Sitting, standing, crawling, running and head control are just some motor skills children need to master as early as possible. Thus, it is very essential for toddlers to have ample opportunities to exercise these skills every day. Here are a few ideas that can help improve motor development in children.

Put On Some Music

Take advantage of your stereo at home and put on some music and dance with your little one. Interactive songs such as “Patty Cake”, “Itsy-Bitsy Spider”, “Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes” or “Ten Little Indians” are creative ways for your toddler to use his hands and bounce and wriggle to music which enhances his gross motor skills. Use instruments to make it more fun. You can make your own instruments – a bottle filled with coins can be a noisemaker, pots and spoons can be drums and string bells to thick paper plates to make a tambourine.

Coloring and Writing

Toddlers love to draw, write and color. Give him a pencil and a piece of paper. Draw a circle or any shape and have him copy it. Give him a coloring book and jumbo sized crayons. Show your toddler how to color inside the borders of a picture. Have your toddler draw or color on the floor. These activities teaches your toddler to hold objects properly which helps improve his grasping skills and reinforces the hips and shoulders, improving stability.

Exercise

Practice your toddler’s walking and running skills by exercising. Walk on different surfaces such as sand, gravel, grass and smooth concrete to help perfect his balance. Climb up and down the stairs together. Play with large balls and ask your toddler to kick the balls, throw them back and forth and catch them to increase hand-eye coordination. Jump with your toddler. Let him ride a children’s bike or tricycle to get him used to pushing his foot forward on a pedal which strengthens leg muscles.

Dumping and Filling

Place an empty container or box and different items (e.g. plastic spoons, forks, cups, blocks or toys) in front of your toddler. Ask him to sort out the objects by color, size, and shape.

Household Chores

Give your toddler simple household chores such as sorting laundry, dusting, sweeping, setting the table and putting away groceries. These chores will get your toddler’s body moving as he bends, squats and stretches. Not only will this hone your little one’s motor skills but it will also give him a sense of pride for being mommy’s little helper.

Play With Toys

Stack blocks to build a tower. Blow bubbles. Have him squeeze a plush toy, a ball or squirt water from a washcloth. String large beads. Work on a simple puzzle together.

Play Games

There are countless children’s games that help increase gross motor skills. Games such as “Follow The Leader”, “Hide and Seek”, “Duck Duck Goose”, “Hot Potato”, “Simon Says,”, jump rope and hop scotch are simple, interactive games your toddler will enjoy. Role play with your child by putting on a puppet show. These games not only help develop motor skills but also improves your toddler’s social skills.

Motor skills help individuals perform multiple tasks appropriately and contribute to a person’s overall well-being. With the help of the tips above, you can help him develop this skill at an early age.

Toddlers tend to be overprotective of their things and they have a hard time taking turns. Thus, it is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children the value of sharing. Here are a few useful tips you can try out.

Talk About It

Talk about sharing with your toddler. Make it a frequent topic of conversation in your home.  For instance, while you are playing together, say something like “Can I have a turn?” or “It is your turn.”. Or, when you are going out to run some errands, explain to your little one that he sat in the front seat last week and it is his older brother’s turn. After reading a book, ask your toddler’s opinion. Or, if a fight took place at the playground because David did not let Dennis try the swing, ask him how he would feel if he was Dennis or what would have happened if David and Dennis took turns using the swing. This is an excellent technique to help your little one grasp the concept of sharing.

Practice It

While you are playing with your toddler, have him stack a block on top of yours or take turns putting puzzle pieces. Tell him to flip one page of the book while you flip the next during reading time. Role play with your toddler. He can be the friend while you can be the child who does not want to share a basket of apples with others. Demonstration helps your toddler realize that sharing and taking turns is fun.

Organize A Play Date

Invite a few of your neighbour’s kids over to your house. Provide items that can be shared such as blocks, coloring books, crayons, markers, clay and jigsaw puzzles. Or, you can ask your little one to put away his special toys but leave 3 or 4 toys that can be shared. You may also prepare some games that encourage sharing and teamwork. Some good examples include:

• Band Game – Collect all your toddler’s musical instruments, give each child an instrument and let them play the instruments at the same time.
• Hunting Game – Divide the children into 2 teams, give each team a basket and a list of things they need to find. Give a time limit and emphasize that each member of the team should be able to find at least one item on the list to ensure they will help one another.
• Play Doctor – Provide the children with a teddy bear. Assign one toddler to be the doctor while the other will be the daddy. The teddy bear (the patient) will have to be passed to the doctor for a check-up and then returned to the daddy. Then, switch their roles, the doctor will be the daddy and the daddy will be the doctor.

