Question
How does Kayla O'Neill approach teaching toddlers about sharing?
Answer
As a developmental therapist specializing in babies and toddlers, I believe in introducing the concept of sharing and turn-taking to toddlers in a fun and low-pressure way. It's important to remember that toddlers' brains are still developing and they may not fully understand the concept of sharing until they are a bit older, usually around 4 years old.
Here are some of the methods I recommend:
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Model Sharing: Toddlers learn a lot by observing the adults around them. So, one of the best ways to teach them about sharing is to model it in your daily routines. For example, if you're having a snack, you can offer to share it with someone else and verbalize what you're doing.
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Read Books about Sharing and Turn-Taking: Books can be a great tool to teach young children about sharing and turn-taking. You can pause at key points in the story to talk about how the characters are sharing or taking turns.
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Use Puppet Play: Puppets can be used to teach young children about sharing and other social-emotional skills. When children see puppets sharing, they learn that sharing is an important part of life.
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Building Activities: Playing with blocks can be a great way to teach sharing and turn-taking. You can show them how to take turns by building towers together or dividing the blocks into two piles, one for you and one for them.
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Playing Games: Games are a great way to teach sharing and turn-taking. Everyone has to wait their turn and share the resources, which teaches kids how to be patient and share.
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Social Stories about Sharing: A social story is a short, simple story that describes a situation and includes the child’s perspective. It can help your child to understand the concept of sharing in a simple and relatable way.
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Watch Shows or Videos that Teach Sharing: Shows like Daniel Tiger or Bluey have episodes that explore social-emotional skills like sharing. Watching these together can be a fun way for children to start seeing the idea of sharing with other children.
Remember, it's completely normal for toddlers not to share as it can be a difficult concept for them to understand. The key is to be patient and introduce sharing and turn-taking in a fun and low-pressure way.
Do you have any specific concerns or questions about teaching your toddler to share?