Toddler Time!
They will not stop moving … and neither will you! They have an interest in everything around them. This, coupled with a very short attention span, will result in moving from one thing to another. Non-stop activities and fun!
During this year your child will focus on what’s immediately in front of them. That said, get ready! They’ll be on the run. Your toddler will carry large toys, stand on their toes, and throw a ball. They’ll climb on furniture, walk up stairs, and scribble on paper. Your toddler will fill and dump, build towers of 4 or more, show right/left preferences, point to pictures you name, follow simple instructions, repeat what they have heard, and even find hidden objects.
By age two, their vocabulary will start to explode with a new word every day, and short sentences will emerge. Use lots of words with your child. They’re little sponges and you can start to build vocabulary now!
At a year old, you want to encourage your child's natural curiosity with toys that relate to the world around them. Toys should encourage your on-the-move kiddo to move, and learn about their environment.
Pretending is a big part of play at this age! Get ready to look for animals on safari and go out for ice cream with favorite stuffed animals. Keep inspiring those little imaginations, and teach behavior lessons and set reasonable limits, too.
Toys that have bright colors help encourage mental growth because your one year-old can distinguish vivid hues better than pastels.
Stock the playroom with toys that are made to develop and encourage coordination. Stacking toys, shape sorting toys, and puzzles are super for small hands, and for teaching early problem solving.