Encourage

Each time you see your toddler share, praise him. Let him know how happy you are because he shared his sandwich with a playmate who forgot to bring his snack box or commend him for giving his old toys to charity. Remember, all it takes is a little praise to encourage someone to continue a good deed.

Most importantly, make sure you let your toddler witness it with his own eyes. Give him the last piece of cookie. Share your ice cream. Offer to open the door for an old woman.

Notice how your toddler dresses as Superman or how he thinks he is a bat by day and a vampire by night? Those are products of his imaginative mind. Toddlers are very creative by nature. But sadly, they can lose this skill as they grow older. Here are a few parent-tested tips for raising a creative child.

Encourage Experimentation

Forget the rules and let your toddler try out things without having to worry how they should be done. Let him combine colors together, design a plain white t-shirt, build things with his toys, do arts and crafts, cut different shapes using cookie cutters or whatever he wants to do. Free play gives him the freedom and the chance to think outside the box.

Read Books

Books are the best instruments to liven up the mind. Read magazines, storybooks, newspapers and brochures together to fuel your toddler’s fantasy. Encourage your little one to come up with his own endings.

Give Your Toddler Tons of Creative Materials

Provide your little one with plenty of supplies such as papers, crayons, pencils, paints, clay, sand, glue, tape, building blocks, puppets and the likes. This will give your toddler tons of fresh ideas and get those creative juices flowing.

Play Creative Games

Make up your own stories, with your toddler as the main character. You can start off and then have him take over the story. Let your toddler stage a play or better yet, invite your neighbour’s kids over to your house and hold a “pretend play day” for them. Give them costumes and have them make their own rules and storylines.

Play charades. Get the whole family involved, form two teams and play off against each other. The drawing game is also another very good game. Have your toddler draw a squiggle (uneven curve or twist) on a board or paper and ask him what it is. Then, draw more squiggles and let your toddler connect them to build objects.

See The World

One very effective way to boost your toddler’s creative mind is to allow him to explore the world. Schedule a day trip to the zoo, park, museum, construction sites, train tracks and countryside. Go camping during the weekend. Give him a shovel, shallow dish, magnifying glass, a notebook and a pen so he can examine and list down the things he saw while he was playing detective in your garden.

Ask For Your Toddler’s Opinion

Each time you ask for your child’s opinion, it gets him thinking. Just ask simple questions like what he wants to eat for dinner, what he thinks about your house rules, how he felt when his playmate accidentally pushed him or where he wants to go.

Be Creative Yourself

You do not have to be Picasso to be artistic. Inject creativity in your everyday activities such as changing the lines of his favorite children’s song, using your fingers to paint or using a glass to flatten and cut dough as a substitute to cookie cutters and rolling pins. When your toddler sees your resourcefulness, it will eventually rub off on him.

Nurturing your toddler’s creative spirit will get him far in life. So make sure you provide him opportunities where he can exercise his imaginative mind.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night to find your toddler whining about his throbbing legs? Most probably, your toddler is experiencing growing pains which normally occur in the legs, front of the thighs, back of the knees and calf muscles. These pains are very common in children ages 3 to 5 and then again between 8 and 12.

Causes

The causes of growing pains in children are unidentified. But, what is proven is that growing pains are a part of toddler development and that the pain is not caused by growing bones. Some child health experts believe that the intense physical activities (e.g. climbing, jumping and running) performed during the day can cause growing pains.

Symptoms

Recognizing growing pains can be quite tricky. Here are some indicators to help you identify growing pains:

• Dull aches in the muscles, not in the joints (lasts about 10 – 15 minutes)
• Pain causes nighttime waking
• Pain is absent in the morning and is only felt before and during sleep
• No symptoms of sickness such as fever, chills, limping and puffiness

Handling Growing Pains In Toddlers

You cannot prevent growing pains. But, you can help alleviate some of your toddler’s discomfort with these tips.

