Top Tips for Raising Your First Toddler

Kids grow up so fast. One minute, you’re taking your baby home from the hospital, and the next, they’re going off to kindergarten. For this reason, you must embrace all the time you have with your children—including those terrible toddler years. Here are some top tips for raising your first toddler that’ll make the experience a little less challenging.

Kid-Friendly Space

Toddlers take over everything. That’s why you need to follow certain tips for designing a kid-friendly space when you have a toddler in the house. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Stick to comfortable furniture that you don’t mind sees a little wear and tear on.
Consider implementing a chalkboard wall, so the kids can draw all over the wall without ruining it.
Keep toys organized in bins so they don’t fly all over the house.

Be Patient

Another top tip for raising your first toddler is to be patient. Patience is a virtue that all parents must have. Toddlers are just learning to communicate their wants and needs. As a result, you have to understand that there will be tantrums. There are going to be times when you don’t understand what they want. When this happens, try to remain calm. Perhaps use flashcards so your child can point at what they want.

Creative Play

The toddler years are so important because they’re when a lot of brain development happens. As such, you should engage in creative play that gets their minds cooking. This is another reason why the chalkboard wall is such a good idea. You and your child can draw on the wall together, and you can see what they come up with. Also, think about getting some age-appropriate puzzles to get their brains thinking critically.

Physical Activity

Toddlers also develop a lot physically during their first few years of life. So, try and get outside with them as much as possible to ensure they aren’t sedentary later on in life. You can start simply by taking them to the park. Be sure to watch them, as they may need help on the jungle gym. Playing outside will help them develop fine motor skills and help with problem-solving. Plus, you’ll get an idea of what types of activities they enjoy so you can continue their participation in such activities as they get older.

Limit Screen Time

Though it is hard, you should limit screen time for your child. Studies show that too much screen time can have detrimental effects on a toddler’s development. Instead, keep them occupied with one of the other activities listed above. If you do have to show them a screen, make sure the time is limited and that the programs are educational.

No one’s saying that raising a toddler is easy. There will be times when you become frustrated and lost. However, time really does fly when raising children. So, you should try to cherish this time even if it is challenging because one day, they’ll be going off to college, and you’ll be wondering where the time went. Cherish this time together while you can.