Ogalala: Putting every child learner in Mind

If you have been reading my blog, (hopefully you are) you might have read about a workshop our family attended last July 2014 about Ogalala:System in Play. Ever since that workshop, I have been a fan of their concept and hubby an I have been applying it to Enzo. 

Fortunately, last Tuesday, we were again invited to their workshop on Child Development. I could not pass on the opportunity as you know I am taking my masters in Family Life and Child Development so this is a great help for me. Plus I get to learn more ways on how to help Enzo learn and develop.

Ogalala Shop in Shangrila is a WONDERFUL WORLD OF WHY NOT!!:)

Ogalala is a system in play where children are believed to be naturally warm, light-hearted and curious. It also keep in mind the principle of child development which is Every Child is Different. Thus it is important that parents understand their children and recognize the kind of learner that they are. 

This becomes a struggle for some as parents become busier and children have become more digital having ipads, tablets, etc in close proximity to them. That is where Ogalala System in Play comes in. It tries to bridge the gap between parents being busy but wanting their children to develop and kids eager to learn but are not stimulated. 

Ogalala then offers a variety of products that will address different types of child learner. The brands that they carry are consistent with the concept's principle of children learning through play. 

Before I share with you the amazing products they have, it is more important that you know and understand your child's learning style. This way you can help your child to learn the best way they can. 

Ask yourself this: What kind of learner is my child?

1. Auditory - A learner who absorbs lessons well through repetition or through constant conversations. They are usuall those who loves to ask questions and who enjoys talking to people. They learn best using their sense of hearing.

2. Visual - A visual learner absorbs more of the lessons when they can see it. It means through illustrations, graphs, charts, and diagrams. Children who are visual learners need to be able to imagine or have a clear vision of the lesson for better understanding.

3. Tactile or Kinesthetic - A tactile learner understands concepts better through movements and mobility. Using their body parts makes learning more effective and enjoyable for them. 

Knowing the kind of learner your child is can help you: 

1. Know HOW your child takes information

2. Know how you can BEST teach your hild

3. SELECT the appropriate materials for your child

4. Make learning ENJOYABLE for your child.

Recognizing your child's learning style can also reduce disappointment on your part as parents whenever children don't understand the lesson. Moreso, it prevents children of feeling frustrated and sad about not pleasing you as their parents. Fortunately, Ogalala System in Play has the tools to help all children learner to develop. 

    These are the brands that they carry. 

Sharing some of Enzo's developmental toys that have helped him talk and even walk. Will share those soon in another post!

Baby Einstein books to introduce numbers and counting. The Mirror Me helps in understanding parts of the face and object permanence.

Baby Einstein Touch and Feel Discovery Cards. This teaches different textures, animals and science. 

Melissa and Doug Friendly Fish Grasping Toy encourages the child to discover movements, stimulates visual tracking skills, and fosters fine motor and hand eye coordination. 

Crayola has been enhancing and encouraging children's creativity and imagination. Now they have more products that encourages play and learn at the same time. Best of all is that they are toxic free!;)

The point of all these is that as parents we want what is best for our children. In order to give what is best we have to get to know them first and recognize their unique potentials. From there we can enhance and encourage them more by stimulating them in the best way. Ogalala is a partner we can trust in this journey from 0 months up. 

For more information, follow them:

Www.oga-lala.com

FB: OgalalaWorld

Twitter:OgalalaWorld

Email:info@oga-lala.com

Ogalala shop is located at L4 East Wing EDSA Shangrila Plaza Mall. 

4 Toys that Grow: Developmental Toys to Invest for your Tots

I remember having a conversation with a fellow Mommy blogger, Paulline Flores of www.milastolemyheart.com, about toys for our toddlers. Our kids are of the same age and it is also at the same phase when they start accumulating toys. As in my case, I have nieces and nephews who gives some of their toys to Enzo and there are also a lot of gifts from friends and relatives so we rarely buy.

After a year and 7 months, I have come to appreciate Enzo 's toys that grows with him. With that I mean that he can play with it from when he was still a baby up to now that he's already a toddler.

In choosing toys it is important to keep in mind what skills it tries to target. Here are some toys that can help assist your child's development:

Wooden Bead Wire Toys

This toy is for eye-hand coordination and which can eventually be used to introduce concepts in Math like counting and addition.

I got this for Daiso for only Php88.00, it is also of good quality for its price. If you want something bigger or branded www.ogalala.com has a lot of products you can choose from.

Sorting Toy

This was given as a gift and we have made Enzo use this when he was already 6mos. It introduces the concept of sorting and fitting things together. Shapes and colors can also be taught to toddlers using this toy.

Stacking Toys

This toy introduces the concept of piling things up and enhances eye-hand coordination. I love this toy because a lot of lessons can be taught which includes numbers, animals, transportation, color, etc. The boxes also serves another purpose of putting things inside which is also a skill toddlers need to learn about. Bought this on sale at Kids Craze Warehouse sale in QC. This cost only Php250.00. There are also other variations of this toy, one of which is Melissa and Doug that is available in all toy stores.

This one is a favorite and it plays a lot in Enzo's milestones. As a baby he used this as a mobile, as a toddler a walker and of course as a toy.

As a baby, he enjoyed looking at the colors and the lights while laying down. When he started sitting down, he was curious with using his hands on the revolving sun and the wind up circle. It also assisted him to walk when he was still practicing because it was lightweight and very stable. Now, he dances to the songs played, says "Hi" to the butterfly, caterpillar, and flower. This one really is a keeper.

My advice in choosing or buying toys is to its function for a longer period of time. This is practical to prevent accummulation of toys that children would not need in the future. It is also important to consider the skills it targets so atleast it can assist our child's development. Especially now that more and more children are into gadgets, it is a challenge for parents to introduce toys that are traditional. Though we would want these toys to help our child's development, we still need to always remind ourselves that every child is different. More than the toys that we buy for them, our love and attention is still the best for them.

Do you have other toys that grow? Share them with me, I'd love to hear from you!:)