Acknowledgements - gapitc

Let’s Fix It
Give your toddler a safe and easy task to do as you complete a fix-it task like
pumping up a bike tire.
For example, let your child pull a wagon or basket outside with a small flash
light, a small wrench, and the bicycle pump.
Show your child how to push the button to turn the flashlight on and off.
Tell him to point the flashlight on the bike to help you see.
Show him how you push the pump to fill up the tire and use the wrench to
tighten the bolts.
Your child might enjoy toy tools, such as a plastic hammer and jumbo
pounding pegs.
One year olds still explore objects by putting them into their mouths. Give infants
and toddlers only playthings that are safe, non-toxic, and lack small parts like wheels
that could break off.
Household items make the best toys. Use plastic spoons, plastic bowls that nest
with lids that are easy to put on and take off, and empty large boxes.
Offer just a few toys at a time to hold your child’s interest. If you put out too many
toys, your child can become over-stimulated, and the clean up takes longer too!
Your toddler may want you to read the same story or sing the same song over
again. That is okay. Repetition will help them learn and make it easier for them to
join in.
Look for ways that your child is creative in her thinking, such as using sticks when
the shovels are gone or moving a box to step up to the sink. These are signs that
she is developing problem-solving skills for learning how to solve problems.
Encourage your child to be curious and explore. Give him plenty of time for watching,
listening, touching, playing and trying new things. Let him help clean up and figure out
how things work. All of these are skills that will help him learn throughout life.
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