🚒 Early Toddler (12-24 months)

Exploring Everything

"Toddlers are scientists conducting experiments all day long. When they drop food from the highchair repeatedly, they're learning about gravity and cause-effect."
— Dr. Alison Gopnik, "The Scientist in the Crib"

What's Happening in Their Brain (Brain Science Insight)

  • Language explosion (50 words → 200+ words this year) - Rapid synapse growth in brain's language areas
  • Walking unlocks a new world - Motor development boosts spatial cognition and curiosity
  • "I do it myself!" - Emerging self-awareness, while still needing secure attachment
  • Testing boundaries - Not "naughty", but learning rules and cause-effect relationships
  • Parallel play - A preparation stage for social interaction, observing and imitating others
Research Note: Ages 1-3 are a critical period for development of the prefrontal cortex (responsible for self-control and emotional regulation). A child's emotional outbursts and stubbornness are actually part of their brain's learning process for self-regulation, not intentional defiance.

Activities

Language Explosion

1. "Name Everything"

What: Point and name objects constantly

Why it matters: Vocabulary grows from hearing words in context

How: "Look, a dog! The dog is brown. The dog says woof."

Research: Children who hear more words develop larger vocabularies

2. "Fill-in-the-Blank Books"

What: Pause at predictable parts, let toddler "fill in"

Why it matters: Builds prediction skills and participation

How: "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you... [see]"

Books: "Dear Zoo," "Each Peach Pear Plum"

3. "Choice Questions"

What: Offer two choices in questions

Why it matters: Easier than open questions; builds vocabulary

How: "Do you want apple or banana?" (show both)

Math Thinking

1. "Stair Counting"

What: Count each step as you climb/descend

Why it matters: Rhythmic counting builds number sequence

How: "One, two, three, four... four stairs!"

Parent tip: Same stairs daily = repetition that sticks

2. "Sorting Helper"

What: Sort laundry, toys, or snacks together

Why it matters: Categorization is foundation of mathematical thinking

How: "Let's put all the socks here. Can you find another sock?"

3. "Full and Empty"

What: Water play, sand play, pouring

Why it matters: Teaches volume, quantity concepts

Materials: Cups, containers, water or rice

How: "This cup is full! Now it's empty. Let's fill it again."

Science & Curiosity

1. "What's That Sound?"

What: Pause and listen to sounds together

Why it matters: Builds attention and observation skills

How: "I hear something! What is it? ... It's a bird!"

2. "Drop Experiments"

What: Let them drop different objects (safely)

Why it matters: They're learning physics - gravity, cause-effect

How: "What happens when you drop the ball? It bounces! What about the scarf? It floats down."

Parent tip: If they drop food, they're doing science (annoying science, but science)

Toddler Feelings

"Big feelings are normal at this age. Toddlers feel emotions intensely but don't yet have words or brain development to regulate them. Your calm presence helps their brain learn to calm down over time." — Dr. Daniel Siegel, "The Whole-Brain Child"