Today children are more comfortable with technology and interactive learning. 

We have also recently discovered that there are different types of learners among us.

Not every child understands in the same manner when taught from a textbook or from a blackboard. Some prefer to hear information (auditory), others like to see it in moving form (visual), while most like to learn in an interactive manner (kinesthetic). 

Keeping this new data in mind, schools around the world are introducing new age teaching methods into their classrooms, to bring out the best in their students. 

Let’s find out what these are:

Mind Mapping

Mind maps are being used for many years but it is only recently that they have been introduced into classrooms. Mind maps give us insight into how an individual thinks. It begins with a word and then develops on an individual level. 

A mind map is a good starting point to understand students, their personality, strengths, weaknesses and learning styles. 

Digital Art tools

The best way to impart education in an interactive manner for today’s children. Computer aided lessons with graphics, voice background and animation engage young students to teach them a variety of topics.

Even creating digital art encourages a child’s creative abilities while making it easy for him or her to grasp the components, size, shape and colours of various elements. 

AR-enabled classrooms

Simulated environments give new age children true to life education about other places, locations, topography or cultures. 

Augmented reality can be added to a wall or room to create an immersive learning experience that every child loves. Plus augmented STEM learning can be undertaken. 

Clay Modelling 

Lessons taught through clay modelling is not exactly a new tool but the way it’s being used today, varies from old play time usage.

Modern classrooms undertake advanced clay modelling sessions that teach children practical aspects of mathematics, geometry, craft, textures and more. 

For younger children, it improves their dexterity and motor skills while older ones benefit by creating extraordinary clay models and sculptures. 

Robotics

Robots teach functionality and mechanical knowledge. They do this via creaton, design, assembly and operation of robots. Children enjoy interacting with the electrical and mechanical processes. 

Likewise, programming becomes easier when learnt through a physical robot and making it move with codes and commands. This type of learning can start very early to create bright, technologically enabled students who excel in life. 

These are just a few tools that have been introduced into the modern classroom. As time goes and technology develops, we can look forward to many new tools making an appearance in our classrooms.

Technology

The Role of Technology in the development of young children

When we talk about technology, it is assumed that we are referring to screen time on mobiles or IPADS and laptops. But the real role of technology is here to assist pre-primary children to learn better and develop their creativity. 

Only watching games, cartoons and movies is not a learning method. So, kids who are handed mobile phones every time they are irritated, bored or misbehaving are given those as distractions. This is not always healthy and can lead to many issues such as addiction to screen time, and lack of focus to what’s happening around them.

When toddlers view a screen, they don’t really understand what they are seeing. But when we present pre-primary kids with simple visuals that they can absorb, it goes into their minds as information.

Technology Learning Tools For Children

Video game-based learning

Game-based platforms can be used by teachers and parents to teach young children to solve simple puzzles, find solutions and such. Kids like those as they appear more fun and lively than books.

Electronic story books

Electronic books are interactive and move as a child reads them. Letters and images jump up to get noticed and even change colour. Concepts such as feeling cold, changing colour or saying ‘hello’ become clearer when the child sees it visually in a book, rather than being forced to imagine it, without knowing what it is. 

Craft applications

Self paced learning adventures or building things via apps can be used by teachers to develop learning skills, by making each progressively harder. This helps children to problem solve, think creatively, and ask questions. 

Scientific video content

Difficult STEM subjects such as Science and Engineering can be taught to young children via high quality videos made by world famous scientists and inventors. Never before have we had access to such cutting edge visuals and children can be drawn to the most boring subjects, if depicted in well shot or photographed footage.

Online teaching platforms

Many teachers have turned to online teaching platforms, during the lockdown, that are much easier than teaching from physical textbooks, across Zoom! You can upload lesson plans, assignments, films and images to teach curriculum subjects such as English, History and Geography, via a two way interactive medium that supports multi-person participation.  

Electronic Walls and Whiteboards

These are large screens that can be drawn on with electronic pens. One can combine images from the internet onto the screens or video effects, at advanced stages. These drawings can be animated and moving. 

Feedback-based websites 

There are many websites on the internet that teach reading, singing, or Maths through interactive lessons, much like a game. There are levels, symbols and sounds that correct, guide and motivate your students to learn. 

It is in Grade 3 that students begin to develop cognitive, social and language skills using technology as that’s when their minds understand the difference between video and the real world.

Education

5 Benefits of giving your Child a Smartphone!

It’s an ongoing debate about whether we should be exposing our children or students to smartphones and if yes, then at what age?

The truth is that there are multiple benefits of handing over your mobile phone to any child. The trick is to control when to hand it over, for how long and to manage what the child is watching.

Once these aspects are in place, the following benefits will follow: 

1. Provides technological growth

We all know the advantages of being technically savvy. The ease with which one can master various devices, utilise web applications, scan the internet or make quick online purchases, is quite a boon. 

Children who learn to operate smartphones, IPADs or laptops at an early age are able to understand computers more easily and use them to their advantage at later stages in life. It has also been noticed that kids who veer towards devices develop an interest in Mobile Technology, App Creation, Website Management, and even Coding. 

2. Gives an educational boost

Most children love to look at a mobile screen. This is the ideal opportunity to pass on educational lessons through devices. Support their school studies with audio visual inputs to make the learning more fun.

Allow children to look up current topics being taught via Google to undertake some extra reading and studying. You must however control what they are accessing or place security measures on the device that leads one to only credible websites. 

3. Encourages social development

Though many adults believe smartphones to be the reason for their kids to turn anti-social, being on social media is also known to boost social development. This is particularly evident with children who are shy and reserved. They are able to express themselves via social media and develop confidence. 

Many social media platforms are proving to be an effective way to get creative, learn photography or develop a hobby, even if it is just to share it with others. 

4. Teaches responsibility lessons

As children enter the primary grades, a smartphone starts to play the role of teaching them some responsibility. Most smartphones are expensive and kids are aware of this.

Having one in their possession can make them more careful, responsible and mature. 

Utilising and managing their mobile phone data can teach children about saving, budgeting and prudence. 

5. Ensures security

Thanks to in-built tracking devices on smartphones, you can stay aware of your child’s whereabouts. A smartphone is also a necessary communication device that allows two way messaging and calling, when a child is out alone or with friends. 

Hence, though smartphones do have a negative reputation, they can be utilized in numerous beneficial ways. It’s up to parents and teachers to offer the right content and put down some rules to get the most out of smartphones.

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    About MagicWall

    The MagicWall is designed to mystically scan the images coloured by the children and project them on a wall designed with a fantastic virtual 3d environment for this very purpose. The children will witness their coloured images springing into life the very instant they appear on the wall.

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