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Play For Toddlers
Toddlerhood is a unique stage in a child's life and that of their parents
No longer a baby, but not quite a "person", life for a toddler (and with) a toddler can be wonderful, difficult, exciting, fascinating, frustrating, rewarding and impossible!
And most of it is spent in PLAY!
When a toddler plays, they make DISCOVERIES
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They discover THEIR BODY - what it won't do, what bit by bit it can do. |
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They discover PEOPLE: how they look and sound and feel, but more how they react - warm and responsive, cool and withdrawn, gentle or enthusiastic, encouraging or disinterested. |
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They discover THINGS: objects, toys, the kitchen cupboards, sounds, tastes, textures, and what happens when they shake, bang, drop, hammer, manipulate and combine them. |
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They discover STUFF: water, sand, playdough, paint, crayons, bubbles, food, soap, mud - and what happens when they explore and enjoy them. |
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They discover the beginnings of PRETENDING: Teddy is fed, "cups of tea" are poured, dolly goes to sleep, cars go brm brm, trains go under bridges. |
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With help they discover SINGING and MUSIC, and making interesting rhythmic sounds with simple instruments. |
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They discover early BOOKS: looking at pictures and with the co-operation of loving adults, enjoying the rhythm of words simple everyday stories and rhymes. |
From waking up to bedtime, it's all about discovery
and it all happens through PLAY!
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