Parents of toddlers have watched their children grow at an astonishing rate. The amount of growth from one year to the next is tremendous in young children and the foundation for learning is laid early during this period. Two year olds have very different needs than younger toddlers as they begin to learn new skills and understand the world around them. Every child is different, but there are some common behaviors that most two year olds share. They are curious, still rely on their parents for security and support, and can have a hard time with social interaction. If you need tips on training and teaching toddlers here are six things you should know about your two year old. Two year olds generally begin to show an interest in playing with others, but they will mostly play alongside other children rather than with them. It won't be for another year or so that toddlers have the social skills necessary to play cooperative games with other children. Parents of toddlers are often warned about the "terrible twos" when tantrums are frequent. Toddlers often have tantrums because they are not able to express themselves and their emotions verbally yet; so help them to verbalize their feelings to minimize tantrums. Toddlers learn best when they are able to create things on their own rather than copying an adult made example. It may seem important that they color in the lines or make a bunny just like yours, but really it's the process of creation that is the best teaching tool. Many parents stress over teaching toddlers how to share, take turns, and interact wih others. While these are important skills that they will eventually learn, do not expect them to share or take turns by two years, they are busy developing physically and verbally, social development will happen later. Some parents try to train toddlers to use their right hand, but handedness won't develop for another year or two. So don't worry if they use both for drawing, coloring and other tasks, it is normal for two year olds to switch hands frequently when doing these tasks. Two year olds lean best through exploring and experiencing the world around them. Encourage safe exploration by providing many opportunities to manipulate everyday objects in a variety of settings. Parents of toddlers often worry about how to help their children learn and grow. Allowing your toddler to explore safely and setting realistic expectations of their abilities are the best way to facilitate learning.
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