Toddler Development
A toddler’s development is in stages as they grow, they master new skills, which become steppingstones for other skills they will learn as they move to the preschool stage and other stages after that.
Areas in which the toddlers grow are
- Sensory: Seeing, tasting, touching, hearing, and smell
- Fine motor: Writing, drawing, feeding themselves
- Gross motor: running, climbing, walking.
- Social: Playing, communicating with others,
- Language: Saying common words, trying to form sentences
By the end of the first year, your child will be saying simple words like mama and dada. They will move while holding on to the furniture, and they will bang tables playfully. Then when they are a year and a half years old, they will be able to say a few more simple words, walk without holding anything, scribble, climb furniture, feed themselves, and copy the older ones’ actions.
When they are two years old, they can conveniently run, kick balls, eat without spilling, read emotions, multitask with their hands, use gestures, and say phrases. And they would have developed cognitive skills like turning knobs and opening lids.
By the end of the toddler age, they will be able to talk coherently, answer simple questions, put on their clothes, avoid dangerous situations, and play with other children.
These stages help you know the appropriate skills to let the toddlers learn according to their age.
Essential Skills Toddlers Should Develop.
Even though the toddlers might not fully grasp the context of the skills at first, it helps them develop their brain and makes it easier to get better as they grow up.
- Communication Skills
Communication skills are essential for both young and old, and the earlier children learn it, the better. Teach the toddlers how to communicate with their words, body language, and sign language. They should also learn the art of communication.
The toddlers should learn effective communication by learning to focus on the person they are communicating with, respond accordingly, and speak with their body language. Also, they should learn to speak confidently to anyone of any age. The best way to teach them this is by doing it first so they can emulate it.
- Social / Teamwork
Interacting with their mates’ might seem difficult, especially since they are only used to family and friends. Ensuring they learn social skills helps them relate well with others around them, and teamwork is an essential soft skill everyone regards as an asset.
Engage the children in teamwork at home and encourage them to try out activities that will help them hone their skills.
- Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a skill toddlers can easily learn and improve on as they grow older. This skill can be worked on to improve their problem-solving skills. Every child should learn how to take in information, connect information, solve problems, take on new challenges, and the like.
Toddlers can improve their critical thinking skills when exposed to different concepts and appropriate information. Also, when they take on new challenges, it helps them think beyond what they know, helping them. Toddlers are always eager to learn, and they are more receptive since they do not know much, so it is best to keep them engaged.
- Decision-making Skills
This is also teaching them to be independent. Learning how to make decisions on little matters makes it easier to make more important decisions and so on till they know the consequences of decision-making and how to make life-changing decisions.
Teach them to weigh the pros and cons of a decision and let them face what comes after the decision. It also makes them more responsible and accountable in the long run.
- Money Management
Financial intelligence is essential to be better than many people in this age. Money management skills are the first step in becoming financially independent. And toddlers are not too young to be taught the value of money.
Teach them to save, budget, and even invest the money. Let them respect money and identify its value.
- Time Management
An essential skill practiced by successful people is good time management. Toddlers might want to spend all their time playing with toys and doing what they like. There are so many activities for toddlers, from school, extracurriculars, homework, athletics, family time, and the like.
If care is not taken, the toddler will either spend most of their time on a few of these activities or be too busy that they end up breaking down. So, it is best t teach them how best to manage their time by creating routines, priorities, and time limits until they can do that on their own.
- High Tech Skills
With the fourth industrial revolution, it would be a waste if children do not learn a tech-related skill until they are halfway through college. And even though your child might be too young to build a website or learn how to code properly, it is reasonable to prepare them for the task ahead.
Technology keeps getting easier and more accessible, and many children under 5 can operate a phone and software even if they can not properly tie their shoelaces. Preparing toddlers for a life of coding or other tech-related skills helps them develop other skills like decision-making and problem-solving.
There are different platforms, games, programs, and resources that make it easier for toddlers and preschoolers to learn high-tech skills. Pick one up and let them train with it.
Conclusion
You can never run out of new skills to teach your child but ensure you do it patiently. Teaching them these skills helps them build their personal, intellectual, and developmental skills to become better as they grow.
Be flexible and know your child’s interests. Then work with your child to help them be the best version of themselves.
