Toddlers are tiny people full of energy, fun and emotions – lots of emotions. Because toddlers are new to the world, they are not yet accustomed to managing these big emotions. One particular hurdle parents encounter during the toddler age is teaching their toddler how to share, which can incite some of those big emotions. 

Because toddlers spend their first year or so at the forefront of their parents’ world, they are often not familiar with the concept of sharing. Toddler sharing tantrums are bound to happen, but they are a natural part of growing up and can be great teachable moments.

To help ease the stress of multiple sharing tantrums, here are four tips for teaching your young one how to share.

Start at a Young Age

Children are capable of establishing many healthy habits at a very young age. Your child can learn the fundamentals of sharing by the time they are picking up objects and playing with toys. You can teach them to share by taking turns with the objects or toys. 

Once your child has picked up the toy, ask them to hand it to you and then proceed to hand it back. This small – but crucial – interaction teaches toddlers that sharing can be fun, and they will ultimately get the object back.

Be a Role Model 

 This tip is relatively straightforward: modelling good sharing behaviour for your toddler can demonstrate to them that sharing is fun and a desirable thing to do. Ask if you can take turns playing with your toddler’s toys, engage with them, and show them how you share with other adults as well. 

You can even share your own items with your toddler. Offer to let them share your favourite chair or share your snack with them. Not only does this illustrate how to share, but they’ll learn how good it feels to have other people share with them, too.

Bring a Timer to Playdates 

 Playdates are a fun way for kids to learn how to interact positively and play with each other. During a playdate, you might come across your first toddler sharing tantrum. There’s no toy more popular than a toy another child currently has. 

It can be an excellent idea to use a timer in these moments. It serves as a gentle reminder that each person gets an opportunity to play. Set the timer, and when the time runs outs, it means it’s time to share the toy.

Use Descriptive Praise

 Last but certainly not least, ensure you praise your child for a job well done. Emphasize how they made their friend happy by sharing their toys. By helping them be aware of the positive outcomes of their actions, you encourage them to continue this behaviour and feel good about it.

It Takes Time

 Don’t beat yourself up if your toddler doesn’t instantly grasp what sharing means. It will happen over time with continued modelling and practice.

Visit Jumbaloo Playgrounds Today

 Our team at Jumbaloo Playgrounds is happy to host your next toddler playdate. Safety is essential to us, and there is no need to worry about older children who might move faster and play a little more roughly. We have a separate toddler area perfect for playing and sharing. 

 Book some active play with us today. Give us a call at 905-785-3990 or get in touch via our contact page. 

 For your safety and that of our team, we adhere to strict Covid-19 rules and regulations. 

As we welcome a new year, we also welcome a fresh start. The new year is when people often start with promises of new habits and lifestyle changes. We promise to be the best versions of who we are and plan to commit to these promises. Whether it’s eating healthier, exercising more, or saying yes or no more often, new year’s resolutions come in many forms. As you consider these changes, the kids in your life might be curious and want to commit to their own new year’s resolutions. A good new year’s resolution doesn’t have to be rigid and no fun. Find out how experts weigh in on ways to help kids make new year’s resolutions they can feel good about. 

Don’t Dictate Resolutions

When brainstorming new year’s resolution ideas with kids, don’t forget to keep it fun and exciting; this is a great bonding experience where you have the opportunity to learn more about your children and their personal aspirations for themselves. It’s essential that you listen to your child and not try to control or dictate their resolutions. Allow them the independence and responsibility of handling their own resolution. If they ask for your help or guidance, it’s perfectly acceptable to offer them advice and assurance or suggest a resolution you think is manageable and fun.

Take Time Pursuing Big Resolutions

New habits don’t happen overnight. Experts believe that a habit usually takes six weeks or longer to become sustainable. Help your child ease into big resolutions by breaking them down into manageable steps. If your child wants to read more, encourage them by suggesting they read ten minutes a night the first week and slowly increase their reading time each week. Taking time to achieve long-term goals is essential for success, and your child will notice their progress and feel like they’re sticking it through.

Follow Up About Resolutions 

It’s essential that you show interest and support with how your kids are progressing with their new year’s resolutions. Check in now and then and see how it’s going. It would be best if you didn’t nag them, instead be there as a helping hand or a listening ear. Chances are, if they’re feeling like they’re not keeping up with their resolution, they’ll confide in you. If your child feels supported and praised by you, they’ll be excited about following through with their new habits.

Make Resolutions Together as a Family

 Children often take pride and feel good doing things together as a family. Coming up with a family resolution together is the perfect time to let your children guide the decisions while building confidence simultaneously. As a family, you can commit to creating fun habits together. Habits like going on more walks as a family, donating to charities together, or promising to cook one meal together a week. There are endless ideas, and listening to children talk about new year’s resolutions can help guide you in the right direction as a family.

Make Having More Fun a New Year’s Resolution

At Jumbaloo Playgrounds, we believe that one of the top qualities of a good new year’s resolution is to have fun while achieving it. We want to help you keep to those resolutions by providing you and your children with tons of fun and physical activity. Reward your children for a job well done and yourselves as well. Give us a call today at 905-785-3990, or head on over and fill out our online contact form.

We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!