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Welcome to the My First Five Years Blog. Here you will find all sorts of information, ideas and activities that will help you to support your child.

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  • Books,
  • Toddlers,
  • S-E20.1,
  • social and emotional

So Much by Trish Cooke, a beautiful story about the joy of family

Mum and baby are at home, just looking out of the window. But before long there are lots of visitors!  

This is a lovely book that captures the joy of family visitors, including aunties, uncles, cousins and grandmas. Each family member arrives and greets baby with excitement. They also each have their own special way of saying hello, which you find out through the pictures and rhythmic text.  

1 min read Read Now
  • C21.2

Big and small, but that’s not all

Your toddler’s been forming ideas about size for a long time now. They’ll have listened to songs and conversations that are ladened with words associated with size; mathematical language is embedded into everyday life.  

Many words are used to describe size and it's helpful for your toddler to hear the same words, most of the time 

2 min read Read Now
  • GM21.4

Did you know, pulling a toy is a full body workout?

This seemingly simple action requires your toddler to use lots of muscles. To be able to pull a toy, your toddler needs to walk, bend and potentially tug at their toy all at once. Let's look at the big muscles used and work down to the small. 

Core muscles are essential when it comes to pulling a toy as they help correct and maintain balance. 

2 min read Read Now
  • GM21.3

Squatting comes naturally

You’ll see your toddler squat as they go about their day. They might spend time squatting while looking at, poking and picking things up. Squatting often occurs when they have time to simply be and when they are igniting their own imagination and creativity. 

Having time to play and explore with no expectations allows your toddler to do things at their own pace. Your toddler will set their own goals and do the things that interest them. 

1 min read Read Now
  • GM21.1

Jump into the air – tools to help your toddler prepare

Toddlers jump for many reasons, and they’ll feel lots of different emotions when doing it. These can vary from day to day, with some jumps being full of confidence and others a little more cautious. Here are some suggestions for helping your toddler just go for it! 

Turning jumping into a game can add excitement and help your toddler prepare mentally for their upcoming jump. 

2 min read Read Now
  • FM21.2

Amazing things you can learn from your toddler

Your toddler can teach you many valuable life lessons. It doesn't hurt to look to toddlers for inspiration because they are amazing human beings who get a lot of things right. 

Keep on trying, no matter how tough it gets 

2 min read Read Now
  • FM21.1

Why threading is terrific for toddlers

Threading is a brilliant activity for boosting fine motor skills. But did you know it has benefits across all of our streams? 

Let’s start with fine motor

2 min read Read Now
  • L20.3

Tell me about it – the link between talking and regulating emotions

All toddlers cry, shout, kick or scream at times. Hopefully, that’s reassuring to know if your toddler is becoming overwhelmed by their emotions at the moment. It’s also useful to know that scientists think there is a link between toddlers struggling with how they feel and talking.  

Talking about toddler’s behaviour – why we don’t talk about tantrums 

2 min read Read Now
  • L20.2 gestures

A gesture can speak for itself – which ones does your toddler use?

Your toddler is taking big steps in their communication and is starting to bring together words, gestures and expressions to make their point. You might have a treasured list of their first words somewhere, but have you thought about looking at the range of gestures they make?  

When we communicate, we give information about what we are saying through our tone of voice, facial expressions and gestures, as well as in what we say.  

2 min read Read Now
  • L20.1

What the ****! Why is my toddler swearing and what can I do about it?

You might wonder why your toddler still needs a reminder of the name of a toy but has remembered an expletive having overheard it once. The answer is to do with the link between language, cognitive, social development and emotions – read on to find out more (scroll to the bottom for some tips if your toddler has discovered swearing).  

Learning to talk isn’t just about saying words but also understanding when and where to use them. 

4 min read Read Now
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