The world is a place waiting for exploration and
discoveries for toddlers. Constantly learning, toddlers are curious about how
the world runs and are starting to look for connections related to their own
environments. This is the time when toddlers are beginning to expand their
verbal vocabulary. The main key is to do repetitious work with your toddlers
because they thrive on repetition.
A growing child will be constantly learning about shapes,
colors, numbers and letters. A toddler will learn these things differently than
a preschooler would. This is the time to introduce basic concepts of the above
terms. Be sure to include songs, visual aids-such as pictures or objects, and
stories.
When introducing shapes to your toddler, point to the appropriate shape and say
"circle" or "square". It helps to point at a variety of
items while naming the appropriate shapes. Toddlers will be able to soon tell
the difference between a circle and a square. Encourage your child to repeat
after you as you introduce shapes.
By pointing at an object, you could mention the color. For example, you could
say to your toddler, "Wow, you are playing with a blue car." You have
told the toddler that is the color blue. Randomly point at different objects,
and mention the color and the name of the object. Allow your child to repeat
after you as you mention colors.
During the toddler phase, it is best to teach them to memorize counting 1-10. I
taught my son to count in two different languages. Incorporate counting into
your daily activities. For example count to five or ten before starting or
transitioning to a new activity. Then once they are comfortable counting by
themselves, you can begin teaching them to recognize numbers visually.
Toddlers love songs and games. It may seem like an overwhelming task to teach
them the alphabet, but it doesn't have to be. Sing the ABC's everyday. Have
your toddler repeat after you. Like counting, incorporate the alphabet song
into your child's daily activities because learning the ABCs takes time.
Never pressure your toddler in learning these concepts
because it may discourage future learning. With careful planning, you can
easily incorporate concepts into your toddler's daily schedule. Learning should
be fun and a creative experience for them. Repetition is a type of learning and
teaching tool for toddlers. Be sure to repeat these concepts throughout the
day, every day.
Mom Topics 
Shereen, Thanks so much for the remin...
I have done a couple of scrapbook lay...
I started pumping at 6 weeks postpart...
I'm going to BlogHer and I'm so excit...
So funny, I have been thinking about ...