Teaching young toddlers

Alright, so I don't have my ece. I've done a lot of reading and a few courses on child psychology and such, but I have no idea how to teach children. So far, I have three kids - all under 18 months. I would like to teach them...stuff. What can I expect them learn? How do I teach kids from 1 - 4 years? Does anyone have any places I can to learn this stuff? I would like to get my ECE i nthe future, it's something I've been toying with for years, but I want to make sure I'm "made to be" a daycare provider.

Thanks for much for your help

Sam

A lot of us don't have our ECE's and we're doing great. I have practical experience, not book learning experience. :laugh: That's why I approach everything with safety first and experiment with whatever will work for the group depending on the ages. I love having the older children because it is gratifying when they know the answers for the flashcards and really appreciate the stories and puppets, etc. But they appreciate it because I started doing all of this when they were babies here.

Repetition does work, even though we don't know they are soaking up all the songs and stories and games, all of a sudden one day they start singing or answering the questions and every child is different. All children start to blossom at a different age. I have a 23 month old boy who just started doing all the hand movements and half the words to about half of my circle songs and I almost fell over!

Toddlers learn be doing and the 'teachable moment' through play is your strongest ally at this age ... labeling their world for them in an authentic way to build language and so forth.

Reading, singing, finger plays and little games to do help foster turn taking and other social skills.

Social skills should be the focus at this age ... at least IMO they have all their little childhoods to learn their ABC and 123 but if they do not know how to be a NICE FRIEND it will do them little good ;)

Others may not agree, but I am completely with Reggio on this one. Toddlers at that age learn through play. Right now, what I would be paying attention to is co-operative skills, listening skills, sharing skills, etc.
As you go, though; sing some songs about the concepts you would like to begin. The library, YouTube, Google, etc will be your friend. Of course you want to start with the basics. The letters of the alphabet, sounds the letters make, counting from 1-10, days of the week, colors, etc. I find attaching a tune to something (and they DO NOT care if you can actually "sing"!! LoL) makes it stick for them.

Toddlers are just learning how the world works so throughout the day either with their own play choices or the planned ones I offer we discover things like what fits inside what, how many fit, concepts like up and down, tall and short, expand vocabulary.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

Toddlers are just learning how the world works so throughout the day either with their own play choices or the planned ones I offer we discover things like what fits inside what, how many fit, concepts like up and down, tall and short, expand vocabulary.

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Exactly ... if we plan the envrionment carefully with materials that promote learning verses toys that 'entertain' instead they 'teach' themselves cause the days are full of so many natural and teachable moments authentic to them and their world ... even at snack time taking the apple and showing I have a whole apple, I cut it and I have2 half apples, I cut them again I have a 4 quarter apples and so forth - natural math lesson in fractions, counting and so forth....and because they can see, hear, taste, smell the 'lesson' it STICKS way more for them.

Great lessons in 'sharing' to make sure everyone gets a 'fair' amount of a snack ... how many times do we need to cut the apple to make sure everyone gets a piece?