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Home › Articles › Development › Teachable Moments

Teachable Moments

Encouraging Little Minds and Helping Them Learn

By Melinda Copp

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Toddlers are like sponges, absorbing everything around them. And parents know that toddlers don't miss a thing. In fact, children learn a higher concentration of information in their first few years than they will during any other time in life.

The most important thing parents can do at this stage is maximize everyday toddler teachable moments.

"I use every moment as a teachable moment, really," says Jessica Galligani, a mom from Allentown, Pa. "I speak to Grayson about everything I do, whether it's stepping down off a curb or putting away dishes."

The toddler years lay the foundation for the rest of your child's life. The following tips will help you identify and use everyday experiences as an opportunity to teach your toddler and prepare him for lifelong learning.

Break for Story Time
Reading is the foundation of education. When you read aloud to your toddler, you build vocabulary and give your child knowledge that he can apply in his explorations. Toddlers also learn to understand story structure and gain pre-literacy skills, such as how to hold a book and turn the pages.

Make reading a special event by attending story hour at the local library or bookstore. And you can also make reading a part of your daily routine. For example, read a bedtime story or a naptime story to your toddler every day. Incorporating story time into your everyday routine is a good way to make reading aloud to your child a habit. Your toddler will love curling up on your lap for a story and some quiet time.

Don't be discouraged if your toddler is too busy to finish the whole book. Finish the story while he plays nearby. Your toddler will listen! And if your toddler gets hooked on a particular story, reread it.

"Sometimes you have to gather your self-control and read a book over and over," says Jane Kostelc, an early childhood specialist at Parents as Teachers in St. Louis, Mo. "Toddlers love repetition, and you can vary your emphasis on the words each time you read it."

Make Books Accessible
Like story time, keeping books in the house and making toddler-appropriate books accessible to your little one will reinforce their importance. Keep a stack of board books on the coffee table, or fill a low shelf with books that your toddler can handle. When books are available, your toddler can choose which one he or she wants to read and initiate story time.

Books that are appropriate for toddlers will be sturdy with cardboard or thick paper pages so they can handle them in typical toddler fashion without causing too much damage. Your toddler will also like books that repeat key words or phrases, pictures that tell a story without words and stories about familiar, everyday things. Think about what your child likes and then choose stories that incorporate those things. For example, if your toddler loves animals or a particular character, he will likely enjoy stories about them as well. Also look for stories that are told in a few simple words, use rhyming words and incorporate simple concepts like colors and shapes.

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