Toddler’s brains are like sponges. They are learning all the time even when they are playing. Read on to find out how your toddler can learn through toddler play.
Toddlers are learning all the time and there are a lot of ways in which parents and caregivers can help with this learning process. And you can do it all through toddler play.
Within this article, we will look at the many ways in which you can help your toddler to learn through toddler play.
Encourage Them To Explore Objects
Toddlers will, instinctively, want to explore objects. They will want to bang objects together, squeeze, pull, fill or empty objects.
There are many simple ways that you can encourage this type of toddler play. Providing your toddler with simple wooden inset puzzles will help them to explore different objects and it will also aid their problem solving skills.
When in the bath, you could give them little buckets or bottles so they can explore filling and emptying objects.
Help Them To Coordinate Their Movements
At the age of two, your toddler will begin to coordinate their fine motor skills, such as the movement of their hands. There are many ways in which you can help this through toddler play.
You could give your toddler some bricks and encourage them to build a tower. You could have a drawing session with them, encouraging them to draw with felt tip pens and crayons so they learn how to hold them.
It will also help if you give them space to start doing some things on their own, such as washing their hands or putting on their shoes.
Encourage The Development Of Gross Motor Skills
Along with the fine motor skills, your toddler will begin to further develop their gross motor skills. They will begin using their whole body to walk by themselves, climb or pull themselves onto furniture and walk up stairs with the help of an adult.
There are many fun toddler play ideas that will encourage the development of their gross motor skills.
You could let them splash in puddles, play with them in the garden, take them to soft play centres and show them how to take off their own shoes, socks and trousers.
You could also take them to a sports class. Gymnastics, dancing and football are all great for toddlers. At our Socatots football classes, your child can start attending from as young as 6 months old.
Read To Them
Toddlers love to hold books and to look at the pictures. Reading to them, along with singing songs and nursery rhymes will help them to develop their language skills.
It is a really good idea to get into the habit of reading to them each day. A great time is before they go to sleep as you can make it a part of their bedtime routine. You should also visit your local library so they can explore a variety of books.
Teach Them Social Skills
Social skills are an important part of your toddler’s development and toddler play can help them to learn these types of skills.
To teach them social skills, you could play a game that involves taking turns and letting them help you with simple daily tasks like setting the table or making a sandwich.
Sports classes, like our football classes, are a great place to teach them social skills as they will be around and working with other toddlers.
Let Them Play!
A great way you can help your toddler to learn through toddler play is to simply let them play! Toddlers have wonderful imaginations and it helps them to explore the world around them.
You can help by playing alongside them and talking with them about what you are both doing. You could play at having a tea party with them or you could head outside and play at being off on an adventure.
Learning Through Toddler Play
Toddlers are learning all the time but there are ways that you can encourage further learning through toddler play. You could buy them puzzles and encourage them to build towers with blocks and to wash their own hands.
Encouraging them to splash in puddles or taking them to a sports class will help with the development of their gross motor skills. Attending a sports class will also help them with their social skills.
It is a great idea to get in the habit of reading to them as this will help them to develop their language skills.
And, finally, you should just let them play! Letting them get lost in their imagination will help them to explore the world around them. And you can join in too.
We hope you have found this article helpful. If you would like to know more about our football classes, please click here to find your local class.