Prepare your child for the big move to the toddler room by fostering independence, language, motor, and social skills through simple daily activities at home.
Moving from the infant room to the toddler room is a big step for your little one. But it is also an exciting one, with new opportunities for them to learn, grow, and make friends! Help prepare your toddler for a smooth transition by developing these easy and important skills through everyday interactions at home.
1. Foster Independence
Toddlers are eager to do things on their own. You can help by:
- Offering chances to self-feed with a spoon or finger foods
- Putting on or taking off simple items of clothing like socks, a hat, etc.
- Encouraging your child to hold their own cup (with supervision)
- Set up a safe area with age-appropriate toys for independent play
- Practicing simple clean-up routines like putting toys in a basket
These activities build confidence and prepare them for classroom routines where independence is encouraged.
2. Support Language Development
Even if your child is not talking in full words yet, you can help build their communication skills by:
- Narrating your actions and objects, such as “Mommy is washing your hands with soap”
- Encouraging gestures or simple sign language for common needs
- Encourage singing songs with motions, such as “head, shoulders, knees, and toes”
This helps your child understand and express themselves, which eases their transition into a new environment.
3. Promote Cognitive Skills
Help your toddler improve their attention span and prepare for the learning environment in the toddler room by:
- Read together daily and point to pictures
- Encourage problem solving through activities like puzzles
- Work on sorting and matching skills, such as sorting socks by colour
- Play some simple games like Simon Says to practice listening skills
These skills will help your toddler practice listening and following instructions, making for a smooth transition to the toddler room.
4. Develop Fine & Gross Motor Skills
Toddler classrooms include activities that require stronger motor skills. Encourage development by:
- Help your child practice turning the page of a book
- Offering safe opportunities for climbing, crawling, reaching, and walking
- Introducing stacking toys like blocks or soft balls for throwing and rolling
- Letting your child explore different textures and objects
These experiences help your child keep up with their new, active environment.
5. Practice Social Skills
Toddler rooms involve more group play and interaction. You can help your child prepare by:
- Arranging short playdates or time around other children
- Practicing turn-taking with simple games
- Modeling polite words like “please” and “thank you”
- Use puppets or picture books to discuss feelings and talk about how to appropriately express emotions
Even small steps toward social play make a big difference in helping your child feel comfortable around peers.
6. Encourage Self-Comforting Skills
As your child becomes more independent, self-soothing becomes important. You can help by:
- Offering a favorite blanket or toy during quiet times
- Teaching simple calming strategies like hugging a stuffed animal
- Praising efforts to calm themselves without immediate help
These skills will help your child adapt more easily to new teachers and surroundings.
7. Build a Routine
The toddler room comes with more structure than the infant room. Help prepare your toddler to adapt to this by:
- Creating and practicing a morning routine
- Eating meals at designated times everyday
- Following a nap time and bed time everyday
These skills will help your toddler smoothly transition into the rhythm and routine of the toddler room.
Moving from the infant to the toddler room doesn't have to be overwhelming for you or your little one. These simple activities and behaviours are the perfect way to practice skills your toddler will need before they even get there! By fostering independence, language, social interaction, motor skills, routines, and self-comforting habits at home, you are giving your child the tools they need to thrive in this exciting new stage.
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