# Teaching Toddlers things



## x2startermom (Jan 8, 2010)

I have no idea how to start teaching my kids things. I've never really been around kids and none of my family will tell me how. They all think I'm idiot and consistently tell me it's common sense.

I've looked up on google ways to teach kids things but have come up empty handed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

How can I teach my kids things (ANYTHING)?


----------



## TNgirl232 (Oct 5, 2008)

How old are they?

I'd say start simple - If they are wearing a blue shirt say "What color are you wearing? Then say you are wearing Blue!" You can do this with anything - read a picture book and say "what is that?" Its a cat. What does a cat say? Meow!

Progressively you move on to harder things like the alphabet and numbers.


----------



## forwardtherapy (Nov 25, 2009)

TNgirl232 said:


> How old are they?
> 
> I'd say start simple - If they are wearing a blue shirt say "What color are you wearing? Then say you are wearing Blue!" You can do this with anything - read a picture book and say "what is that?" Its a cat. What does a cat say? Meow!
> 
> Progressively you move on to harder things like the alphabet and numbers.


That is such a short, sensible and insightful way of answering the question. Thanks for this gem of wisdom!


----------



## BigBadWolf (Nov 30, 2009)

TNgirl232 said:


> How old are they?
> 
> I'd say start simple - If they are wearing a blue shirt say "What color are you wearing? Then say you are wearing Blue!" You can do this with anything - read a picture book and say "what is that?" Its a cat. What does a cat say? Meow!
> 
> Progressively you move on to harder things like the alphabet and numbers.


This is exactly it.

Your anxiety is high, but that is normal. 

Simply to spend with the child, and let their natural curiousity of the world bring out from you what you will need to do and say.

This is both letting the child learn about the world, and for you and the child to learn about each other. Enjoy this time!


----------



## forwardtherapy (Nov 25, 2009)

Children learn from what they see and hear. That's why we need to take care what we expose to children.


----------



## artieb (Nov 11, 2009)

Read to them every day. The works of Doctor Seuss are bestsellers for a reason. Read the text and then talk about the pictures. "Do you think you'd like to eat that green egg?" (_Green Eggs and Ham_). "That dog isn't asleep. Oh, look now that one didn't wake up!" (_Go, Dog. Go!_). "Do you think you would like to sleep on that pile of pompoms?" "Oh, look at the little one sleeping in the keyhole!" (_Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book_)

Narrate what you're doing while you do it. Kids like to see what's going on. "So, now I have to put on the stamps. You peel it like this, and then stick it on like that. Then we do the return address stickers. Would you like to do one? Yes, just like that. Now we put them in the mailbox."

Once they get past 2 or so, computer games for kids can be great. I got a couple of the "Living Books" titles for my grandkids. They aren't made anymore, but you can probably get them used on-line; "Doctor Seuss's A-B-C" and "Just Grandma and Me" were two that the grandkids really liked.


----------



## Alexandra (Jan 9, 2010)

Reading to them is a great idea, so many things can be taught and talked about from the pages of a book.

Also be real with them in your thoughts, etc. Teach them as you learn (always remembering their level of understanding of course!). When you're excited about things, tell your kids about them, share things with them and listen when they want to share.

Look through their eyes, so to speak. If you think that something might be confusing to them, or that they may be curious use that as a starting point to "teaching" them. 

And remember that you don't know everything and so you can't teach them everything! Give yourself a break and don't get bogged down by your expectations.


----------



## x2startermom (Jan 8, 2010)

As for the age of my kids 18 months.


----------

