In our last blog, we covered the needs of infants and how Prosperity Day School meets those needs. We know that meeting the needs of the children in our care goes far beyond making sure their basic physical needs are met and that they are safe. If you have not already read that blog, you can do so here. In this blog, we will cover the needs of toddlers.

A Safe Place

When discussing safety and a toddler, there are several ways it can be meant. First and foremost, physical safety is important because toddlers seem to always be trying to injure themselves! Of course, they don’t understand the consequences of their actions, so they don’t know that stepping off the curb is dangerous or that the pan on the stove could burn them. When this lack of awareness is coupled with an insatiable curiosity and the uncanny ability to move quickly, it can cause parents to feel like they can’t so much as turn around lest their child get hurt.

Prosperity Day School has taken care to make sure our facility is safe and that the children in our care are out of danger. Our play area, for instance, is designed to be age appropriate with small-scale equipment, has Perma Grass, and is well-shaded so children can play outdoors safely, no matter the season.

Safe To Grow and Learn

Safety for a toddler also means the freedom to make mistakes and to be guided to learn from them. A toddler can be the sweetest, most loving creature to ever purposely drop food on the floor, and they can be manic crank-bots from the planet Karma who make you wonder what you were thinking having kids. But they are so young and have so much to learn. Sometimes, the emotions they experience are so overwhelming, and because they don’t know what to make of them, they act out in ways that are totally inappropriate to grownup eyes. They are learning self-control, and an important part of that is learning experience is to make sure that they are safe to make mistakes and that they are supported in their efforts grow and learn.

A Toddler is a Wonder to Behold!

It will seem like just yesterday when they couldn’t even hold up their heads, and now they are walking, climbing stairs, playing with blocks, and, most miraculous of all, talking! A child is referred to as a toddler generally between the ages of 12 and 24 months. Their development is amazing to be a part of. Of course, these time frames are relative, and each child is different. Some are taking their first steps at nine months, while others don’t start walking until they are a year old. If you are concerned about your child’s development, speak to your pediatrician about it.

Physical Development

• Most toddlers are standing by 12 months, and many are walking by that time as well.
• Over the subsequent months, they will learn to step backward, step up stairs, and jump in place.
• Fine motor skills will also develop, enabling different types of play and an increased level of self-care, including feeding and dressing.

Language Development

• Toddlers have been “talking” for awhile now, but now are saying actual words, other than mama and dada, and can start to communicate.
• As the months go by, they will start to collect words they love the sound of, and they’ll be able to name animals in books, body parts, and whatever their experience teaches them.
• This is an amazing, word-sponge phase.

Social Development

• The toddler phase is a time of turning outward in one significant way. At some point between 12 and 24 months, your child will grow from playing alone but next to another child to engaging with other children.
• This transition from parallel play is not always a smooth one, and they will probably need some guidance when it comes to sharing and caring.
• This transition and the help they need to navigate this time offers their caregivers opportunities to turn challenges into teaching moments.

To learn more about Prosperity Day School, call to make an appointment to tour our facility. We are confident you’ll love our staff and our great playground with Perma Grass and plenty of shade!