1. Intellectual Development The Toddler
“Learning begins the first day of life and never ends!”

2. Yes -Toddlers Do Love Big Trucks!

3. Can you believe they left me in Charge?

4. Where did every body Go?

5. Now if I could just figure out how to reach the peddles!

6. Intelligence Means: Intelligence means the ability to interpret or
understand everyday
situations and to use
that experience
when faced with new
situations or problems.

7. Heredity & Environment
Heredity and environment are two forces that influence intelligence and intellectual development.

8. Types of Learning: Incidental learning:
The child learns in an unplanned way by observation and understanding the results of accidental actions.

9. Types of Learning: Example: Imitative Learning
Learning to brush our teeth
Imitative Learning
The child learns skills and behavior by watching and imitating others

10. Types of Learning: Trial-and-Error Learning
The child tries several solutions to a problem before finding out what works.

11. Types of Learning: Directed Learning
The child is taught skills and behavior either formally or informally.
Example: teaching dressing (Practical Life)
Through activities with the Dressing Frames, the child develops coordination, the ability to concentrate and skills of independence. Frames can include buttons, bow tying, lacing, hook and eye, safety pins, zips, buckles, press studs and velcro.

12. A “Concept” is a general way to categorize objects or information.
Concepts learned in early childhood include:
colors, shapes, size, time, people and things, life & time, etc.

13. Elements of the Mind & Learning
Attention
Span
Allows concentration on one area of interest without being distracted.
Memory
Allows building on past experience to improve future behavior.
Perception
Allows interpretation of information received from the senses.
Reasoning
Allows one to form concepts, recognize relationships, make decisions & solve problems.

14. Parents can Help Improve a Child’s Ability to Make Decisions by:
Offering limited choices to help the child practice making decisions
Offering just enough help to prevent discouragement

15. A Child’s Imagination…
A child’s imagination allows the child to try new things and to be different people- at least in the mind!-
Chairs become trains, boxes are buildings and closets caves.
A child becomes a ferocious lion or a busy mail carrier.

16. A Child’s Imagination:
Unfortunately, adult responses often stifle a child’s imagination. (may interpret it as lying)
“When 3 year old Emma makes up a story- she isn’t lying –she’s using her imagination!”
Try to refrain from comments such as “Don’t be silly, you know that didn’t happen.”

17. Creativity The use of imagination to create something!
Creativity is an asset throughout life and is most readily developed in early childhood.
Promote creativity by encouraging exploration and imagination through drawing, clay, building things, dress-up, etc.
Praise a child’s efforts
Don’t insist on conformity (e.g.- OK to have a purple cat)

18. Curiosity
Curiosity stimulate Learning, but can be dangerous because children may not be able to identify hazards in their environment.