Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Autumn 2021

F o c u s o n C h i l d r e n F o c u s o n C h i l d r e n

As your toddler starts becoming more and more independent and doing so many things for themselves, it's tempting to think of them as "beyond babyhood." But keep in mind that they still have many of the same needs they had as a baby. They still need a lot of attention, a lot of cuddling and a lot of sleep. In fact, toddlers need between 12 and 14 hours of sleep in total, usually 11 to 12 hours at night and another 1 to 3 hours during the day. To ensure your toddler gets the rest and sleep they need follow these sleepy time tips: Step 1. Warm bath Step 2. Massage Step 3. Quiet time These key rituals that help engage your baby’s sense of smell and touch while strengthening your bond and preparing him/ her for a good night’s sleep. • Set a regular sleep schedule for napping and sleeping (avoid naptime in the late afternoon). • Establish a 20- to 45-minute night time routine to help them wind down and relax. • Provide a soothing surrounding that is dark, cool and quiet. • Your child should be drowsy but awake when going to bed. • Save their favourite night time activity for last. A before-bed routine will help your toddler become sleepy and signals it is time to relax and prepare for sleep. Make sure that you stay consistent and follow the same pattern every evening. Your child will feel more relaxed if they know what is coming next. Also, make sure their bedtime routine is always heading in the same direction — bed.

Setting a bedtime routine Whether you have an infant, toddler, kindergartner, or preteen, practical discipline strategies and a good bedtime routine can be the difference between good sleep habits and a lot of sleepless nights. While most toddlers have learned to sleep through the night, changes and stressful events such as switching from the cot to bed at too early an

age, a trip or illness may cause temporary setbacks. Getting your toddler off to bed and sleeping peacefully can often be a challenge. To ensure they get the sleep needed to be healthy and happy, create a bedtime routine that eases them into bed while strengthening the bond you share. With over a decade of scientific partnerships with behaviour and sleep experts, we know just how important a good night’s sleep is to the overall health, cognitive ability and the mood of your little one—as well as the happiness of the whole family. start to enjoy looking at mirrors and pictures of faces, shapes, colours. They will begin to make sounds, reach out and touch the pictures. Choose books with interesting pictures and textures. Just by looking at books with your child, you can be a great storyteller and a good model for using language and books. Your child will learn by watching you hold a book the right way and seeing how you move through the book by gently turning the pages. Reading isn’t the only way to help with your child’s language and literacy development. Telling stories, singing songs and saying rhymes together are also great activities for early literacy skills – and your childwill probably have a lot of fun at the same time. Sometimes your child might enjoy these activities more than reading. You might like to make up your own stories or share family stories. Your child will learn words and develop language skills from the songs, stories and conversations you share together. Bedtime, bath time, potty time, on the train, on the bus, in the car, in the park, in the pram, in the cot, when you’re in the GP’s waiting room ... any time is a good time for a story! You can make books part of your daily routine – take them with you to share and enjoy everywhere. Knowing when to stop can be just as important as finding the time to share a story in the first place. Pay attention to your child’s reaction to the story, and stop if they are not enjoying it this time. You can always try a book, song or story at another time.

Storytelling with your child

Reading children stimulates their imagination and helps them develop and improve literacy skills --reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and as children listen on a higher level than they read, listening to other readers stimulates growth and understanding of vocabulary and language patterns. In the early months, hold your baby close and read, talk and sing to them. By 3-6 months of age, your baby will books aloud to

THE GRUFFALOSAID THAT NOGRUFFALOSHOULD EVER SET FOOT IN THE DEEPDARKWOOD Join the Gruffalo’s Child on her adventurous mission in this magical musical adaptation of the much-loved picture book. The team behind The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and The 13-, 26-, 52-, 78 & 91-Storey Treehouses return with The Gruffalo's Child, bringing together physical theatre, music and puppetry to deliver songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up, and their adults.

Performances: Sunday 28th March - 12.00pm, Monday 29th March - 10.00am School Groups $18.00, Child $20.00, Adult $25.00 Ph: 4323 3233 Laycock Street Community Theatre - 5 Laycock Street,North Gosford

30 Home & Lifestyle Magazine | Autumn 2021