How to Promote Learning in Toddlers RED *Remember: YOU write anything that is RED!

Toddlers: Social & Emotional Review How might parents promote sharing on the playground? – By engaging children in activities that require them to take turns – EX: Going down a slide Playing on a see-saw Throwing/rolling a ball Going up a ladder

What will we learn today? Standard: – ET-ECE-7: Explore the growth, development, and care of the toddler. EQ: – How might a caregiver promote learning in a child 1-3 years of age?

Methods of Learning: Incidental Learning: – Unplanned learning – EX: Jen squeezes her new toy dog and it barks. She quickly learns to squeeze the dog in order to hear the noise. Directed Learning: – Results from being taught by parents, caregivers, teachers, or older siblings – EX: A preschool teacher helps children learn letters by showing them flash cards with the letters printed on them. Trail-and-Error Learning: – When a child tries several solutions before finding one that works Imitation: – Learning by watching and copying others – Young children use their older siblings as a model for behavior of all kinds.

10 Ways to Guide Learning in Toddlers: 1.Pay attention and encourage 2.Give time to examine choices/make decisions 3.Don't immediately take over when they struggle with a task 4.Help find things that interest them on their own 5.Demonstrate how to do a particular task and then let them do it 6.Provide simple explanations on their level 7.Provide opportunities to explore their environment 8.Take them on everyday errands 9.Allow time for unstructured play 10.

Toys are important for learning because they… Help children explore and imagine Help develop motor skills Help children learn to share Make learning easy and fun

Children ONLY learn new skills when they are physically and intellectually ready! Would it be a waste of time to try to teach a six-month old baby to read? Why? – Too young – Not intellectually mature enough – Memory hasn’t developed yet – Just started developing speech

Reading Readiness: Depends on the environment caregivers create Enjoying books is important when learning to read Interact with young children while reading The more enthusiastic the reader is, the more enthusiastic children will become

Math Readiness: Depends on an interest in learning basic math concepts Explore: sizes, shapes, amounts, and portions To teach numbers: – “Talk” numbers with them – Make a game out of finding numbers Blocks and puzzles teach: – Shape recognition (learning shape names) – Sorting (GREAT mathematical skill)

A Guide to Learning: Toddler Edition What you will do: You will work with a partner (or alone) to create a book about toddlers Your book can be handmade OR made using PowerPoint Your book MUST include: – A Title Page Author/Illustrator – A Table of Contents page numbers – A Glossary page numbers – Pictures drawn, cut from magazines, or found on internet Information you MUST include: (At Least) 2 ways parents can guide children’s learning (At Least) 2 roles toys play in learning AND (At Least) 2 examples of age appropriate toys (At Least) 2 examples of an environment that promotes intellectual development (At Least) 2 hazards caregivers should remove from a toddler’s reach to make a home as safe as possible (At Least) 2 safety concerns for toddlers Vocabulary: Incidental Learning, Directed learning, Developmentally Appropriate, Parallel Play, Self-Centered DUE: February 26/27, 2014!