Your toddler is going to be hard to stop these days! Encourage her to explore the playground and to play with other children. Let her decide what equipment she wants to play on and introduce her to related vocabulary. “These are the monkey bars. Look at that girl use her strong muscles to swing across them!”
During his explorations, your toddler is learning to define what he likes and doesn’t. He is gaining control, learning to express his emotions, getting used to unfamiliar adults and learning how to interact with peers. Speaking with him is developing his oral language skills and helping him to understand how to communicate. He is investigating the world around him as he participates in play with different toys and objects. He is beginning to understand that there are rules to follow, and he is developing his gross and fine motor skills.
Playgrounds are a great place to observe living things. If there is a pond, show your toddler the fish in the water, the worms crawling in the dirt, and the ants marching in line, hard at work. Point out new things to her. “Oh! Look at the duck feather. Feathers help keep ducks warm and dry in the water.”
Doing this will help your child learn to figure out and express his likes and dislikes. He will gain control, learn to express his emotions, and learn to get along with unfamiliar adults and peers. He will improve his communication skills. He will learn about the world around him as he participates in play with different toys and objects. He will begin to understand that there are rules to follow. He will use his hands and feet to improve his movement.
It is important for your child to learn to take turns, and the playground is a great place to help her practice. When she asks to go down the slide, explain that it’s her turn to go after the other children in line complete their turn. Count down to her turn – “Just two more kids to go and then it’s your turn!” Congratulate her on waiting patiently. “You did a great job waiting in line until it was your turn. Do you want to go down the slide again or go somewhere new?”
This activity will help your child learn that there are rules to follow, and he will have to navigate his feelings about that. He will engage with other children and adults as he tries to communicate. He will respond to your language and imitate what you do and say. He will learn to gain control of his body and movements as he learns about the world around him. He will actively play with toys and objects as he tries his hand at problem solving. He will move his body to develop muscle control.