If at first they don’t succeed – give your toddler time to try again

What to try 

• Give your toddler some simple, helpful tasks to do that you know will interest them. 
• It might be that they help to unpack the shopping, feed a pet, or pass items to family members. 
• If they find what you’ve asked them to do difficult, give some simple instructions or step in and do one step for them. Then step back and give them plenty of time to try. 

Good to know 

Your toddler will feel a great sense of accomplishment as they help with everyday activities. They may not get it right first time, so make sure you are feeling calm enough to cope with any mess this might make. Be assured that the more they get to try, the better at this they will become.

If they get frustrated when they find a task difficult, acknowledge how they feel and help them in a way that is appropriate for them – it might be doing one step of the task, or simply being close to offer some reassurance as they try again.