Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Raising a Toddler
(1 to 3 Yrs.)
Chapter 2.8
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Always fascinated by her dad’s card holder, 30-month-old Preet, had managed to lay her hands on it. Oh! Her face was full of pride and joy. Dad was quietly watching the whole scenario from a distance. She first used her tiny fingers to grab and pull out the cards. Then picked each one of them one-by-one, and gazed at them. Dad on the other hand, wondered what her little one was so amused at! Next Preet arranged them in her own way, laying them three in a throw, then rearranged and finally started inserting them back into the holder. After inserting a number of them she found it difficult to put the rest and ran towards her dad for help.
In the above scene, Preet is exhilarated by her sense of independence and achievement. She then used her motor skills to pull the cards in and out of the holder. Next, her attention is drawn towards the colours, and the letters printed on them. She was also, somewhere registering the sense of touch and feel of the paper! Whoosh so much happening in one simple act of self-play with a card holder. Had her dad known this, imagine how many more such experiences he could have conjured for her darling daughter’s further skill enhancements!
Let’s Reflect
Toddlers are trying to make sense of themselves/their identity, and who they are…
As babies move into their second year of life, they become more mobile and more independent, exploring everything they can access. Surely as a parent of a toddler these thoughts must have crossed your mind:
- What goes inside my toddler’s mind?
- What drives his/her behaviour?
- How can I encourage his/her development?
Shadow Play: Let the child dance, wiggle, wave, crouch, jump and gleefully watch the shadow do the same.”
Growth and Development
Knowing why your toddler behaves a certain way and knowing how to help your child, can make the toddler years a happy time for both of you.
There is development which is obvious to our eyes but parents do not have much of a control over it,
Junior Toddlers (1-2yrs) toddlers have just begun his/her walking, talking, imitating and following of simple instructions
Senior Toddlers (2-3 yrs) are learning to express more emotions, are able to speak in phrases and sentences, can help get themselves dressed and ready for the day and have just begun to enjoy simple games, songs, and rhymes,
Toddlers are like sponges, soaking up everything, so memorization comes fairly easily. Therefore, this is also the stage when the child starts understanding their colors, shapes, and alphabet.
But do check with your pediatrician if your toddler isn’t meeting developmental milestones, such as:
- Walking
- Holding lightweight objects
- Chewing and swallowing food
- Adding new words to their vocabulary regularly
- Showing interest in you and other familiar people
- Using two-word phrases (by age two)
Knowing why your toddler behaves a certain way and knowing how to help your child can make the toddler years a happy time for both of you.
and parallelly…
There is development happening inside your toddler’s brain which is not visible but as a parent, you do have a control over the quality of its development to quite an extent
Here’s why your toddler’s still-forming grey matter makes their behavior anything but black and white:
Everything for a toddler is new and exciting: Kids younger than 7 are basically hardwired to not store many memories. They do not have the wealth of experience as to how to judge things, and therefore learn best through trial and error. E.g. repeatedly taking sand in hand to feel it slip through. They are continuously taking ideas they have in their heads and trying them out as they explore their world.
Help your toddler process the information he/she gathers and see by talking about ideas with them. how to interest and respect their thoughts. Also, providing open-ended materials to encourage ideation and experimentation, like blocks, stacking cups, paper, or sand etc.
It is a phase of repetition vs comprehension: What toddlers do understand is that when something is different than the day before. So once a red brush, it ought to always be a red brush otherwise wahhaaaaa!!! This is not a tantrum; it is the lack of understanding which is yet to mature. When his/her expectations aren’t met, the toddler loses control. Not knowing how to react, the child gets distressed and sounds the alarm bells.
Recognize that repetition is helping your toddler learn and develop. Try to be tolerant as your toddler tries the same action over and over and over.
Beginnings of Thought stage…
From 18 – 24 months, toddlers are in the Beginnings of Thought stage. This is when your toddlers typically indulge in symbolic thought and begin pretend play. S/he begins to understand that one thing can represent another. For example, a block can be a cell phone or a paper plate could be a pie.
Coming to understand how toddlers think is a fascinating process. Join in your child’s pretend play. Roll up a paper for it to be a telescope and play together. Offer materials which encourage pretend play—a toy or a diy grocery cart, a doll bed and blanket, or an old hat.
Remember, toddlers aren’t purposely acting up, they’re merely trying to figure out this big wide world… So go easy on yourself and your little explorer, for this phase of exploration and testing limits is setting the stage for healthy growth later.
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