My twins are 16 months old and I want to start doing more learning with them but I am not sure where to start. I have all the tot school blogs but a lot of that is even too old for them. Also, I was wondering if they are too young for me to start hanging environmental print, such as color or shape words, etc? What about decorating the playroom with things like a chicka chicka boom boom tree and doing little activities where they can at least just stick velcro letters on? Any other ideas? Thanks!
At their age, sweetie, everything they do is learning. Show them how to pour water from one container to another (when they're in the bath) -- they're learning hydrodynamics! Other toys in the bath teach them that some things float and some things don't. Show them how to build with regular wooden blocks - they're learning about gravity and structural engineering! If they can sit still long enough, readreadread and talktalktalk to them. There are tons of preschool books that show shapes and colors and letters and numbers, and single pictures with one word, and since kids learn through repetition, you can read these books to them over and over and over. When you're dressing them, talk about putting on the red shirt or the blue pants or whatever, and when doing just about anything talk about using the yellow bowl or the brown box, and they'll learn colors. Teach them about textures - this is smooth, rough, scratchy, squishy, soft, hard, etc. There's so much of preschool through first grade that you can teach just doing your daily whatevers! I think LeapFrog has some gadget that you put on the refrigerator with all the letters, and when you put in a letter the gadget says its name and sound and plays a tune or something -- my dgd learned all her letters playing with one of those. Show them some baby sign language, like milk, more, grapes, apple, drink, cookie, mommy, daddy, and so on. Have fun just playing with your babies!!!
It's true what Lindina said. Read, read, read to them and then read some more. Have books for them to look at and 'read' for themselves. Give them paper and pencils to encourage their creative side. I liked your idea of the chicka chicka tree. And reading that to them as well would encourage them. Also try wooden blocks my kids still play with theirs And it great to learn engineering skills.
Thanks for replying! I already do all of those things and many more, but what I meant was that I would like to start more structured activities and was looking for some ideas on that. I like the boom boom tree but I just realized they will probably tear it off the wall right now so I am thinking of something similar I can do.... hmmm.
IMHO, I wouldn't start anything structured at that age. Here's why: there is MUCH MORE to learning than knowing the ABCS, and adding. There are so many things that infants, toddlers, and very young children learn about the world around them like: what happens when I throw this? How does mom react when I hit her? What is that spot on my tummy I can stick my fingers in? What can my fingers and toes do? etc, etc. When my ds was 18months old, I started potty training him. We did practice runs to the potty, giggled a lot, and had fun with it. But.. he didn't get the potty part really. It was just a chance for us to run back and forth, read silly books, and spend time together as far as he was concerned. At 3 I decided to stop for awhile. Two days later, he spontaneously used the potty by himself, and voila- he was potty trained. Did my 'practice runs' help? LOL- I honestly don't know. With dd, I didn't even TRY until she hit three. Then I ditched the diapers and kept an eagle eye on her. She peed on the floor exactly twice, with me picking her up and saying "oops, pee goes in the potty!". That was it.. she was trained. What I'm saying is.. when they are ready to learn something, they will learn it extremely fast. When they aren't, it's just a game and unless you are extremely patient (which I was, about the potty), it can be easy to get frustrated and wonder what you are doing wrong. I always watch those 'teach your baby to read' type advertisements and shake my head. I understand the temptation, but parroting back something isn't the same as UNDERSTANDING what it is, or being able to use it.
At that age I would focus on increasing play skills. Research suggests that children benefit more cognitively by having amble time to explore extended pretend play sequences during the early years rather than focusing on early academics. As a parent you can help your child extend his play sequences. For example, if your child hands you a cup to pretend to drink you can "spill" it and cause the pretend play to continue to cleaning up. This will help your child learn to extend his own pretend play abilities. However, if you do plan on teaching them a foreign language in the future I would start exposure now with DVDs, music, or books (if you can read that language).
It is tempting to start looking at "curriculum" for tots! I have a curriculum addiction, so checking out toddler stuff, for me is fun! I love going to www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com and seeing all she does with her tot. It makes me feel inadequate though. Mine is 18 months. I am thinking of doing Heart of Dakota's "Little Hands to Heaven" with her next fall. Only becasue my friend has it an all the books and she offered to let me borrow it. When she turns 3, I plan on using "Animal Play" by Teach me Joy www.teachmejoy.com Really, it is not necessary though! Unless they enjoy it, I wouldn't proceed.
I agree that I wouldn't add any structured learning at that age, I personally think it does more harm than good. I suggest reading Better Late Than Early By the Moores ETA: Hit send by accident Kids that age need routine but not structure-there is a difference. But-we basically unschool (we're not radical unschoolers) so you can take my opinion how you would like
My suggestion would be to not do worksheets. I think we as parents want them to do work when we need a break. Playing with them, reading with them, and just being with them are going to help. Sitting in front of a TV will not!
There are some very interesting blogs and products out there aimed at teaching children from 3+ months, and while I'm kinda in the middle, still forming opinions about whether or not I want screentime for my infants, I do want to provide a structured learning routine to their day. One thing you could do is look into Montessori, Doman and Sichida methods of early education. I think that at this stage its important to do some soul searching and figure out what you want things to be like and find a philosophy/school of thought that feels right to you and let that be your guiding principal in all your educational pursuits. There is also a book called How To Give Your Child a Superior Mind, it contains a program for 18months - 5years, so it might be a good fit for you. Theres a simplified version of the book available on line and the actual book seems to be out of print but maybe your library will have it. I'm enjoying reading GYCASM because it begins talking about some child prodigies of the past and where their parents went right and wrong with them. I'll send you some links in PM if you're interested in more.
I agree with the posts above. Having worked with this age group for years, they are ready yet for "structured" learning times. They don't have attention spans suited for that yet. By having a weekly theme that yo build playtime, crafts, and snacks around, they are beginning to learn concepts in a way that is child friendly for their age. Let them play and be babies while you can It passes too quickly.
