Your toddler...You Can...
…Is using and understanding a lot of new words.
  • Put her words into complete sentences and repeat them back. If she says, "Kitty...eat," say, "Yes, the kitty wants to eat his food."
  • Encourage your toddler to talk about how she is feeling. She can understand about being sad, happy, scared, lonely and angry. Talk about how different situations make us feel.
  • Read to your child often, from picture books or magazines. Let her turn the pages. Point and name familiar objects, and see how many she can name for you.
…Is moving with greater balance and greater control.
  • Teach your toddler how to walk up and down stairs. Practice going up with both feet landing on each step. Walking down is harder. First, practice stepping off a curb or small set of steps. Don't forget to hold her hand and watch carefully.
  • Teach your toddler to jump. Show how to bend the knees and push up off the floor. "Pop Goes the Weasel" is a good song for jumping. This will help strengthen a toddler's legs.
  • Hold your child's hand while she walks on curbs.
  • Let your toddler practice jumping off a low step onto grass or other soft surface.
…Should be able to follow simple instructions and enjoys helping with your work.
  • Ask your child to go and get things from another room. Praise her attempts to "help."
  • Ask her questions and give more complicated directions to follow. Practice giving her simple two-step tasks: "Take off your coat and hang it up." "Pick up your truck and put it in the basket."
…Enjoys taking things apart and putting them back together again.
  • Provide toys that feel good and that she can manipulate. Let her play with materials like sand, water, play-dough, dry macaroni and rice. Supply her with plastic cups, milk cartons and baskets. Encourage your toddler to put in, dump out, and pour.
  • Give toys that can be put together and taken apart, like Duplos, trademark snap-lock beads, and building blocks.
…Sees you as a very important person in her life, both as a loving parent and a friendly helper.
  • Make learning a positive, enjoyable experience for your child. Find her something to do when she seems bored. Share her excitement when she discovers something new. Help her out when she gets "stuck" in her play.
  • Stay nearby when she plays. She will play longer and more happily when she feels safe.

Source: "Tips from Tots: A Resource Guide for Your Infant and Toddler," by Cindy Baker and Toby Long. Vort Corporation.