Easy as ABC

Your little one starts learning from the minute he’s born, but he picks up more new skills in his toddler years than at any other time. We’ve got the lowdown on how to make learning fun

Every mum wants her tot to develop to the best of his ability, but does that mean devoting hours to teaching him his ABCs and123s? Shouldn’t his early years be all about having fun? Well, you can do both, with M&B’s guide to making learning fun – for both of you.

Literacy

If you’re worried that other tots at playgroup are saying their alphabet while yours is still talking gibberish, rest assured: pushy parents don’t do themselves or their children any good!

‘Toddlers are programmed to learn through repetition and copying, so some two- and three-year-olds can say the alphabet,’ advises Dawn Markham of the National Day Nurseries Association.

‘But they don’t have any understanding of what it means, and this can cause them confusion later on when they are ready to learn simple letter sounds.’ 

While your tot is tiny, concentrate on communication rather than literacy. Anything that helps him express himself and interact confidently with others will get him off to a flying start. ‘Nursery rhymes, particularly those with actions, are great, as they help your child understand words, actions and their meanings,’ says Dawn. 

‘Singing them with you or in a group with other children also helps him understand about interaction with others and getting a reaction from other people.’

Sharing books together will also fire his enthusiasm for stories and get him on the road to reading. ‘Store his books where he can reach them,’ suggests Dawn. ‘From about the age of two, many toddlers will begin to pick books out themselves and make up their own stories from the pictures.’

A photo album telling the story of his life is also a great way of encouraging your tot to make a beeline for the bookshelf. ‘All mums know that toddlers are very self centred!’ laughs Dawn. ‘Giving him his own story to tell, which he knows and understands, is a great way to boost his communication skills.’


Numeracy

Just as it’s a bad idea to ram the alphabet down your tot’s throat, it’s also not advisable to introduce numbers too early. ‘It’s much better to introduce numbers through play,’ suggests Dawn.

‘When you’re cutting up fruit, you might count out the pieces, or when you’re shopping, you could count the fruit and vegetables as you put them in the bag. But at this stage, it’s best to stick to numbers up to five.’ Counting songs are also a great way to introduce numbers.

Numeracy is about more than just numbers. ‘Concepts such as bigger/smaller and empty/full are all part of understanding numbers, size, patterns and shape,’ explains Dawn.  So in the bath, you might look to see which beaker has more water in it, or talk about the patterns and shapes when you’re threading beads.

Cooking is also a great activity for introducing values and quantities. But if your heart is sinking at the thought of flour all over the floor, Dawn has a top tip. ‘Stick to simple recipes that measure the ingredients in cups,’ she suggests.

‘Toddlers can understand that you need two cups of flour and the cup has to be full to the top. They also make a lot less mess using cups than spoons!’

Creativity

There really are no boundaries when it comes to encouraging your child’s creativity.  ‘Children have really vivid imaginations,’ enthuses Dawn. ‘The trick is not to inhibit them by trying to structure their play too much or stopping them getting messy!’

For babies and tots who aren’t yet ready for drawing, try introducing sensory activities, such as water mixed with soap flakes or corn flour (it makes a really nice, gooey gunge that drips off their hands) or play dough.

‘You can use peppermint or fruit essences to scent the play dough to really fire their imagination,’ suggests Dawn. Once your tot can hold a crayon, give his artistic temperament free reign with paints, paper and collage materials for sticking.

‘From about 15 months, toddlers will develop role play,’ advises Dawn. ‘This is when a dressing up box with hats, bags and keys comes into its own.’ But to really let your tot’s creative side take off, keep it simple: instead of recycling your cardboard boxes, give them to him to see what he makes of them. Rocket, house, bus – the possibilities are endless!

0-3 goals

It may be a while till your tot starts school, but during his early years, he’s expected to develop in the following four areas:

Strong child As well as being strong on the outside, he’ll be growing in inner strength and confidence. Your love and care will help develop this emotional security, while encouraging him to make his own decisions will boost his confidence.

Try showing your baby his reflection in the mirror: it will help him get to know himself and become-self assured. 

Skilful communicator Your little one can’t wait to make his views heard – he’ll use gestures and body language long before he has words. But communication is also about understanding other people. By setting boundaries and engaging in conversation with him, you’ll teach him about give and take, friendship and sharing emotions. 

Try playing copycat: poke your tongue out at him, clap hands or make a noise and wait for him to copy you, then take your turn to copy what he does. It may just be a game, but he’s already learning how to have a conversation!

Competent learner Babies are programmed to learn from birth. Your tot will use all five senses and will study you, his first teacher, to make sense of the world around him.

Try creating a kitchen orchestra out of pans, sieves, baking trays, wooden spoons and a tin of lentils. It will boost your little one’s co-ordination and help him explore textures and rhythms.

Healthy child By feeding and looking after your child, you’ll help him grow physically, but by caring for and loving him you’ll also help him to grow emotionally.

Try making a healthy picnic together and sharing it in your favourite park so he learns to associate healthy food with pleasure.