Learning Resources for Toddlers with Developmental Delays

The current trend in education is inclusion; thus, parents with children who have developmental delays can breathe easier given more support in different sectors of society. There are different ways to encourage learning in children, especially those with developmental delays. Check out some of the different learning resources available to parents today.

 

Books

Here are several guidelines for choosing books for infants and toddlers with developmental delays.

1. Consider the material of which the book is made. Books made out of board (board books) vinyl and cloth are sometimes more expensive but books that can be easily cleaned is a priority when creating a library for your child. Aside from this, the thickness of the pages of board books allows children to successfully flip through on their own, encouraging independent ‘reading’ at this age.

2. Most books for infants and toddlers will focus on three topics: animals, transportation and relationships. It was found that these are high-interest subjects for this age range.

3. Colorful illustration with clean basic lines/shapes.

4. The use of simple words and/or rhythmic phrases.

For older kids who need to understand their particular exceptionality, Teacher Vision has a list of books with characters who have special needs: www.teachervision.fen.com.

 

Parent’s Sources of Online Information  

1. Baby’s brain development. There is a site that I so love because it explains how a baby’s brain develops and what parents can do for him/her at that time. Click on the link to check out what you know about your baby’s brain: www.zerotothree.org.  

2. Dyslexia. This link of Inclusive Technology has a list of different programs that can be used to help those with dyslexia in mind mapping, study, thinking, reading and writing skills. A certain amount of educators and parents find that some of these programs are also helpful to those without learning difficulties, enriching the learning experience.

 

Click here to learn more about games and assistive technology for kids with developmental delay.

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Read on to learn more about games and assistive technology for kids with developmental delay.

 

Games and Assistive Technology

Not all parents are up to letting their children fiddle around on the computer but when your child has a developmental delay, all venues of learning should be encouraged. There are different sites that encourage learning through games. As always, parents should visit and choose the particular games and links that their child can access.

1. Help Kidz Learn – this site has categories such as (1) early years, (2) games, (3) stories, (4) creative, (5) find out, and (6) parents. Aside from partnering with the Down’s Syndrome Association, this site allows the use of switches, touch screen and interactive plasmas that are friendly to all types of children, even those with physical handicaps.

2. Nick, Jr. and Playhouse Disney – for children motivated by their favorite characters, all kiddie channels are most likely to have an online counterpart. I personally like preschooler friendly games found in these sites.

Parents must understand that anything they do (or not do) is significant to the child; thus, they must weigh the consequences of possible decisions (and indecision) and follow-through. Parents of children with developmental delays are no different. They should remember that learning resources are just at their fingertips.

 

Photography by Jun Pinzon