The Importance of Toddler Activities    by Simone Smith

in Education    (submitted 2011-11-04)

All parents want their children to grow up being happy, healthy, and wise. What many parents do not realize is that they can give their child a head start to all this and more when they are as young as toddlers. A toddler, only a few years of age, may seem awfully young, but studies have shown that toddlers who take part in home or preschool child development activities have a much higher concentration rate, social skills, and confidence level.

All toddlers have the same thing in common, they learn best through hands on learning. Just as a child will learn how to walk and talk faster if his parents spend time teaching him how to walk and talk, that same child will learn other skills if exposed to them early on. This can be done through a series of toddler activities, whether they take place at a preschool or learning center, or at home with the parents or other caretakers bonding with their child through hands on activities.

A great way to do this is to limit screen time and replace it with more meaningful activities. Screen time refers to anything that involves a screen, whether it is a computer, television, smartphone, or iPad. That is not to say that your child can never watch "Sesame Street" again, but studies have shown that limiting screen time increases concentration level. Many of these "screen" items are designed for children, but because toddlers are hands on learners, they will learn faster through play rather than watch. For example, a toddler will learn the ABC's much faster if they are exposed to blocks with the letters on them, rather than watching a TV character sing about them. The blocks are more hands on, therefore they enhance child development because the information they present will stick in the child's mind longer. With the absence of TV, a child's concentration level improves, making learning easier.

Another benefit to these toddler activities is that they can help increase social skills. By doing activities that require interaction with the parents or other caretakers, or with siblings or other children, children will develop social skills and will learn how to interact with others.

Finally, one of the most important things in child development is a child's confidence level. A child can be the smartest child in the room, but if they do not have the confidence to believe in themselves, they will not get very far. Confidence is something that must be taught early on, or your child risks struggling with it for their entire life, even well into adulthood. Fortunately, being frequently exposed to hands on activities that allow them to learn new things and put their skills to work can improve confidence levels. This is because activities involving toddlers praise effort, not outcomes, and having your child do her best, regardless of the outcome, is all that matters. That is one of the most important lessons a parent can teach their child.

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If you are interested to learn more about child development activities, please check out the toddler activities at http://www.123toddler.com.