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You are your child’s first and most important teacher and one of their favorite people!
As their first and most important teacher, your children are always watching you and absorbing all that you do. Which is why we are going to explore role-modelling and practicing, and how it helps your child learn new skills.
Role modelling is exactly what it sounds like: demonstrating or showing your child what you need them to do, as you tell them.
This might look like showing them what you mean by doing it alongside them, instead of telling them “clean up”. Help them put the toys in the basket so they understand the connection between the words “clean up” and putting toys in a basket.
Learning a new skill takes a lot of practice no matter the age of the individual learning the skill!
Giving your child lots of time and opportunity to practice a new skill is going to help those connections in the brain get stronger.
This might look like letting your child try to put on their shoes on their own. Try breaking tasks of a new skill down into small and achievable steps for your child (In this example, have your child put the shoe down, then undo the Velcro in the shoe, then put their foot in, then pull the tongue of the shoe out, then do the Velcro back up).
Practice when learning a new skill is going to take a lot of patience and time. But remember, helping your child develop these skills now lays a strong foundation on which to build their brain. You (and your child!) have got this!
At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Early Childhood Development Subject Matter Experts work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support early childhood development. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. We have a variety of Child Development Activities available on our website, find them at norwoodcentre.com/child-development-activities. For short-term one-on-one coaching, please call us at 780-471-3737.