Development

Letting Your Toddler Pitch In

Little chores lead to big rewards

By Donna Amato, Parenting
 

 Letting your toddler pitch in while you work around the house expands her vocabulary and builds self-confidence,  say experts. Other things she'll discover:

If she likes to: Play in her pretend kitchen or feed her stuffed animals
Let her: Wash veggies ("Give that potato a bath!"), stir batter, place cooled food on trays, and set the table (with unbreakables!)
What she learns: Kitchen science -- how to blend ingredients, for instance-- and hand-eye coordination

If she likes to: Dump the laundry basket upside down
Let her: Match like items
What she learns: In addition to sizes and colors, kids begin to pick up the concept of family teamwork

If she likes to: Play with water
Let her: Give water to yoru pet and plants. Jill Lukasiewicz of Mount Sinai, NY, says that her 2-year-old can pour water in their dog's bowl with only a few spills
What she learns: That other living things need our help to grow



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Risqué Halloween costumes are becoming more and more popular for preteens. Does this concern you?

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