AuntyB and Grandmama

Song and Dance: Music with Toddlers

AuntyB: If "sing!" is included in some of your toddler's first words, you know that music has made an impact from infancy. Songs are like toasted marshmallows over an open fire. They are comforting, personal, satisfying and sweet. Sing to your unborn child, sing to your infant, sing to your toddler. It is an endearing experience that introduces music to your child.

Music is both thrilling and exciting, serene and restful. It is another world that gives variety and fullness to life. Singing is the starting place. If you don't know any songs, find a toddler teacher and learn their circle time songs and motions.

Create your own circle time, car time or outdoor time daily where you sing with your child the same circle time songs. Have fun! In sharing this time (ten songs, at least), you have made a lifetime of memories for your child.

Gradually, sing at other times. Add songs that are your favorites: Gospel, Western, Rock and Roll, Folk.  Sung over and over daily, the child will sing with you and request them. (Of course, don't forget the going-to-sleep lullabies.)

Examples of Circle Time Songs:

• Here We are Together
• Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Hickory Dickory Dock
• I'm a Little Teapot
• Ten Little Indian Boys and Girls
• The Farmer in the Dell
• The Wheels on the Bus
• Mary had a Little Lamb
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
• Open, Shut Them

Some of my favorite "other" songs are:

Art Projects with Toddlers

AuntyB: During the last post, I spoke a little of my philosophy of art and drawing. Art is not limited to three crayons and a piece of paper. Here are several more suggestions. Others will occur to you as you and your child try out different media.

• Clay work is another table media. Demonstration of rolling to make balls and snakes is fun. They may experiment on their own from there. A blunt edged plastic knife is fun to cut up the clay. Note: fun!
• Prepainting skills can be done outdoors with a three-inch paintbrush and a bucket of water. Toddlers can "paint" walls, outdoor furniture and ride-on toys with paintbrush and water. Remember, it is the process that they love.
• Bubbles!  Try a plastic flyswatter with a shallow bin of soap solution. These are easy to dip, wave and create bubbles. It is fun,too. Art should be a happy experience that gives expression to the body's discovery to tactile capabilities.

Art in Your Toddler's Environment

AuntyB: Art brings richness to your child's day. Purely tactile learning at this age, they experience feel of the media and develop eye/hand coordination. The wonders of the process are intriguing.

Be sure to closely supervise your child to prevent all of those artistic efforts from spilling over on to walls, floors and other non-art places.

A separate small table and chair with blank paper that extends to all table edges is good for crayons. Start with three colors in a box. Toddlers usually choose one color for the complete work, making scribbling movements back and forth across the page.

The big arm movements and learning to hold the crayon are the sole interest. (Your toddler will color from edge to edge and right on to the table if it is not covered.) Eventually mastery to keep the work on the paper develops along with fine motor skills.

This activity has a beginning and an end. Your child will walk away when finished.

AuntyB Hint:

1. Tape paper to table to keep it from sliding around during boisterous arm movements.
2. Toddlers need normal-sized crayons. The larger ones are too big for their small fingers.
3. When the activity is complete, take away the used paper and replace with a clean sheet, which invites more work.

Toddlers and Photos — in Books and in Your Home

AuntyB: Children need an understanding of the real world before they are able to abstract into fantasy books or the world of animation. Be sure to provide a wide selection of books illustrated with real-life photos.

Additionally, family photos in unbreakable plastic coverings and wood frames should be a part of the young child's play environment.

• Hang these family pictures at the child's eye level.
• 8 by 10 inch photos are the best size so that the child can really see who is in the photo.
• When your toddler touches the photo, you have a chance to say, "That's Grandpa. He is at home in Houston." Lots of language develops this way. Also, the child will recognize long distance relatives when them come to visit.
• Update these photos on a regular basis, placing the retired pictures into an album for your toddler's use.

AuntyB Hint: Copies of snapshots may be made into satisfactory 8 by 10's at your local copy shop for as little as 99 cents.

Reading with Toddlers: Create the Moment

AuntyB: An environment that richly provides for your toddler's development doesn't come by accident. You can create a separate reading area for your toddler in a quiet corner.

