Question for a newly 2 year old...

[3 ladybugs]

I want to preface this by saying I don't want to be "that mom". I pushed my oldest and I am not sure he really is ahead now and I don't really want to do that with my youngest. HOWEVER, my youngest just turned 2 on Saturday (July 18) and is counting to 5 and reading a few words. This is COMPLETELY him. Like I said I haven't been pushing him, in fact I probably have focused a bit too much on his brother. However he picked up baseball just by watching the practices of his brother and what they were teaching him (surprised us when we found that out!). 

 

What should I be doing to help him, if anything? I got him Koala box membership for his birthday. I figure if he is going to learn, I might as well focus a bit on him. Is this enough?

[Chris in VA]

I would not worry about developing academics at this time; rather, focus on "metaskills" that will take your child far when it's time to introduce ABCs and 123s.

 

For example, here is good information on Executive Function from Harvard Uni. Read this, and then download the 16 page guide (link at bottom of this webpage) for ideas for infants and toddlers.

 

Other examples would be--

Part/Whole Relationships

Symbolic Representation

Language Development (incorporating Early Literacy)

 

 

[Slache]

We love c-rods, appleletters, and lots of read alouds. Education Unboxed will tell you how c-rods work. I used phonogram cards to teach my son the sounds letters make and then used appleletters when he wanted to make words.

[DhanyaCali]

Koala creates are so fun!

 

My almost 2yo is the same way with hockey and baseball, he amazes us with what he can do, one of the fun things about having an older brother I think!

[Sarah0000]

When my son was two he enjoyed c rods for math play and simple readers like Biscuit. Oh, and learning the piano.

[FO4UR]

I would let him continue to "audit" his brother's lessons.  Read aloud as much as you can.  Make sure each child gets to pick books.

 

 

I joke that I never taught my daughter to read.  She picked it up through listening to her big brother's lessons.  That is a sweet way to learn.

[abba12]

My 2yo insists on watching every reading lesson her older sister does. Let the 2yo sit in as a silent watcher and see what happens

 

For math, if you want to do something cute and simple the Mathematical Reasoning books, beginning 1 and beginning 2 are really great for some light fun math. My girls loved doing 5 or 10 minutes a few days a week from them.

[Desert Strawberry]

In addition to the above, we liked Kumon workbooks Starfall.

[shawthorne44]

Awhile back I read a book on that parrot that was taught a great many words.  Genuine, tested comprehension.  The parrot passed every non-human because he understood zero.  At the beginning of the book they said they used what studies show would be the best method, watching someone else learn.  So, they had one person "teaching" another student the meaning of words while the parrot watched. 

I don't know why that would work, but maybe watching older brother learn is an efficient way of him learning. 

[ashamama]

Mine comes over every time we sing a song with my oldest. He can do his letters, letter sounds, numbers to 20 and just learned his days of the weeks and months of the year. He does Starfall and when he gets antsy while I work with my older son (when we aren't singing) I will put on rock n learn dvds. I only have a couple for the little one. Namely he just copies and tries to keep up with his brother. Then he gets bored and goes to play a toy and comes back later. I've picked up a stack of "workbooks" from the dollar store with shape, letters, numbers etc for him to scribble in when he comes over while ODS does seat work. He isn't tracing it yet but scribbling on it and naming it. Then we got a board book that you trace the letters with your finger in a groove and there are arrows to show stroke order. If I get extra time I look for toddler learning activities on pinterest.