Things to do with a toddler

Play is so important to a child's development, heres some things to do to help them

Get messy
Lighten up, now is the time that you allow out your inner child to come out for a while as you show you child how to play with paint, dolls, teddies, tea sets, telephones, and clothes for dress-ups.

Go to the park
Traditional active play things like slides, swings, round abouts, ball pools, sand and water play are great.

Feed the ducks
It is amazing how much children love to feed ducks so if you are lucky enough to have ducks near by feed them.

Build a castle
Creative play like play dough, Lego, bricks, boxes, trucks, cars, simple train sets and farm and zoo sets. As your toddlers grows their imagination will develop and they will start to develop stories for the things they are playing with, try to encourage their imagination and join in, remember you are never too old to play with trains or take imaginary tea with teddy and dolly and it is all in the name of a good cause your child’s development!.

Get an extra pair of hands
It can't all be play the house has still got to be cleaned, when you are doing house hold tasks entertain your toddler by getting them to give you a helping hand. It is great to get you toddler to help around the house, you can let your toddler help you with real or give them child-size equipment. They love to use brooms and mops, help you wash up plastic dishes or rinse out socks, dust, so not only are you helping your partner but you are helping your child to develop, two for one.

Plant some seeds
If you have a garden your toddler will love to help you digging and planting so you can teach them all about nature whilst having fun playing in the garden. Toddlers will love to see a plant that they have planted grow so try lettuce or sun flowers as they grow quickly.

Use your DIY skills
Toys do not have to be expensive or even toys some of the best toys are home made toys. A box turned into a fort, a washing up liquid bottle turned into a rocket ship, these are the things that they will play with for hours so let your imagination run wild.

Get your groove on
Toddlers love to jump around and dance so put on CD and sing and dance together. It is good to teach your child nursery rhymes that have actions as well such as “Head and shoulders, knees and toes”. Or teach them the words to your favourite song it’s all good for them and fun for you.

Stay Alert
Toddlers can move at an amazing pace and have no fears or sense of danger so make sure you supervise them closely at all times, especially around water and climbing equipment. Be on hand to settle disputes if several toddlers are playing together they will happen. Check toys regularly to make sure they are still safe: no sharp or jagged edges, no loose small parts. Be aware of choking hazards, flammable and toxic materials.
But most of all have fun!!

Play

Play is really important aspect in a babies development as it promotes learning, development, growth, movement skills, thinking, language, social interaction and emotional development. Its amazing isn’t it! These things all happen best when your child is actively involved in an activity and they are having fun. As a parent you are their first teacher your child will ever have and also their playmate. You can help choose toys and activities that motivate your child to play, explore, imagine and learn about themselves and their environment.

18 months (approx)
A this age your toddlers will spend some of their time wandering off to explore and then coming back to show you what they have found or done, this is a difficult period as it is sometime hard for parents to find a balance between protecting your child from danger and stifling their natural development. If left to their own devices they generally don’t like to stray too far. Be aware that they can move fast if something exciting catches their eyes so try to watch them but at the same time give them a little space to experience the world around them.
This is the time when they should start to show a real interest in other children. With the interest comes the inevitable arguments as most don’t share well yet, so be on hand to settle disputes. You will begin to see them struggling to do things for themselves as they want more independence try to encourage them to try to do things and praise them for their efforts even when they don‘t quite get it right, at least the tried.
If possible and it can be very hard in our hectic lives try to find frequent, small amounts of time each day to be available to your toddler, if you are at work this can be hard but it is important so try getting up a little earlier or try to make it home for bed time and read them a story it doesn’t have to be a lot of time but it is important that they have time with both parents if they can as this gives them balance. Toddlers love to show and tell try to respond to them, listen to them, cuddle them, follow their lead and have fun together. Try to respond to toddlers warmly and lovingly as Separation anxiety is a normal part of a toddler’s development and strongest around18-24 months.

Toddler Proof
Toddlers want to do everything themselves and be into everything. So make sure you do a safety check, oh and if you have things that you would rather your child didn’t come down the stairs holding to show their grandma then this is the time to move them out of reach, toddlers have no concept of personal space if they can get into it the will.

10 simple tips on how to potty train

Over the years we have learnt some little tricks to help you potty train they are:

1. Try to be positive and upbeat show the change as something exciting.
   
2. Give lots of praise whenever your child manages sit on the potty. Stress how grown up and clever they are like their dad or sibling.
   
3. Don't rush things. Sometimes if you start teaching later, it takes less time. Toddlers over two and a half may learn almost overnight.
   
4. Expect to have setbacks and don't make a fuss about them. Learning to use the toilet is just like other skills your toddler learns it takes time.
   
5. Give your toddler clothes that can be pulled down or up easily. You may also want them to wear training pants at first, to cope with those inevitable accidents.
   
6. Take your child to pick out the potty and toilet seat, make it a treat.
   
7. Never force your child to sit on the potty. This will only upset them and won't make the process any faster.
   
8. It always takes longer for a child to learn to stay dry at night. When they start having the occasional dry nappy in the morning, it's a good sign that the time is right to try going without a nappy.
   
9. Get a mattress cover for your child bed when you put them to bed without a nappy for the first time. When they have an accident in their bed they will often be very upset by it, we wouldn’t like waking up in a wet bed either, so try to be sympathetic and tell them it doesn’t matter and that they can try again another day
   
10. Remember to get your toddler to wash their hands afterwards, so that using the potty or toilet is associated with hand washing from the start.
    