Place a small softly cushioned toddler chair in the corner with a basket of six books nest to it. Your toddler will engage when ready, independently. Sitting and looking at books will become a part of their routine. Also, having a child-sized comfy chair in the living room makes the child a part of the family unit. It is great to be together with each person engaged in reading in his or her own comfortable spot. Toddlers move toward independence all of the time. There are times to sit together and times to be together while sitting apart.

Making Reading a Special Time for You and Your Toddler:

Infant through Toddler Reading Plan

My toddler goes through a stack of books scattering them everywhere until the one wanted is found!

AuntyB: In addition to the toy shelf and a work area in the toddler's playroom, a separate reading spot is a must. But, it helps if you start at the beginning.

One idea that works, while babies are in arms, is a small rug on the floor with a clear plastic-sleeved shoe storage rack is hung on the wall over the rug. Each shoe pocket accommodates one board book.

Having a routine of sitting down on the rug and reading to your child either before or after lunch everyday begins a love for reading and learning.

The baby sits in your lap. As you hold the child and read, your arms and hands become an extension of the child's. They learn how to hold a book and turn pages by the way you do it. Soon, the baby will crawl to the rug for this special time with you and point to a favorite book.

As the baby matures into toddlerhood,

What Do You Do With the Rest of Those Toddler Toys?

AuntyB: To date:

1. You've decided on the six toys to place on your child's toy shelf that are of interest right now.
2. Six others remain in reserve in a plastic storage box labeled NOW. They will be brought out one at a time over the weeks to come and be added to the toy shelf for discovery by your toddler.
3. Once you have observed that a toy has not been touched for two weeks, remove it from the shelf.
4. Put that toy in storage and add another challenging piece.

Now, what to do with the tons of leftover toys? If you plan on having another child, clean the toys by washing and rinsing in Clorox water.

1. Use one ounce (1/8 cup) of bleach to a sinkful of water. Dip washed toys in the Clorox water.
2. Let the toys air dry thoroughly. Do NOT wipe them dry. Wooden toys need to be dipped quickly and placed separately since they may crack and splinter if left soaking in water.
3. It is the dipping and drying naturally process that kills bacteria, not the soaking. A quick dip is best.

If you have no further plans for the toys, clean and bleach the toys and take them to a shelter boxed and labeled by developmental ages.

For storing those toddler toys at home: 

A Simple Way to Sort Your Toddler's Toys

He has so many toys, I don't know what to eliminate and what to keep.

AuntyB: There is an easy way to determine what toys have an appeal and challenge to your toddler. Try a usage study:

• Make a list of every toy that is in the playroom.
• Sit down and observe for a 30 minute period of play in the morning and a 30 minute play period in the afternoon. Do not interact with your child; just observe.
• Each time your child engages with a toy make a tally mark on your list.

The results will be surprising and very helpful. If you can't believe the results, make further observations to see if there is the same pattern.

Then, keep out 12 toys that are favorites. Box up the rest. (More coming on how to organize excess toys.

Set up your toddler shelf with six toys. Add one additional toy every two weeks until there are twelve pieces to choose from. By then, you and your child will have found it desirable to keep the shelf organized after each play session. It cuts down on Mom's work and makes a pleasant place to return to.

Books, Art and Music are separate entities from toy shelf work, as is outdoor play.  Remember, a toddler's main work is practical life and gross motor.

Time spent in relating practical life skills is far more interesting and compelling to the toddler. Loading the dishwasher, folding and carrying clothes, dressing and dining are activities that need careful attention and plenty of time to develop.

What's cooking in the kitchen usually takes precedence over any toy. The child who is included in practical life experiences with the adult is most fortunate. The toddler's sensitivity and inner desire is to learn about the real life going on around. An adult who can take time to allow and share life experiences with the child provides rich learning that a few entertaining toys can never achieve.

Toddler Indoor Toy Shelf Work Ideas

Grandmama: Before AuntyB gets into the ideas she has for that toy shelf, I'd like to speak a word on safety. Some of the "work" she mentions involves manipulation of small parts. And, therefore, I must speak of choke hazard.

