Suggestions Pls for One Year Olds

[kindertime]

My suggestions with regards to the arts and crafts, forget crafts, it's the process, not the product. 4-5 yos can do some crafts, but otherwise, it ends up being you doing it yourself. With 1 yos and toddlers, I focus more on the sensory stuff. I have mentioned soap before. A small dish with a bit of water (warm) and a big chunk of Ivory soap bar and a small sponge. It is non toxic but unpleasant to eat so not a huge big deal and clean up is easy. I don't do markers or crayons with under 1.5. Waste of time, but, if you put something in the yogurt or pudding, like dry rice, cake sprinkles, couscous (dry) that adds to the sensory nature of what they are doing.

If you are trying to give the parents pictures every day, don't worry about it at this age. If they are asking, you can take photos of the sensory play to send/give them.

As for the 3yo, it seems there is a lot of that going around. It seems like what you are doing is good, keep it up. And keep notes. I have found this helps, write out every word he can say and the meaning "na" for ..... and keep working on it. When I had a child the same, I would ask for a "please" if he wanted ketchup, for example. Not a big deal when he didn't say it but since I knew he wanted ketchup, it was an incentive. Took a few months, but then, one day like a floodgate opened, please came out (not for ketchup, but for gravy!) Then every day new words and new interactions. He too didn't do the toilet training. Couldn't pull or push anything. But at the same time as the words came, the other stuff came too. It was slow, I was never sure how much was being done at home, but he was coming along. And as for crafts with him, let him do the same as the others. I don't even try scissors with 3 yos. If you get more kids, older ones will help too, he can see them do things and model after them.