Let’s look at a day in the life of a toddler. Typically they will get up, have breakfast and then play. Next it is lunch and a nap and more playing. They’ll play until supper, eat and then play again. Bath time, which is more playing, is probably the last thing they will do before they go off to bed for the night. Some will say “what is so hard about that?”

Let’s take a look at it. A toddler doesn’t have a lot of knowledge. All they have is what they learned as an infant. As a toddler they will learn how to walk better and then even run. Their communication skills will develop more, and they will also learn about cause and effect.

For adults it is common knowledge that hitting, biting, etc. is not a good thing to do. That is not the case with a toddler. They will hit or bite a few times and be corrected on it before they learn that it is something they shouldn’t do. Building blocks would be another example of what toddlers could learn about on a daily basis. They have no idea that one block will stay on top of another when you place it there. They also don’t know that as you pile them up you can only go so high before they fall. This is all something they learn through trial and error.

I know if you tried to imagine yourself constantly learning all day, every day, it would probably give you a headache. Well that is the life of a toddler! So the next time your toddler does something wrong remember it is part of their learning process. Work with them and help them learn everything they can. What you do with them now contributes to who and what they are as adults. Above all else remember to always have fun with them!