Does anyone have thoughts,What we should be teaching 2 year olds?

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Does anyone have thoughts,What we should be teaching 2 year olds?Cade knows his capital letters,right now I'm teaching him lower case letter and numbers to 20.he knows a lot of his colors.Any idea's.

 

[Singermom]

When my older daughter was 2, she had not only started reading, but "invented" an alphabet game. She's 7 now, and teaching herself all of the states, their order, their capitals, and their nicknames. She has already picked up the concepts of multiplication & division, has picked up a little French & ASL, and knows more Bible verses than I do...including being able to recite the entire 23rd Psalm.

Our younger one is 5 and just starting to read, but has been pretty good at math for a while and recently shocked me with her animal knowledge. She also has an uncanny knack of learning songs as fast as I do...and she can "name that tune" in 2-3 notes.

Basically, don't push, but teach him as long as he wants to learn. Once he's got colors down, start with shapes (BTW, I didn't know until my older daughter was in pre-K that "diamond-shape" is actually called "rhombus", and that needs to be known before Kindergarten), maybe animals. He knows his letters...does he know the sounds? Oh, and teach him to write his own name. He has a short name, so that'll be easy.

Hope that helps. Looks like you've got a clever little one on your hands!

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

I been thinking of teaching him how to spell Cade,cat,bat and easy words like that.I ewas worried he might be to young,But maybe not.

 

[clep]

I been thinking of teaching him how to spell Cade,cat,bat and easy words like that.I ewas worried he might be to young,But maybe not.

I would say he is too young for that. In order for a child to be able to spell they have to have the hand eye coordination to hold a pencil correctly which a two year old doesn't have.

I run a preschool program and teach two year olds these things:

Colors
Shapes
Counting
Letters
Coordination via action songs, coloring, playdough etc.

I use blocks or refrigerator magnets to teach letters and numbers along with
songs. I use a phonics song....A says A, A says A, Apple, Apple, A, A, A.

For colors and shapes I cut out shapes of the same color, usually eight of them. I tape one shape on the outside of a paper bag and get the children to drop the a shape into the right bag. I get them to say each color and shape as they drop it in. After that is mastered I use multiple colors for each shape so it is different each time.

Colors and most things are started from birth though. Even when I am changing a diaper or clothes I tell them I am putting their blue pants on their left leg for example.

They can count everything they do, and sing counting songs. Put a number on the floor and have them put the right amount of objects next to it. Paper bags work well too.

Here are some places to get ideas. There are some wonderful things you can do with them to nurture everything they need to know. I use Enchanted Learning for an older age group mostly, but I do get ideas or simple activities from there as well sometimes.

I don't use anything that speaks to them. I was taught that when a child hears a monotone robot voice that can inhibit their speech. I would also look at A+ Child Development. It is also called Stepping Stones to Success. It is a fantastic program for ages birth to twelve. I have it for my son and it is an amazing program that will aid in teaching children at their own speed.

Curriculum and resource suggestions for children from birth to age 8. - http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.htm…

Free lessons and activities for Toddlers, Pre-Schoolers, and
School-Age children. http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/toddlers.ht…

5000+ free printable pages and worksheets abcteach -- 5000+ free printable pages and worksheets

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities Enchanted Learning's On-Line Help

Early childhood activities and lessons http://www.kinderart.com/littles/litles.…

First-School Preschool Activities and Crafts First-School Preschool Activities and Crafts

Preschool Education Preschool Education: Discover The Fun In Learning

Preschool Activities & Ideas for Teachers, Parents and Grandparents Preschool Express by Jean Warren: preschool activities, games, songs, crafts, art, music, learning, skills, stories and patterns

 

[bliz]

Try putting some signs on a few things labeling what they are - door on a door, table on a table, you get the idea. There are two methods of reading, phonetic and sight reading, and most of us use a combination. A sight reader as young as 2 can begin to learn to read words.

I used this with my eldest and he was reading at a second grade level when he started kindergarten. The one thing I did wrong was tell the teachers that he was already reading. They instantly saw me as a pushy mom and my son being pushed. I'd let them discover it on their own.

I can't see any reason to hold back a child who can read.

 

[Neenie1]

Wow, he sounds like a clever little cookie.

When mine were that age - they were nowhere near that level. I would just keep tyring to encourage him in his learning at the level he is at. If he is enjoying it, then keep at it, if he deosn't enjoy it then back off a little.

I think at 2, appropriate things they should be learning also include how to socialise with other kids, encouraging them to share with others, and encouraging them to learn the way to treat other people. Also encouraging good manners.

 

[tiredwalker]

I keep things pretty light with our two year old so she can really be a kid. When she finds something interesting, then we try to make it a learning experience. She likes markers, so we've taught her colors--basics in a 10 pack plus pink and gray. She likes butterflies, so we've taught her egg-catepillar-butterfly.

