- Uses senses (eyes, hearing, touch, smell, taste) to learn
about the world
- Learns by repeating actions over and over
- Watches what others are doing and copies.
- Learns by doing daily activities, dressing, seating, sitting
at the table with others, doing chores, watching how things
work, going on errands.
- Is curious. What to explore and see how things work.
- Is self-centered. Believes that he/she is at the center of
the world and can control things.
- Can name items
Preschooler (3-5 years)
- Learns to think with head
- Develops a memory for symbols and objects from experiences.
- Learns language easily. Best time to learn second language.
- Believes everyone thinks the way they do (egocentrism)
- Sees only one aspect of an event (centration)
- Begins to put like things together (classify)
- Begins to understand up, down, under, over, around, right,
left
- Has a weak understanding of time.
How to help your toddler learn
1. Talk to your child. Point and repeat names of things.
2. Read to your child. Point at objects on the page and name
them. Tell the child "GOOD JOB" for naming things
in the story too.
3. Use day to day activities to learn to
--count the plates and cups
--say colors of clothes, name body parts
--taste foods and name sweet, sour, salty
--help with picking up toys because the job seems so big to
children
--let child watch you and help with simple chores
4. Give child toys to help him or her name size, color, shape,
sounds. Choose toys that can be played with in several ways.
Use things around the house for play such as boxes, egg cartons,
pots and pans.
5. Play with your child. Hide items in small containers (plastic
containers with lids, small Easter eggs).
What are some ways to help your toddler or preschoolers develop
mentally?
1. Talk to your child. Name things, ask them to name things
too. Describe items such as long, short, wide, few, many.
2. Read to child. Ask child to tell you the story after you
read. Ask questions about the story. Read poems and nursery
rhymes. They are easy to memorize and help language due to
rhythm.
3. Use day to day activities to learn
- measuring
- folding
- sweeping
- sorting
4. Pick toys that:
- use imagination like blocks, paper, colored pencils, puzzles
- have different size, shapes, colors to arrange differently
5. Play with your child
- Ring around the Rosie
- Think up over, under, through games
- Teach right and left with shoes, hands, point to body parts
- Talk as you play. Allow creativity.
