Working with Toddlers to Increase Independent Skills

​Based in Calgary, Alexandra “Alex” Forrestall has an extensive background in talent placement within competitive technology sectors. Passionate about children, Alexandra Forrestall has experience working with toddlers as part of the early childhood education curriculum.

At the critical age of 2, most children will have honed motor skills such as walking and running and be able to speak in complete sentences. One skill that often takes longer to master is feeding oneself. The benefits of having a child eat a meal on their own with utensils include sharpening fine motor skills and learning lessons in appetite regulation. Naturally, it is important to supervise child interactions, even with safe-for-kids utensils. It is also important to set strict limits. If the child tends to throw food items, make self-feeding a once daily event or practice with dry foods, rather than with wet and sticky items.

Toddlers also need time to play on their own and test their personal limits, rather than constantly waiting on parents for assistance. One strategy is to encourage children to build something using their own blocks. There will be moments of blocks toppling over and frustration expressed through crying, but these are simply part of the growth process. Be there to provide support in a supplementary role, such as sorting block shapes, while fostering a sense of motivation, competence, and independence by enabling the toddler to complete the core task on their own.

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