Play learn know

A child is a work in progress who thrives when everyday living becomes an interactive game. Play. Learn. Know. is a guide to help Mom and Dad (and, in an ideal world, all caregivers) to shape their child’s body, heart and mind with care and thoughtfulness. It gives simple and playful solutions to developing complex skills preparing children for school and life (ages 3 to 7). A child needs to experience life to become part of life. You can help your child to belong by exposing him to everyday life: name the things you touch; explain what happens around him; show him how things work; and allow him the opportunity to discover-learn, to move and ask questions freely. You don't need to know all the answers – teach him from an early age to find answers on his own. This book is not a checklist or a time sheet to tick off or fill in arbitrarily; it is a road map to guide you along the journey of development. It has no age indicators, because every child unfolds developmentally in his own time. Child development is not a race to 'get there first'. It is a journey during which there are skills to be developed, knowledge to be discovered and thousands of experiences to be enjoyed along the way to school readiness.

Dr Melodie de Jager is a qualified nursery school teacher who completed a master’s degree in Science and Maths programmes and her doctorate on the role of neurological integration in the learning process. She regularly hosts workshops, is a frequent guest on radio and TV and much in demand as a keynote speaker. She is the author of Mind Dynamics, Mind Moves and BabyGym, among others, and is listed on the American Biographical Institute as one of the Great Women of the 21st Century. Liz Victor is a qualified teacher with a further diploma in remedial education. She developed the TOPTOTS Mother and Child Workshop programme, which is franchised. She is involved in research to upgrade and maintain the quality of the programmes that Toptots has become famous for. She regularly hosts seminars and writes articles for The Natal Mercury on toddler development.