Give A Massage

The best thing to do is to massage your toddler’s legs, focusing on the muscles that feel tight. A massage allows the blood to circulate which will relieve the tension in his legs. To do this, place one or both hands on your toddler’s legs and knead gently yet firmly for 15 minutes.

Do Some Stretching

Encourage your little one to do stretches an hour before his bedtime especially if he has had an active day. You can also make him lie down on his bed or on a flat surface and then gently twist and flex his legs. This will help prevent and ease sore muscles so your toddler can sleep through the night.

Give A Warm Bath

You may also give your toddler a warm bath before tucking him to bed. The heat from the water helps loosen up aching muscles which help your toddler relax.

Elevate The Legs

Try putting some pillows under your toddler’s legs to elevate them for at least 10 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. This is an excellent technique to improve leg circulation because it permits the body to easily drive the blood out of the legs since it does not have to work against the effects of gravity anymore.

Hot Compress

Place a heating pad or a hot water bottle around your toddler’s legs to keep them warm. Never cold compress the legs as it will only make the pain worse.

Give Pain Medicine

You can also give your toddler the right dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. But, consider this as a last resort.

If you notice inflamed joints, severe limb pain or suspect your toddler is suffering another condition that causes leg pains, it is best to see your doctor immediately for an evaluation.

Stuttering in children is normal, especially those between two and five years old. This happens because they are still learning to talk and construct words. Stuttering is a form of dysfluency – a disruption in the flow of speech. Generally, it does not cause speech problems. But, it is essential for parents to know its causes as well as the treatments available to make sure that the stuttering does not affect the toddler’s self-esteem.

Causes

Genetics

Stuttering can run in families. If you, your husband, your mother or a close family member also stutters or stuttered, then most likely your toddler will acquire it.

Stress

A toddler’s childhood can greatly affect his development. Stammering can be caused by stressful events such as divorce, welcoming a new baby, moving to a new house, starting preschool or death.

Speech Problems

Another cause of stammering is speech and language problems. Young children may stumble over their words because their brains have a different way of processing words which results to a problem with the way the brain’s messages interact with the muscles and body parts necessary for talking.

Family Dynamics

Although not yet proven, it is commonly believed that stuttering is attributed to high family expectations and a fast-paced lifestyle.

Treatment

Create Opportunities For Talking

Most often, toddlers stutter because they are excited, angry or scared. Wait for your toddler to calm down and then engage him in conversations without distractions (no TV, computer, etc.). For example, you can talk with your little one during dinner, when giving him a bath or before tucking him to bed. Pleasant, stress-free conversations will help your toddler process his words better.

Do Not Be Too Critical

Pressuring your toddler with his speech will only make it worse. Avoid teasing, reacting pessimistically, correcting him or finishing his sentences every time your little one stutters. Instead, repeat the sentence fluently yourself so that he knows you understand him and hear how it is supposed to sound.

Speak Slowly

Each time you talk to your toddler, keep a calm, pleasant expression on your face, smile and then speak slowly and clearly. This will help him mimic your speech pattern, basically teaching him fluency and to slow down his own speech.

Do Fun Activities Together

Have fun together. Do enjoyable activities that focus on speech. Play charades. Build blocks. Read books. Role play. Sing a song. Your child may feel a little insecure because he is not able to talk straight. Thus, making him feel loved will give him reassurance that nothing is wrong with him, which is a very good confidence booster.

Speech Therapy

If you feel your toddler is a true stutterer (repetition of words become excessive, vocal tension, has facial and body movements along with the stammering and refuses to talk for fear of stuttering), it is best to talk to a speech therapist. A speech therapy program can help improve your toddler’s language while teaching techniques to stop the anxiety related with the condition.

Watching your toddler stammer is frustrating. But, do keep in mind that this is a normal phase in his speech development and he will outgrow it no time. As long as you are there to support him, everything will be fine.

Teaching your child to write is no easy task. It is a process that needs to be nurtured through time. But, with your support, patience and determination, you and your toddler can accomplish this. Below are some tips to help you out.

Show It

The first step to encouraging your toddler to write is by writing yourself. Show your little one that writing is fun and important. Write lists, notes and letters in front of your toddler and read them out loud. Give him a paper and a crayon to encourage him to imitate you. Even if he is just scribbling, at least he is able to exercise his handwriting skills.

