Fun fact – taking part in an obstacle course uses senses you may not have heard of before!
Obstacle courses are typically challenging, yet fun, for toddlers (well, all ages of children and adults!) They bring loads of benefits for overall development, encouraging problem solving and creativity as well as physical skills galore. Tackling obstacles also stimulates a number of senses; let’s delve into which ones and how...
Tactile sense – the sense of touch
Making links - sharing books and learning about the world
Books are wonderful for exploring the world and everything within it. Most will feature something relatable for your toddler, whether it be the grass, sun or an animal.
Others will offer new and unfamiliar things – the chance to discover foods, places, people, types of transport and emotions.
Three theories about make-believe play – what scientists say about pretending
We know play supports your toddler to develop a range of skills, but over the years there have been debates among scientists about exactly how. Make-believe play is something we often take for granted, perhaps as our children hand us a ‘cup of tea’; but how does pretending help your toddler learn about the world? We’ve looked at how three psychologists and their ideas about this kind of play answer the question.
Sigmund Freud – neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis (early 20th Century)
Social learning – your toddler’s eyes are on you
American author Robert Fulghum said, “Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.”
This can be a useful thing to remember as your toddler grows and develops – they learn not only when you feel like you’re teaching them something, maybe when playing or chatting, but also by watching what you do every day.
What is social learning theory?
Stages of play - how your child starts to play with other children
Do you ever wonder if your toddler should have friends? They might seem happy playing on their own or be interested in watching others, but not really play with them.
There are many theories about play and how children develop their social interactions and friendships.
It’s me! What does recognising their reflection tell you about your toddler's development?
Researchers often start with questions very similar to those we all have from time to time. What is my toddler thinking? When does my toddler know that they are looking at themselves in the mirror?
The dot experiment is how psychologists know when toddlers begin to recognise their reflection
Don’t help me – what your baby can learn from doing things for themselves
Learning to do things for themselves is an important part of growing up – but when your baby doesn’t want your help, even when they are frustrated, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a good thing!
Developing a sense of self and independence
Why your toddler might find self-soothing hard and how you can help them
Sensory input can be both stimulating and calming; as adults we often know what kind of input we need and can seek it out. You might go for a walk if you find your energy levels dropping, or find a quiet space to calm down after a busy day. Your toddler is probably developing some awareness of what helps them – but will often need help to identify exactly what they need.
Your toddler might be starting to become more aware of what sensory experiences they find calming and occasionally be able to find these when needed.
Gently does it! Your toddler might now be more careful with precious items
Your toddler might be beginning to show more care as they look at or handle delicate items. This is linked to the development of their senses and means that they can explore and enjoy lots of new experiences. There might also be times it doesn’t work out and things get broken as part of their learning process, so we have shared some ideas to help you talk to your toddler in those moments.
It is important to remember that your toddler is still learning these skills.
Catch by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
This story is about a young girl playing catch with her Mum. It captures the warmth of a relationship between a parent and child and has lots of parts where your toddler could move about or join in. Spoiler alert, there is a lovely ending when Mum gives something to Kiona that she knows she can catch and keep forever!
In this story Kiona and her Mum are playing catch in the garden, the ball is too big for Kiona to catch so they look for something else!
