Development
2-3 Yrs: Why? Why? Why?
As your child's speaking ability combines with her thirst for knowledge,
you may become very tired of the 'Why?' word.
Your
toddler's favourite word is 'Why?' As her thinking becomes a little more
abstract, your child wants to know the meaning behind everything. She
is constantly demanding to know how and why everything works - from the
coffee-maker to the rain clouds in a storm.
'Tell
me why... ?'
How you react to her desire for greater understanding will influence her
curiosity and desire for knowledge. Encourage a lively and questioning
approach to learning. Always answer her questions, however trying it is.
Read
her simple books that explain how things happen. Let her sit on your knee
to watch educational children's TV programs or videos. Occasionally, set
up simple experiments to demonstrate what you are saying.
Numbers
Your child can count 3 or 4 items correctly and recite more numbers by
rote. She enjoys counting games and is gaining a rudimentary understanding
of sequence. She knows that 2 comes after 1, in the same way that she
understands she will go to bed after her bath.
Shapes
She is also beginning
to sort things by shape and can probably say and match some colours. Give
her games that involve simple sorting and matching of cards, like 'Snap!'.
Let her help to choose the clothes she will wear, matching them by colour
or patterns.
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