Typical two year old preschooler characteristics
- Active!
- On the go
- Possessive – “MINE!”
- Great curiosity with no judgment
- Becoming aware of himself as an individual
- Likes to do things for himself/herself
- Can be negative at times.
- Grabs and socks
- Cannot share
- Snatches things
- Bites sometimes
- Still prefers solitary play to parallel play and seldom plays cooperatively
- Likes to watch others
- Interest or attention span is short; two to five minutes maximum
- Has no sense of time
- Can not be hurried
- Prone to dawdle
- Dependent on mother and father
- Has many fears, chiefly loud and sudden noises; also fears moving and changes
The Toddler Creed
If I want it, IT’S MINE!
If I give it to you and change my mind later, IT’S MINE!
If I can take it away from you, IT’S MINE!
If it’s mine it will never belong to anybody else. No matter what.
If we are building something together, All the pieces are MINE!
If it looks just like mine, IT’S MINE!
If it breaks or needs putting away, IT’S YOURS!
Two year olds like to
- do things for themselves
- taste just about anything
- run, be chased and chase
- fill and empty containers
- imitate and to do simple dramatizations of everyday things like the telephone
- use action toys; cars, trikes, things to ride
Two year olds need
- Constant supervision; since two’s do not usually ask for help, be alert to give them help by terminating play that is deteriorating, protecting individual children’s rights and helping to handle disputes.
- Activities involving big muscles
- Outdoor activity and lots of it
- Opportunities to explore
You can help your two year old and yourself by
- Being brief in talking
- Using a calm, positive, reassuring tone
- Distracting or diverting to different activities – Redirection
- Warning in advance of any change
- Picking-up bodily and carrying to next situation if necessary
- Being consistent in your discipline and reaction to behaviors
I hope you like this post. I love helping parents, teachers and children learn, grow and become better people! Everyday I'm delighted to spend my day in the place I love with the people I love. If you don't know me already, please read my Teacher Feature.
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