Learning Tools for 2 Year Olds
Your child develops most within the first years of life. According to Texas Children's Pediatrics, "The experiences during the first 3 years of life determine the permanent 'wiring' of the brain." Encourage your toddler's learning with tools such as games and activities. Avoid any type of formal teaching, though, until ages 4 or 5, as it can adversely effect your child's interest in learning throughout life. Creative play and gradual learning provides a strong foundation for later academic achievement.
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Books
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Provide your child with plenty of books. Books create an environment for learning whether picture books or words and pictures. You can also find books for cheap at yard sales, thrift stores, dollar stores and as hand-me-downs. Books help with language development in your toddler, including words, letters and pronunciation. Don't expect your child to read the book to you; you must read the book and interact with your child about it's contents. Ask your child to point out various items in the pictures and explain what happened in the story. Reading is said to "correlate better with later school success than anything else you can do," according to the Texas Children's Pediatrics. Try reading your 2 year old books like "A Walk in the Jungle" and "Gordy Visits the Mountains."
Songs
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Songs make learning fun and creative. Teaching your child to sing a long with music teaching aides can help with memory and overall learning. Create your own songs by incorporating household items such as brooms, mops and kitchen utensils to help your child learn new words and identify uses of common items. If you lack creative ability, search for songs on the Internet. Websites such as songsforteaching.com provide an extensive database of educational music for free. Choose from weather, counting, alphabet and everyday routine songs to learn and recite with your child. Television shows also provide examples of songs for everyday use, such as clean-up songs and friendship tunes as seen in shows from "The Big Comfy Couch" to "Barney and Friends."
Toys
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The plethora of toys available on store shelves can seem intimidating. Choosing a toy to help your child learn is not a difficult task, nor an expensive one. While electronic toys can help your child learn, simple toys also provide an educational tool. Puzzles and shapes teach your child identification and basic problem solving. Stuffed animals, figurines and dolls can provide practice role playing for situations like stranger dangers and dressing yourself. Board games also help with matching, memory and manners. Try games like Memory and Franklin Goes to School.
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Your mobile and inquisitive14-month-old is up for just about any age-appropriate activity that you might have in mind. Doing fun stuff with your young toddler helps increase her understanding of the world while deepening the bond between the two of y
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Dont let cold winter weather deter you from spending time with your toddler outdoors. Bundle up in coats, hats and mittens, then head outside for playtime. There are several activities that let you and your toddler scoop, sculpt and slide in the snow
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Imagine the look on your three-year-old`s face when hes laughing and having fun. Playing interactive, fun games with your children help them develop socially and mentally, and they can be great exercise for you, too. There are plenty of imaginative,