Provide Manipulative Activities

Make playtime educational by introducing your toddler to fun activities that help improve his manipulation skills. Play with clay. String Cheerios to a piece of yarn or string to make a necklace. Encourage him to construct things using his building blocks. Finger paint together. Help him use safety scissors to cut shapes from paper and pictures from old books and magazines. Doing these activities helps him practice finger and hand movements which helps enhance his manipulative and fine motor skills.

Introduce Writing Materials

After introducing him to activities that promote his writing skills, it is time to present your toddler with writing materials. Give him crayons, coloring books and dot-to-dot books. Keep paper and washable crayons and markers around the house so he can draw and doodle anytime he wants to. Teach your little one how to properly hold a pencil. Help your toddler draw shapes, lines and stick figures. Ask your toddler to write stories about the things he did that day. Let him write cards and notes during holidays and important events (e.g. birthdays, Valentine’s day or a letter for a sick friend). Let him write using sidewalk chalks or on a dry erase board. Praise him for a job well done. Stick his masterpieces to the refrigerator, the wall or frame them to recognize his great work. Be positive and resist the urge to make corrections.

Print Your Toddler’s Name

Keep your toddler interested to write by teaching him how to write his name. Guide his hands so he can write the letters of his name on a piece of paper. Better yet, print his name as an outline. You may use Microsoft Word or Microsoft Paint to do this. Just choose a large font, select outline and then print it. This will make it easier for your toddler to focus in between the lines while he follows the outline of the letters in his name.

Read Aloud

Reading is a very effective way to teach a toddler to write. Read a book every day. Pick out books that contain colorful images and bright, short phrases. Good examples are the alphabet and number book. Read these books to your toddler and repeat it. This will make it easier for your toddler to recognize the letters and numbers and soon start writing them.

Remember that learning should always be fun and exciting, and with the help of these methods, your toddler will learn how to write in no time.

Toddler development follows a timeline. Children are expected to achieve certain developmental milestones by a certain age. However, developmental delays are unavoidable. Here is a guide to help you spot the signs as well as some advice for treating them.

Cognitive Warning Signs

Cognitive developmental delay can be caused by a learning disability, contact with harmful elements (alcohol, toxin, lead, etc.) and hereditary problems. Warning signs include – inability to follow simple directions, does not point at objects, wave, imitate sounds and search for objects that are out of sight and failure to identify the function of common objects like a telephone, spoon or toothbrush.

Treatment

A specialist may prescribe medications to help treat behaviour problems. Your toddler can also undergo an educational intervention to help him develop specific cognitive skills.

Language and Speech Warning Signs

Language and speech problems are the most common type of developmental delay. This delay may be because a toddler is autistic, exposed to a multilingual family (family who speaks more than one language), has a learning disability, middle ear infection which results to loss of hearing or dysarthria (difficulty with the muscles controlling speech).

A toddler with this developmental delay cannot respond to loud noises, jabber and laugh, use sounds and identify his own name, have trouble expressing himself like waving, pointing and imitating (communicative intent), difficulty uttering several consonant sounds by 12 months and fails to say at least one word by 15 months.

Treatment

Enrolling a toddler in a special education program can help him overcome his errors in grammar, pronunciation and verbal communication. With the help of a speech pathologist, you will be given guidelines that will help you easily administer these techniques at home. Getting treatment for middle ear infection also helps treat this impediment as well as encouraging make-believe play, talking, singing and reading to your toddler every day.

Motor and Physical Warning Signs

Premature toddlers may not develop muscles at the same rate unlike full-term toddlers. Warning signs of motor and physical developmental delay are – inability to support head, reach and hold objects, roll over, sit up without assistance and walk by 18 months.

Treatment

Your toddler’s doctor can recommend certain techniques you can practice at home to encourage more physical activity. He may also need physical therapy that includes specialized exercises to improve the tone and agility of his muscles.

Social and Emotional Warning Signs

Generally, behavioural problems occur before a child starts school. This may be caused by detached and ineffective parenting, cognitive problems, autism, Asperger’s disorder (condition that affects social and communication skills) and Rett syndrome (brain disorder).

