"Navigators" are our toddlers and during the second year, they are moving around more, know more about their surroundings and they are aware of themselves. They have a desire to explore new objects and faces. Toddlers will also show greater independence; begin to show defiant behavior; recognize themselves in pictures or a mirror; and imitate the behavior of others, especially adults and older children. Toddlers also should be able to recognize the names of familiar people and objects, form simple phrases and sentences, and follow simple instructions and directions. We promote and encourage independence by allowing the children to feed/dress oneself, clean up, potty training, and express their needs/wants daily. ​

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We do and encourage the following...

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Read to him/her daily

Practice tracing letters and numbers

Encourage child to read, look at pictures in books

Help to develop language by talking with him/her and adding to words he/she starts. For example, if a child says “baba”, we can respond, “Yes, you are right―that is a bottle”

Play matching games, like shape sorting and simple puzzles

Ask him/her to find objects for you or name body parts and objects

Encourage him/her to explore and try new things