I want the big bowl – there’s more in it. Or is there? Your toddler and 'centration'
Your toddler has been learning about all sorts of things while playing and forming many beliefs about the world, attempting to make sense of as much as they can. Now they are starting to use their knowledge to make decisions and assumptions based on what they believe to be true – but really, they will find out that not everything is as they first thought.
Here we look at the idea of centration, a theory devised by psychologist, Jean Piaget, who studied the development of children in the 1900s. Much of his research informs our understanding now.
Are you hurt, teddy? I know how you feel. Why your toddler's toys have feelings
Do you ever talk to your computer when it’s playing up? Does your car have a name, and do you tell it what you think when it won’t start? Don’t worry, you are not alone! For thousands of years the human race has been attributing living qualities to inanimate objects.
They are usually things which carry great significance in our lives. We express our feelings and emotions through them; it is imaginative and creative and the basis of many stories and films.
Three ways that helping with chores supports your toddler’s development
Getting your toddler involved with everyday tasks can mean getting things done takes a bit longer – but there’s evidence that doing chores is a great way to develop lots of skills... read on to find out more and see our ideas for easy ways to start getting toddlers involved.
Doing chores supports your toddler to develop social skills
Why wriggling their fingers might help your toddler with maths
We all instinctively use our fingers to represent quantity – you might hold your fingers up when ordering several drinks in a noisy café or when asking for a table for two in a restaurant. As well as using their fingers to count, young children often use them when they first do calculations. So, we know moving our fingers and counting are linked, but is this more than just our fingers being readily available – or does using their fingers help your toddler understand numbers?
Some studies have found that basic numerical abilities are associated with skills linked to moving fingers (fine motor skills), and awareness of fingers (sensory skills) – known in the research papers as ‘finger gnosis’.[1]
Too tired to play? Our tips for when you’re feeling exhausted
Being a parent can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride. You might have the most fantastic day with your toddler playing and enjoying time together before a calm meal and bedtime routine. But other days it can feel that nothing is going quite right (for you or your toddler), which leaves you feeling worn out and simply too tired to play. These tips should help.
Find some of your toddler’s favourite toys and make sure they can reach them – then stay close by and watch, offer a smile and some encouragement.
A book full of tiny truths about parenting, which might just spark your creativity
Your House Keys are in the Dryer: A Parenting Haiku Book by Alisha Gaddis is a collection of haiku poems written by mums. They range from emotional and nostalgic, to hilarious and some so true it hurts a little to think about them.
This collection of poems manages to capture many of the realities of parenting in the short 5-7-5 haiku format. It makes this a perfect book to pick up in those short moments you have to reflect, or when you need a quick distraction from reality.
The power of picture books for developing visual memory
As adults, it might not seem to be a difficult task to notice and remember several objects in a picture. In fact, we do it all the time probably without realising, but this is a skill which has been learnt and improved over time. Recent studies[1] show this is not something we are born able to do, and your toddler will still be developing this skill. There is a simple way you can help them practise by noticing small details in picture books.
Your toddler will now be able to focus on more of the smaller details in an image, perhaps spotting an animal or object that is hidden on the page (as long as the illustration is still fairly simple), rather than focusing only on the biggest or more central image.
Boundaries and choices – some tips to find the balance for you and your toddler
Your toddler will be much more aware of their own wants and needs now, including their desire for autonomy. It's something we all have: to feel we can make decisions about the things that happen to us. Fulfilling their need to be in control is important, but may also cause frustration for you both. Balancing choices and boundaries can help
Give choices when you can
Sharing could make your toddler feel happy – but only if you don’t make them do it!
Most of us experience our toddler either snatching a toy from another child, or having their toy taken – followed by someone being hit, crying, shouting or screaming. What is great to hear if you’re wondering about helping your toddler to share, is that researchers found sharing makes children happier – but there are a few things that need to be in place for that to be the case![1]
Sharing when there are lots of something might be easier at first
“I goed park!” – why your toddler’s mistakes are more than just cute
As your toddler talks more and more, you probably notice some mistakes – they might say, ‘goed’ not ‘went’ or ‘blowed’ not ‘blew.’ These are adorable, but also show some really important grammatical knowledge, and learning. Here’s why these errors are so great to hear...
When your toddler makes a mistake, they are showing you that they have noticed a pattern in language.