She can count items up to 20 because she likes her blocks. She also enjoys looking at, identifying, and attempting to shapes. She knows circle, square, triangle, and "ocogong" (octogon). She also know's her ABC's because her Papa likes to sing the ABC song...therefore she does But she can also pick them out randomly too. I love this age!

 

[£amb]

I would say he is too young for that. In order for a child to be able to spell they have to have the hand eye coordination to hold a pencil correctly which a two year old doesn't have.

I run a preschool program and teach two year olds these things:

Colors
Shapes
Counting
Letters
Coordination via action songs, coloring, playdough etc.

I use blocks or refrigerator magnets to teach letters and numbers along with
songs. I use a phonics song....A says A, A says A, Apple, Apple, A, A, A.

For colors and shapes I cut out shapes of the same color, usually eight of them. I tape one shape on the outside of a paper bag and get the children to drop the a shape into the right bag. I get them to say each color and shape as they drop it in. After that is mastered I use multiple colors for each shape so it is different each time.

Colors and most things are started from birth though. Even when I am changing a diaper or clothes I tell them I am putting their blue pants on their left leg for example.

They can count everything they do, and sing counting songs. Put a number on the floor and have them put the right amount of objects next to it. Paper bags work well too.

Here are some places to get ideas. There are some wonderful things you can do with them to nurture everything they need to know. I use Enchanted Learning for an older age group mostly, but I do get ideas or simple activities from there as well sometimes.

I don't use anything that speaks to them. I was taught that when a child hears a monotone robot voice that can inhibit their speech. I would also look at A+ Child Development. It is also called Stepping Stones to Success. It is a fantastic program for ages birth to twelve. I have it for my son and it is an amazing program that will aid in teaching children at their own speed.

Curriculum and resource suggestions for children from birth to age 8. - http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.htm…

Free lessons and activities for Toddlers, Pre-Schoolers, and
School-Age children. http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/toddlers.ht…

5000+ free printable pages and worksheets abcteach -- 5000+ free printable pages and worksheets

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities Enchanted Learning's On-Line Help

Early childhood activities and lessons http://www.kinderart.com/littles/litles.…

First-School Preschool Activities and Crafts First-School Preschool Activities and Crafts

Preschool Education Preschool Education: Discover The Fun In Learning

Preschool Activities & Ideas for Teachers, Parents and Grandparents Preschool Express by Jean Warren: preschool activities, games, songs, crafts, art, music, learning, skills, stories and patterns

I too worked in a classroom for many years with 2 year olds and the one thing I would add to your list would be teaching Social skills. I can't tell you how many parents told me how they're children were very intelligent (which many were and would not deny that) but did not know how to act with other kids or adults.

I know many parents get caught up in the hype of teaching the academics but overlook the basic skills such as sharing, waiting, sitting when eating, learning to listen, being respectful of their peers, etc. In my classroom, my kids learned through playing along with the simple academics. Another thing overlooked is for a child to be able to write or use scissors in the future, they need to strengthen the muscles to do so. Playdo is wonderful for that and looping fruit loops on a string will help with coordination. Kids that age are very hands on and visual. My oldest son is in a gifted program and the only I did with him when he was that age was read lots of books and play. Everything he learned were from those two things.

 

[clep]

I too worked in a classroom for many years with 2 year olds and the one thing I would add to your list would be teaching Social skills. I can't tell you how many parents told me how they're children were very intelligent (which many were and would not deny that) but did not know how to act with other kids or adults.

I know many parents get caught up in the hype of teaching the academics but overlook the basic skills such as sharing, waiting, sitting when eating, learning to listen, being respectful of their peers, etc. In my classroom, my kids learned through playing along with the simple academics. Another thing overlooked is for a child to be able to write or use scissors in the future, they need to strengthen the muscles to do so. Playdo is wonderful for that and looping fruit loops on a string will help with coordination. Kids that age are very hands on and visual. My oldest son is in a gifted program and the only I did with him when he was that age was read lots of books and play. Everything he learned were from those two things.

Social skills wasn't the subject so I didn't add that in, but I completely agree with you. I see children that have not been taught boundaries in a social setting and are completely self involved. More involved than the average two to five year old is already. Basic skills are no longer the norm, but the exception I have found with the parents and children I deal with.

I really believe that children before school age should only be taught through play. Education is work, for adults and children. I think parents are too eager to teach their children too much, too young to give them the best head start. What is the purpose of that head start really? Without that head start the child would probably be in line with the norm for their age. What's wrong with that? Maybe I am not understanding something.

 

[ChildByGrace]

I never 'taught' my ds anything. We did lots of play which included counting and showing him things. He's now 3. He knows 'd' for his name and 'i' and counts 1-9 and recognises several numbers. My husband feels that he is behind but I don't. He has been learning social skills and in the next year before he starts school I know that he will pick other letters and numbers up. I don't want to push him to know things as when he starts school there will be others in his class that don't know anything and he'll just get bored waiting for them to catch up.