If your child really isn’t getting it and every time is an accident after a about a week give up and try again in a month or so, it maybe that they are just not ready and it is very stressful for them if they are making a mess every time

Baby teeth - Oral hygiene it important even in babies

Keeping the emerging teeth clean is important for long-term dental health. Why should we keep them clean when they are going to fall out? i hear many of you asking, The answer is that even though the first set of teeth will fall out, tooth decay can hasten this process and leave gaps before the permanent teeth are ready to come in, thus the remaining baby teeth may then crowd together to attempt to fill in the gaps, which may cause the permanent teeth to come in crooked and out of place, so it is worth it.

In actual fact daily dental care should begin even before your baby's first tooth emerges. You should wipe your baby's gums daily with a clean, damp washcloth or gauze, or brush them gently with a soft, infant-sized toothbrush and water (no toothpaste!).

As soon as the first tooth appears, brush them with water. Toothpaste is OK once they get old enough to spit it out. An important tip for preventing tooth decay is to not let your baby fall asleep with a bottle. The milk or juice can pool in their mouths and cause tooth decay and plaque.
For more advice speak to your dentist or a medical professional.

Potty training - when to start

You should be able to potty train your toddler sometime between their second and third birthday. By the age of three, most children are dry in the day although the many still need nappies at night.
On average, most children begin learning to use a potty by around their second birthday, but as with everything in children's development, each child is different so if you are having no joy forcing your toddler will not help.

It is interesting to know that up to the age of 20 months, toddlers bladders empty often, making it difficult for them to master holding on for the loo.

Follow your child's lead - when they are ready to use a potty they will let you know. Don't feel pressured by other mothers who state, "Oh, my daughter was out of nappies by now" or by what your mum did, trust your own instinct.

Sometimes parents find it easier to potty train their children in summer, when toddlers can run around with fewer clothes on. It can take longer for boys to learn, especially as they also have to master weeing while standing up. Most boys learn sitting down first. It is great for a dad to teach his son to stand up when he is ready and you can get a little step to help him reach, but make sure the men teach them to put the seat down afterwards we do not want to breed another generation that fails to use a toilet properly!

Signs that they may be ready to potty train

• do they stay dry for a couple of hours each day
• do they show when a bowel movement is taking place, by squatting or making a grunting sound for example
• are they letting you know when they want to be changed when their nappy dirty
• do they take an interest when you, your partner go to the toilet
  

If you see any of these signs then talk to them about using the potty and see what their reaction is if it good have a go, if not wait there is no law it is all about the individual child.

Note *There are times when it is better not to start potty training your child as you will be setting them up for failure and you will spend all your time on your hands and knees cleaning your carpet, they are when:

• there is a new baby in the house
• they are being moved from a cot into a bed
• they are starting a new childcare arrangement
• there are family relationship problems
• you are moving house

It is simply not worth wasting your time trying when there is any kind of upheaval it just doesn't work so why put yourselves through it

Teething - what to expect

Teething, can be a frustrating time for many babies and their parents, your wonderful quiet baby turns into a moaning whinging monster. It helps to know what to expect when your child is teething, and what you can do to make the process a little less painful for you and your child.


Teething can begin as early as 3 months and continue until a child's third birthday (long time). Around 4 to 7 months, you will notice your child's first tooth pushing through the gum line. The first teeth to appear are usually the two bottom front teeth, also known as the central incisors. These are usually followed 4 to 8 weeks later by the four front upper teeth (central and lateral incisors). About 1 month later, the lower lateral incisors (the two teeth flanking the bottom front teeth) will appear. Next to break through the gum line are the first molars (the back teeth used for grinding food), then finally the eye teeth (the pointy teeth in the upper jaw).


Most children have all 20 of their first teeth by their third birthday. In some rare cases, children are born with one or two teeth or have a tooth emerge within the first few weeks of life. Unless the teeth interfere with feeding or are loose enough to pose a choking risk, this is usually not a cause for concern. If you have any questions or worries it's a good idea to talk to your child's doctor.


When your child begins teething, you may notice that your child seems to dribble more, and seems to want to chew on things. For some babies, teething is painless, others may experience brief periods of irritability, and some may seem cranky for weeks, experiencing crying episodes and disrupted sleeping and eating patterns. Teething can be uncomfortable, but if your baby seems very irritable, contact your doctor.

Although tender and swollen gums could cause your baby's temperature to be a little higher than normal, teething, as a rule, does not cause high fever or diarrhoea. If your baby does develop a fever during the teething phase, it is probably due to something else and your child's doctor should be contacted.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when your baby is teething:

• Gently wipe your baby's face often with a soft cloth or cotton pad to remove the dibble and this will help to prevent rashes from developing.


• Give your baby something to chew on. Make sure it's big enough so that he or she can't swallow it and that it can't break into small pieces.


• Rubber teething rings are good, but avoid the ones with liquid inside because they can break. If you use a teething ring, be sure to take it out of the freezer before it becomes rock hard you don't want to bruise those already swollen gums!


• Try a teething gels there are many on the market that may help but always read the label carefully before you buy them.


• Be careful of grandparents, they may rub whiskey on your baby's gums, they will see no harm in it as they probably did it to you. It is not a good idea as it numbs the gums so much that the child can harm themselves without knowing not to mention the question of giving alcohol to baby.