Whenever you're thinking of using items that seem small, you have to have your total awareness on what your child is doing.  You can't be called away to the phone or distracted by the doorbell or the dog. An instant is all it takes for tragedy.

Such items must be placed out of reach when not directly supervised. And I do mean totally out of reach. If the shelf is for marginally supervised play, you must limit the toys to those "safe" for your child.

What is small? The Consumer Product Safety Commission has established guidelines and publications to help. You'll want a choke tube. From the CPSC:

The Small Parts Regulation specifies how to test for small parts. In essence, if we determine that a toy is intended for children under 3, the toy is tested using a small parts test cylinder, also known as a “choke” tube. This is a hollow truncated cylinder with dimensions specified in the Small Parts Regulation. If the toy fits entirely within the cylinder, it’s considered a small part. If it doesn’t fit, it’s subjected to use and abuse test procedures and any parts that detach or break off the toy are similarly tested with the choke tube.

A cardboard toilet paper roll is roughly the diameter of a choke tube, so people at home may use that as a general guide if they’re concerned about a toy’s size for a young child.

Sadly, a choke tube and careful scrutiny of toys is not enough.  In 2006, two children choked to death on the oversized, plastic nails that came with Playskool's Toy Bench.  That toy remains on their "10 Most Wanted" List.

One of the current horrors is the Magnetix toys.  The magnets can come off and if swallowed or inhaled can attract to one another causing perforation or blockage of the intestine. According to CPSC:

To date, CPSC and Mega Brands are aware of one death, one aspiration and 27 intestinal injuries. Emergency surgical intervention was needed in all but one case. At least 1,500 incidents of magnets separating from the building pieces have been reported. Although the Magentix hazard was initially thought to be a problem primarily for children younger than six, it has since been learned that at least ten injuries involved children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.

Since you're reading this on the Internet, there's no reason for you not to subscribe to CPSC's recall for infant/child products. They email you a notice whenever they recall one.

So, it's not enough to buy "safe" toys like the Playskool Toolbench or age-appropriate ones like Magnetix. Accidents happen. It is up to you to maintain you awareness and discipline your children for the protection of their lives.

AuntyB's IDEAS FOR INDOOR TOY SHELF WORK

• Bead Stringing: Large wooden beads and a flexible fish tank tube with a knot in the end is the best to begin with. (Grandmama: Not so long a section of tubing that a child could strangle itself with it. Watch every minute where those beads go. No, this is not boring. Cultivate a sense of wonder and discovery at what you see unfolding before your eyes.)
• Simple 2 Piece Puzzle: Individual pieces with matching pictures in the opening help with language as well as successful placement of the piece. Be careful that pieces do not have difficult edges to fit in for beginners. (Grandmama: And check them out with your homemade choke test tube.)
• Viewmaster with multiple slides. (Grandmama: Teach careful use. Supervise.)
• Inexpensive wind-up music box. (Grandmama: One for children or for total direct supervision.)
• Later: Threading cards.

What Toys Do I Put On The Toddler Toy Shelf?

AuntyB: Now you have a long empty shelf -- toddler waist high -- with trays and baskets to house twelve toys. A four by six foot unpatterned rug is close by. This is where your child may choose to either stand at the shelf and work with the toy or carry it to the rug area to work.

Mom, can you see how excessive toy clutter is coming under control. Toddlers do move a lot and a five-minute focus on any one item is a long time.

You have observed your child and found the twelve items that are frequently engaged with. With these toys, the shelf will be a continuing delight to the discoverer. He now finds all his favorite work close at hand without digging through and scattering those toys in which he has no interest.

It's up to you, Mom, to begin conditioning your toddler to work with one item and return it to the shelf. You don't have to be arbitrary, just consistent. "I see you have finished with this toy. Let's put it back on the shelf."

During a thirty-minute playtime, your toddler may engage in all work or continue for a time with one toy until satisfied with the challenge of that piece.

I recommend that you start with six toys: three on the top shelf and