Denise Teo
Denise is a Pedagogist at EtonHouse. Denise joined EtonHouse in 2011 and has 16 years of experience in early childhood education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College. She believes that education is not about the end product, but the process to discover, create and think. She also believes that children have infinite abilities to wonder, explore and create, and are capable of building beautiful and lasting relationships with people around them.
Research has shown that early and prolonged exposure to screen time for children is detrimental to their development. Here are some tips to cut down screen time at home.
1. Go out and play!
Head to the park, to the playground! Go for a scoot to a nearby shop to pick up groceries! Children under six need about an hour and a half of physical activity. Be sure to let your child out!
2. Have a family game evening.
Instead of watching the TV or playing a game on an iPad. Invest in inexpensive board games that develop children’s reading, counting, ability to take turns and learning to play with rules.
3. Surprise your children
‘Boxes of surprises’ work particularly well for children who are learning to or are able to read. They shake a box and pull out a slip of paper that instructs the child to do something. “Leave a note for Daddy”, “Plan our next grocery list”, “draw the longest crocodile you can” and “jump and say bananas 20 times”.
Follow these simple steps and have a healthier and happier year!