It probably seems like yesterday that your bundle of joy was born but already the transition from baby to toddler is upon you…

Toddlers are great. It’s fun, fun, fun but it’s also hard work.

Children develop at an incredible rate and the toddler phase is probably the quickest rate of development in their whole lives. Your child will go from being a baby to being able to talk, walk and play in just a short space of time. Don’t blink because time waits for no-one.

Superdads guide to toddler development

By the age of two years your toddler will probably:

• Be able to walk unsupported and may even run a lot. Running may prove to be a little problematic though and tumbling to the ground couldl be a common occurance.
• Get into the car without help.
• Become possesive of items that were previously not that important.
• Enjoy looking at books
• Be imaginative enough to play games where it is based on “Pretend”.
• Be able to distinguish your emotions.
• Start to understand the concept of feelings – both his own and the feelings of others.

By the age of four your toddler will probably:

• Be able to pedal a tricycle.
• Play on the swings unaided
• Kick a ball – not quite ready to play for England but he’s on his way.
• Turn pages of a book.
• Use the toilet rather than a potty.
• Be able to count to five or six
• Understand the concepts of birthdays and christmas.
• Develop friendships with children of a similar age – sometimes these early bonds can last a lifetime.

In most households dadtime is Playtime

“When a child is playing, a child is learning”….that’s a quote from a world renowned author, well not quite. It was written by me but none the less it is a very important point. A child uses playtime to develop in seveal ways.

Firstly it helps develop the childs senses, the sense of touch, smell, sound and so on are used daily when playing. Toddlers want to hold everything and inevitably they want to put it into their mouths to taste it.

Secondly playtime encourages the toddler to show emotion. Laughter being the main goal when you’re playing with your child but they may show tiredness, sadness, happiness or frustration but all are part of the learning curve which is so important to your child.

Playtime also encourages learning skills. Your child will watch you, copy you and then will try to impress you. All this goes towards a healthy development.

A few things to do at home:

• Let junior help you when you are doing something. For example give junior a little brush to sweep up if you are tidying the house.
• Finger painting is an all time classic. Just make sure you don’t get distracted though or the whole place is going to look like Sherlock Holmes finger printing catalogue.
• Play hide and seek…just don’t look too hard.
• Playing with crayons and pencils is a sure winner. Toddlers love to scribble.
• Try a bit of cooking. Maybe bake a few cupcakes or make a trifle. Junior is going to love it if only to lick the utensils.

A few things to do elsewhere:

• Have a picnic. Kids love picnics so why not take the opportunity to get outside and relax if the weather is suitable.
• Visit the park. Open spaces to run around, slides, swings and a roundabout. What more could a toddler want.
• Go outside and push junior around on his little cars.
• Play with a bat and ball or even just a ball. Hours of fun can be had not to mention the benefits of the exercise.
• A favourite of children of the past is going to the park and flying a kite. It’s not such a common site these days but still a great bit of fun. Kite flying on a beach is also fun as the coastal breeze can make it much more enjoyable.
• Swimming is great for kids.  Exercise for all the family and it’s fun too. I would recommend taking your toddler swimming as it’s never too soon to become confident in the water. Who knows, what is playtime now may save your childs life if they were ever to fall into water.

Potty Training

As we’ve said above, by the age of four your little ray of sunshine will probably be using a toilet but before this can happen you will need to go through the Potty stage.

There is no particular age at which you should expect your little one to start using a Potty but generally it is anticipated that girls will start to use a potty somewhere in the region of 24 to 30 months old whilst in some cases boys are nearer to 36 months old.

Picking when to start is driven by your child. Usually you’ll get to a point when your child is letting you know when they ‘ve got something in their nappy and this is the first sign trhat they are ready. Just get the potty out and leave it in an accessible place ready to go. Encourage your toddler to sit on the potty and maybe paly with a toy whilst they sit there. If a little poop or pee is produced then give applause or signs of recognition for a job well done (pardon the pun). If things aren’t going to well don’t get frustrated – return to nappies and leave it a couple of weeks mor ebefore trying again.

You may wish to try Training pants during the Potty training times as this may encourage your toddler to act as a “big girl/boy” with your encouragement.

For further Potty training advice visit the weblink below:

Make your home a safe environment

Here are a few tips that will help make your home as safe as possible for your little toddler:

• Don’t have tablecloths that hang over the edge of the table – One quick pull and it’s all going to come tumbling down.
• Stairgates are a must. These can also be used in the doorway to the kitchen.
• Make sure any furniture with sharp edges is moved or padded.
• Cover electrical sockets with safety covers.
• Keep plastic bags away from children. Several children in the UK each year are suffocated by nappy bags.
• Make sure all Medication and cleaning products are out of reach.

If you need help in where to buy safety products refer to our money section where you will see an article on “Equipment and Shopping”.

Author: SuperDads

We’re here to make a difference. Superdads not only offers advice but we are her e to promote the importance of fatherhood. Many people are oblivious to the fact that Dads really do matter and this is something we’d like to put right.

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