Once your young child turns 2, you'll want to help him gain some independence in achieving daily tasks. At this age, your child will become more strong-willed and often want to do things “myself.” While it may take more time, encourage this behavior and give your toddler the skills he needs to accomplish these self-care activities.
During the toddler years, you want your child to: Learn how to dress himself, how to drink from a cup, how to use a fork or a spoon at the table, how to wash his hands, brush his teeth, and work towards toileting.
Here are some easy steps to follow that will help you as the teacher:
• Get down on your child’s eye level and gain his attention.
• Break down the routine into simple steps & state each step with clear directions.
• Take a photo of each step and post it where the routine takes place.
• When teaching your child to do each step, model how each is done.
• For activities that might be difficult, state the direction as “first/ then.”
• Encourage your child as each routine is completed and celebrate when the task is done.
• Make a chart that shows when each activity is done during the course of the day.