Intellectual Needs of Toddlers

Toddlers view the world with wonder and look to caregivers for explanations. Play is toddler’s important work. They need hands-on experiences and opportunities for climbing and moving. They also need plenty of interesting things to look at, touch, and manipulate. Toddlers do things for the sake of doing them, not to get them done. Once they complete a task, they often start all over again. Scooping and dropping things into containers and then dumping them out are one of their favorite activities!

To meet the intellectual needs of toddlers, make sure you:

•       Provide an appropriately challenging and safe environment for them to explore and manipulate
•       Provide large containers full of objects for them to carry, fill, dump, and refill
•       Provide opportunities for making choices without interfering with selections
•       Avoid interruptions of their activities, as much as possible
•        Engage in many one-to-one, face-to-face interactions with them daily
•       Look at simple books and pictures with them, pointing out objects, discussing them and reading with them
•       Verbally label objects and events within their experience (use expanded language: “It’s a big white fluffy cat with a long tail.”)
•       Describe children’s and adults’ actions and the events that occur in the child’s environment (“She is sad, her mommy just left. Her mom will be back in a while to get her.”)
•       Respond to their attempts at language in supportive ways, by answering their questions and engaging in meaningful conversation about everyday experiences using real life words, not baby talk
•       Build their confidence; “You did that all by yourself!”

Related training:
Infant and Toddler Care
10 Hours Toddler Care