Signs that your toddler might have a delayed social and emotional development include – inability to make eye contact, perform weird mannerisms like rocking, staring blankly and repeated hand twisting, putting hands into the mouth and clapping. Aggressive behaviours such as biting, hitting, kicking and frequent tantrums as well as lack of interest in making friends and unusual attachment to a parent or severe separation anxiety are also warnings signs of behavioural delay.

Treatment

Play therapy is the best way to treat this developmental delay. Exposing your toddler to children his age by holding play dates, enrolling him in a class that will hone his interests, keeping your cool instead of reacting to your toddler’s outbursts with yelling and spanking, listening and responding also helps him deal with this delay.

Keep in mind that toddlers do not develop at the same pace. Some are early bloomers while others develop at a later time. But, it is helpful to be aware of the signs of developmental delays in children so one can take immediate action.

Reading is the best way to boost a toddler’s language skills. There is no right or wrong time to raise a child who loves to read. The secret to doing this successfully is to keep reading a fun and relaxing activity for your toddler. Here are some tips to help you guide your toddler to become a reader.

Read Aloud

Read out loud to your toddler every day. Studies show that the earlier parents read to their children, the better their language and literacy skills develop. Encourage your toddler to sound out words and to read a sentence as you continue the story. Reading to and with your toddler makes him feel a part of the learning process which makes the story more interactive, and when a child becomes involved and thinks beyond the plot, he will learn to love reading. This activity not only exposes him to books but also serve as a cozy bonding moment with your little one.

Make It A Part of His Daily Routine

Reading has a way of calming people, which is why the bedtime story is a well-loved tradition. But, there are a lot of daily events that also provide good reading opportunities. For instance, you can read a book over breakfast, during bath time, while he is using the potty, after he wakes up from his nap or during his playtime.

Choose Books That Will Interest Your Toddler

Another effective tip to raise a reader is to provide your toddler books that will interest him. Generally, toddlers love board books, pop-up books, rhyming books, fairytales and books with big and bright pictures. Furthermore, expose him to different kinds of reading materials. If your toddler is interested in cars or if he loves to swim, give him graphic novels, magazines, audio books or reference books about cars and swimming.

Create A Comfortable Reading Space

A reading-friendly atmosphere is very important. Create a space where your little one can read comfortably without being disrupted by the TV, his toys and other people. You can place a beanbag, rocking chair or a couch and a good reading lamp close to a bookshelf in a corner.

Visit Libraries and Bookstores

Make a weekly or monthly trip to the library or to a bookstore and let your toddler pick out books he wants to read. He will love being surrounded with shelves and shelves of books and since he is free to choose the books he likes, he is more encouraged to read.

Talk About It

Do not hold a question and answer session about the story of the book. Ask questions that will make your toddler think beyond the plot. For instance, ask him “Which character would you like to befriend?” or “If you were the author, how would you have ended the book?”. Or, you can try relating events in your family to the story you and your little one just read. Encourage him to ask you questions as well.

Repeat

Children love consistency. Hence, the reason why they want to hear the same story over and over. Once your toddler hears the book repeated a lot, he is able to memorize his favorite words and phrases and point out things in the book he has not noticed before which increases his reading readiness.

Read Yourself

Your toddler loves imitating you. If he sees books around the house and sees you pick up a book, curl up on the sofa during your down time, he will learn that books are essential to daily life. Showing your own love of reading is the most powerful tool to encourage your toddler to read.

Raising your toddler to be a reader is probably one of the best things you can instil in your child. Books are food for the soul, and it is with reading that one’s mind can explore and travel infinitely without spending a cent.

Now that your precious angel is growing up, it is time to turn that nursery into a room that can grow with your toddler. Below are some easy toddler room ideas you can try.

Talk To Your Toddler

You will not be able to transform a baby nursery to a toddler room if you do not know the needs and wants of your toddler. He will be the one to use it, so it would help to know what his likes and dislikes are. Sit down with your toddler and discuss what colors or interests he would like to have incorporated into his room. Let him help you make some of the decisions.

Pick or Change A Theme

You can either keep the theme of your nursery or come up with a new one. However, the latter is a better idea because when you created your nursery, you and a few other people made all the decisions. This time, let your toddler choose the theme that he likes for his room. After all, he is going to be the one spending a lot of time in there. Go out with your toddler, shop around and help him select a theme that he likes.

