The toddler years are a time of critical brain development. Children need to be taught many basic at this prime age in order to set them up for success in their schooling. Teaching a toddler is a fun and rewarding experience for both the child and the teacher. Little ones learn best through play and song. Through some targeted learning activities, a toddler can quickly learn new skills.
ABC Rhymes
There are many different benefits of teaching your toddler ABC rhyming songs. You will be helping your child learn their alphabet to create beginning language skills. Repetition of ABC rhymes strengthens a child’s memory skills, language awareness, and vocabulary. This activity is incredibly easy to do for a few minutes each day whether at home or while driving in the car.
Animal See and Say
The use of this toy teaches children different animals and their sounds through interaction. Toddlers learn cause and effect. When the lever is pulled they see that the arrow spins and an animal sound will follow. Toddlers can hone their hand-eye coordination to pull the lever down. While using the toy, it is helpful for adults to describe each animal to the child for example if the arrow lands on a horse the adult might tell the toddler about where horses live, what they eat, and how they can run very fast. Hearing descriptive vocabulary promotes reading readiness and vocalization of new words.
Wooden Blocks
Toddlers are naturally curious and their creativity must be nurtured as they grow. A common toy set of wooden blocks will allow a child to use their fine motor skills while expressing themselves. Adults should ask questions about what they are building, how many blocks they have used and so on. This builds conversational and math skills. Expect the toddler to knock down what they build many times, not only does it teach cause and effect but is also normal for the age.
Nursery Rhymes
Singing classic nursery rhymes offers a myriad of benefits. They are exposed to different speech patterns, poetry, and vocabulary. The repetition of the songs helps children learn new words. Nursery rhymes are short and upbeat, ideal for a toddler’s brief attention span. Doing this activity as a group can also build social skills.
The Learning Process
Toddlers are typically full of energy and excitement. It takes patience when working with small children to teach them new things. They require repetition of the same information, activities, and games until they will grasp a new concept. This is why it is especially important to make learning a fun and engaging activity. Toddlers also have very short attention spans, when they become distracted or disinterested in an activity simply stop for the time being and revisit the topic at another time. Consistency is key when working with small children, and eventually, the hard work will pay off with a thriving toddler.