How do toddlers play

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Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. It might look like just child's play, but toddlers are hard at work learning important physical skills as they gain muscle control, balance, and coordination.

Each new skill lets them move to the next one, helping them master more complicated physical tasks, such as jumping rope, kicking a ball on the run, or turning a cartwheel. Toddlers always want to do more, which can motivate them to keep trying until they've learned a new skill, no matter what it takes. Take advantage of your toddler's natural desire to keep moving. Sure, you want to be aware of what your little one is up to, but once he's happily playing on his own, try not to hover.

Make sure that his play area is comfortably safe, and then show interest from afar. Acredolo warns. Also be aware of how often you instruct your child about how to play "Silly boy, that's a truck—you don't talk into it like a phone, you drive it around on the floor". You might mean well, but if you interject too frequently, you risk raising a kid who always looks to you for direction. Even when they think they know all the right answers, adults need to give their children the permission to have their own ideas," explains Dr.

Furthermore, toddlers are more likely to take pride in their accomplishments when they have chosen the goals. To encourage your kid to be self-sufficient, help him set up a pretend-play scenario, such as going to Grandma's house, but don't elaborate on the details, recommends Georgene Troseth, Ph. Ask questions about the car ride there and what will happen during his stay—then give your child a little distance and see what happens when he "visits Nana.

One of the best ways to get your child engrossed in play that doesn't involve you is by paying attention to the stuff she's naturally drawn to. Troseth suggests taking a somewhat counterintuitive approach: "What is it you always have to tell your child not to do?

Keep in mind that toddlers love to mirror the adults around them. So if you need your child to occupy herself while you're getting through your to-do list for example, tidying up the living room , provide a way she can "help"—say, with a kid-size toy vacuum that simulates the real thing.

Of course, to your kid, a major part of what makes playtime with you so fun is simply having some companionship. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Turn on more accessible mode. Turn off more accessible mode.

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Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician. Text Size. Page Content. A Prescription for Play Despite its many benefits, statistics show that the amount of time children get to play has been declining for decades. To help keep play a key part of childhood, pediatricians may begin writing a "prescription for play" at every well-child visit through age 2.

Pediatricians also advise parents to look for quality child care or preschool programs that include playful approaches to learning. Age-Specific Ideas for Playful Learning Learning is best fueled by tapping into a child's natural urge to play, rather than just outside factors like test scores.