For toddlers, the world is a classroom. The amount of data they absorb and classify during the first three years would take our breath away -- if we had a minute to stop chasing after them and think about it.
Toddlers are driven to explore and learn. Maria Montessori, the first woman doctor in Italy and a pioneer in early education, noted that slum children with nothing else to play with would pick up crumbs – not to eat, but to examine and manipulate. When these children were provided with some well-devised educational materials, their intelligence levels soared. Now, ninety-some years later, news magazines run cover stories on the incredible learning potential of the first three years of life as though it’s news.
A toddler’s play is ceaseless, but very little is random. Repeatedly opening and closing doors, emptying drawers and cupboards, turning off the dishwasher – activities we regard as nuisances – actually have a serious purpose Consider how a scientist observes, builds hypotheses, collects data, and frames experiments – this will give you a sense of what is really going on with any toddler. Cause and effect, sound pitch and quality, colors and textures and smells – so much to learn, so little time!
Parents can maximize their toddler’s learning experience by providing exercises which help them organize the data they are so busy absorbing. These can be created from simple materials, as described in my book Mommy, Teach Me! (Broadman and Holman).
But you can give the value of any activity or plaything a boost through understanding some important innate potentials which prepare children to become the best learners they can be:
- Independence: Meet your child’s needs for self-reliance by teaching dressing skills early. The confidence gained from these little victories will go a long way toward giving him a positive attitude toward learning later on.
- Order: Children learn best in an orderly environment. Organize your child’s play area. When possible, display playthings on shelves. Keep sets together in plastic boxes. Emphasize putting one thing away before getting out another.
Concentration: Demonstrate new activities slowly and carefully to your child. If he sees you obviously concentrating on an activity, he will concentrate too. Also, encourage your child to repeat tasks. A long period with one activity is more beneficial than flitting from one task to another. Concentration is the most important item in any student’s package of learning skills.
With just these few insights, you can help your toddler make the most of his early years. Just remember: if the world is your toddler’s classroom, then being his mom is all the credential you need to be his teacher.
