Your Toddler: Development and Play from 18 Months to 3 Years

Becoming is pleased to partner with the Bloorview Macmillan Nursery School to offer this unique look into the minds of our toddlers in order to better understand their development.  All revenues from this workshop will be donated to the Bloorview MacMillan Children's Centre Nursery School.

The changes in your child during the toddler years are immense.  This workshop will examine the enormous developments that take place in children from 18 months to 3 years and the things that you can do to help.  You will learn what to expect during this important time and how to best prepare your child.  In particular, research has shown that play plays a huge part in toddler development and that there is nothing more important to healthy stimulated development than play. 

The universality of children’s play has attracted the attention of countless researchers and theorists over the years. While researchers have differed in some of their basic assumptions about play, all agree that play is significant in the development of children physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. 

Nancy Searl, toddler expert and educator will discuss the importance of play as it affects all aspects of development, from general cognitive and social development to speech and language development to fine and gross motor development.  “Play is the work of children” is the solemn phrase frequently used to describe play’s importance.  In this discussion we will attempt to go beyond that cliché, to recognize and understand the world children invent for themselves within the realm of their play, and in doing so, lay the foundation for future exploration, investigation and self fulfillment.  Nancy will give you ideas about what to do with toddlers to stimulate their development through play as well as key information about what to look for in preschools in order to find one that will best meet your child's important needs during this period.

The focus on play and it’s development between the ages of 18 months - 3 years will also include a discussion on current research, trends and how to utilise your own “playful instincts” to best connect with your child and understand his behaviours and interests.

Speaker: Nancy Searl, Supervisor, The Bloorview MacMillan Nursery School, Play and Learn

Date: Call Centre for date of next workshop at 416-440-4020

Cost: $45 per person ($60 per couple).  All revenues from this workshop will be donated to Bloorview MacMillan Children's Centre Nursery School