Instilling good emotional development in children is one of the most important things parents can do in fostering their toddlers. Naturally, toddlers have certain innate emotional abilities, but their understanding depends on their interactions with others during the early years of their life.

Ways to Enhance Your Child’s Emotional Development

Promote Positive Family Reinforcement

Toddlers always want to be asserted with their parents love and support. Thus, it is imperative to praise your toddler’s good behaviors. Each time he does a good deed, congratulate him. Whenever you see your little one exerting effort to dress on his own or fix his toys, give encouragement. If in case expected outcomes are not attained, give encouragement. Avoid scolding and negative criticism. Once your toddler sees that you are ready to listen, he can openly express his feelings without the fear of being judged.  As a result, a strong emotional resilience is created which will help your toddler in his adolescent years.

Give Feelings A Name

Train your toddler to use language rather than actions. This helps your toddler properly express his emotions. Teach him words like happy, hungry, sad, mad or scared. Once he learns how to name his emotions, he can better articulate them. So instead of crying or hitting, he can simply say “I am hungry.” or “I am mad.”.

Set A Good Example

Be your toddler’s role model. Since he likes mimicking his mommy and daddy, be cautious with your words and actions. Deal with your feelings by using acceptable coping methods. If you get mad, go to your room for awhile to give you time to calm down. Or, you can channel your emotions into something productive like cooking or painting. Once your toddler sees you do peaceful deeds inspite of your anger, eventually, he will follow you.

Nurture Him With Your Love and Affection

One-on-one contact is important to toddlers as it conveys the message that they are loved. Every day, never forget to express your unconditional love for your child. Lots of noisy kisses, cuddling, hugging, singing, talking and laughing whether he is happy or sad, cranky or energetic teaches your toddler that he will be loved under all circumstances. The attention you give enables him to properly develop his emotions molding him into a cheerful and likeable individual.

Pay Attention

If you want to learn anything, then you have to pay attention. Your toddler’s early experiences will shape the way he perceives things. Identify what triggers his tantrums and what makes him happy. Exaggerate your expressions by telling your toddler “Do not hit your brother, you wouldn’t want to make him cry do you?” or “The doorbell rang. Let us see who’s there.”. By encouraging your toddler to be more sensitive with his surroundings and the people around him, he can better grow, adapt and adjust his emotions.

Encourage Creative Play

Structured creative play activities like role playing, puppet shows, craft projects, baking cookies, playing with clay and painting lets your toddler express emotions he may have difficulty verbalizing. This allows him to convey his own thoughts and ideas. Plus, it serves as good practice in handling certain situations (e.g. bullying) he might encounter.

Toys are your toddler’s best friend. From infancy to early childhood stage, playtime will always be the number one priority of any toddler and toys will always be your tot’s partner in crime. While these things may seem superficial, toys present to be an enjoyable means of preparing the young for life in human society. These toys also play a huge part in a tot’s emotional growth. Along with the aid of parents, nurturing a child’s emotions becomes effective.

Toddler emotional development can be attained through different things. Toys are one of them. With its versatile functions, a toddler’s life becomes fulfilled and healthy. However, take note that toys can only be useful when it is coupled with parental love. Here are some examples of toys that can successfully boost your toddler’s emotional growth.

Puppets

Puppets of any kind such as a sock, popsicle stick or toy puppet can easily generate abstract ideas in a child’s emotions. Not only will your toddler be imaginative in creating these toys but as well as get the value of compassion and respect. The next time you play with your toddler, try holding a puppet show. Your tot can pick out the characters or the story he wants. To make it more fun, make up your own stories out of your puppets. By doing so, it allows your child to feel that he is important therefore increasing his self-confidence. Also, puppet toys allow your toddler’s emotions to be stirred because of the different character portrayals. Your tot will begin to learn the importance of being kind, helpful and courteous.

Blocks

Blocks have always been one of the favorite toys of toddlers. Cognitive and motor skills are not the only toddler development areas that toy blocks can improve. Building blocks for example are a great way to make your child believe in his own capabilities and strengths. Notice how your child calls your attention when he has finished building up something? This is a normal reaction of any toddler. Your tot instantly feels good and satisfied with his work. The sense of accomplishment is so great that he gets eager and confident to create things.

Storybooks

Books are great toys for toddlers. These toys get your child to grow both mentally and emotionally. Read to your child every day, during day and night time. Books are excellent instruments for instilling your child different values. Also, books allow your child to respond letting his emotions open up. A villain character can make your child feel that doing bad does not bring any good while the protagonist can help mold him to become respectful and loving to others.

Teddy Bears

Toy figures are very important to toddlers and these toys serve as the first step towards letting your child know the importance of self-worth and family. You can try buying your child teddy bears and task him to take good care of it. Aside from that, these toys also bring a sense of comfort to your tot. Teddy bears are like a security blanket for most toddlers. These allow your toddler to find comfort during uneasy times. Hugging a teddy bear during his sleep can also banish his being afraid of the dark or of being alone.

Every toy has a distinct function for developing a child’s emotions. It helps him realize the value of being humble, responsible, giving, respectful, loving, and caring allowing him to slowly discover his identity. Self-worth is also boosted letting him be emotionally fit which in turn allows proper emotional development he can carry on to adulthood.