What Moms Want To Know

Toddlers Learn By Playing...The Train Set Edition

We bought our son a starter train set for Christmas this year.  It's a figure 8 with a bridge the train can cross.  I was a little worried that it might be a little much for him, since he's not even two yet, but my worries were wasted.  

He loves his train set and as I have observed him play and played with him myself, I see that he is really learning from his it.

1) Gentleness
If he pushes the trains too hard or fast, they fall off the track, so I remind him to be gentle with the train.  He really gets it.  When I remind him, he immediatley becomes calmer and more gentle with the train.

2) Fine Motor Skills
Playing with the train set has helped his fine motor skills to develop.  This goes right along with learning to be gentle.  He is using basically the same skills.

3) Sharing
He and I take turns pushing and pulling the trains around the tracks.  And we talk about what we are doing, your turn, my turn, etc.

4) Colors
I will ask him to push the red "choo choo" around the tracks and he'll try to do so.  So far, he only knows "Yewow" but it's a benefit I had not thought about.  (Not that he could not learn his colors in many other ways, but it's working for us.)

5) Fun
Most importantly, he is learning all of these things while he is having fun.  He absolutely loves his train set, and that he is learning while he plays is just great. 

6) Independent Play
It is also helping with our Independent Play battle, he likes to sit and play with his trains, by himself!

WFMW 3 Activities To Teach Toddlers Helping Habits

Toddlers are notorious for getting into things.  My little guy is no exception.  If I turn my back for 5.2 seconds he has the bottom shelf of the fridge emptied of its contents and is busily reaching for the next shelf up.  So, to keep him busy and make him feel important, I've started letting him "help" with some household chores and he loves it. 

Three things we're now doing together:

1) Laundry
I let him throw the clothes into the washer.  He loves it, it's a game for him, and while it does take me longer to get my laundry done, it keeps him happy for a little while and I feel like we're spending some quality time together. And he seems so proud that he is helping Mommy.

2) Dustpan
Oh my goodness, he LOVES this.  He even brings me the broom so he can collect what I sweep.  I just sweep the floor and let him hold the dustpan while I sweep the trash into it. He then empties the pan into the garbage.  It works much better if I sweep everything over by the trashcan and let him dump it immediately.  This was at least some of what I swept actually makes it into the trash!

3) Groceries
I let him put up (non-breakable) groceries.  He carries the boxes of cereal to the pantry and knows where to put his yogurt in the fridge.

While none of this saves me any time and, as you probably know, I actually spend much more time on these tasks when he helps, I feel like it's a good learning experience for him.  I hope that I am starting to build some lifelong habits and that it makes him feel like an important part of our household.  And, if nothing else, while he is helping, he's happy! 

For more great tips, head back on over to WFMW!

Helping Toddlers Learn Organization

Yes, I have a toddler, and no he is not organized.  I know the sheer ignorance of even thinking that a toddler can or should be organized.  But.... I also know the genius of introducing any habit you want to instill early.  And... as a former English teacher, I know that organized students are successful (most of the time) students and I figure the earlier I start introducing the concept of organization the better.

My son is almost 20 months old, so he is at the developmental stage where he just kind of naturally organizes his stuff.  By organizing his stuff, I mean he likes putting all his blocks in a pile, all his toy cars in a pile and so on.  To encourage what nature is already helping out with, I went to Target and bought some bins for his toys.  I labeled them Legos, Blocks, and Puzzles (which also gets him looking at words and letters) and each night before bed we put his toys into their bins.  He thinks it's a game, my den is neat (at least until he gets up the next morning) and I hope that I am instilling in him a good habit. 

Mommy Inspired, Toddler Completed (with help) Organization