Choose A Bed That Appeals To Your Toddler

The bed is going to be the major focal point of your toddler’s bedroom. Therefore, you have to pick a bed your toddler will like. You can keep his convertible crib to help him easily transition from crib to toddler bed or choose custom theme beds. They are safe, sturdy and versatile substitutes to traditional beds. Plus, it will let your toddler infuse more of his individuality into the room. You can even have custom theme beds designed to blend in with the elements of your toddler’s nursery so it will not make him feel like he is in a strange environment.

Take Out Excess Furnitures

Now that your little one can sit up, crawl and walk, he will need a room that has lots of space so he can move around without hurting himself. Get rid of unnecessary nursery furnitures such as the changing table and the nursery rocking chair. He will only need a dresser, cabinet (for storing your toddler’s clothing essentials), a toy box (for his toys) and a durable small-sized set of table and chairs where he can perform his activities (e.g. coloring, drawing, storytelling, etc.).

Change Room Accessories

One of the quickest and least expensive ways to convert a nursery to a toddler room is to change bedroom accessories. You can repaint the walls, change beddings, window treatments, lighting, use wall art, place picture frames or hang your toddler’s artworks.

Create A Quiet Area

After a long day of playing, your toddler will need a place where he can relax. Create a quiet corner that invites rest by placing books, stuffed animals, pillows and a small chair.

Transforming a nursery into a toddler room is actually very easy. All you need to do is to prepare and plan carefully so you can provide your toddler with a flawless transition from the nursery into the toddler’s bedroom.

Some toddlers are extroverts while others are introverts. If your toddler belongs to the latter, warming up to people can be difficult for him. But, with your support, he can grow into a confident individual. Here are some tips on how to overcome shyness in toddlers.

Do Not Attach A Label

It is best not to describe your toddler as “shy” or “timid” when you are talking to him or to other people. He may hear you say it and take it as a criticism. The label will likely stick to his mind and he will come to accept it as a fact which will only increase his timidity or make it his excuse to avoid uncomfortable social situations. Just try to think that he takes his time to get comfortable with people he does not know.

Do Not Belittle

Nothing crushes a toddler’s self-esteem faster than hurtful words and comparison. Never compare him to a more sociable child, tease or express your frustration with his lack of social skills. You will make him feel bad and damage his confidence which will only make his shyness worse.

Increase Exposure

Encourage your little one to associate with others, but do it gently so as not to overwhelm him. Set up play dates or a backyard party and invite a small group of kids his age or children younger than him (so he will not feel frightened). Go to the park or to your local zoo and invite your neighbour’s child to join you. Make more trips to the playground. This will allow your shy toddler to interact with other kids by playing in the sandbox, sitting next to someone on the swing or waiting in line for the slide. These interactions will encourage your toddler to talk to other kids. It may take some time for him to warm up, but the more exposed he is to people, the more comfortable he will become.

Hone His Talents

Know your toddler’s interests. Does he love playing the piano? Being in the water? Doing arts and crafts? Then enroll him in a piano, swimming or art class. If your toddler is around children who share the same interests, he will feel more at ease, making it easier for him to mingle with other people.

Practice

Practice at home. Maybe his teddy is in the park and teddy sees children playing tag, he wants to join but is scared to approach them. Ask your little one what he should do and make suggestions as well. Role playing is a great way for toddlers to learn things, especially people skills.

Be Compassionate

Ask your toddler why he is anxious. Is it because he is afraid the other children will tease him or will not like him? Share your own childhood stories. Tell him about the time when you went to a birthday party with your mom and how scared you were because you do not know everyone in the party. Tell him what you did and how you made friends with the other kids in the party. Assure him that his feeling is normal and that even the outgoing child in the park gets shy. This will make him understand that everything is okay, he is fine and he can overcome his shyness.

Compliment

Give praise each time your toddler makes an attempt to reach out. He has to know you appreciate his efforts. If you catch him waving at a child when he is about to leave the playground, say “That is a good wave. You made the child smile.”

Try not to worry too much. Most often, a toddler’s shyness is just a phase or his way of adjusting to the things and the people around him. Just relax, be patient and focus on helping him feel comfortable with himself, and in no time, your toddler can face the world confidently.