“How can I get my toddler to play independently?”
Here's what Lovevery experts want parents to know about independent play for toddlers—how to encourage it, and what's realistic to expect.
Independent Play
Independent Play
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Learning to sit (hint: it doesn’t happen in a baby seat)
Sitting develops in stages, like all milestones—and there’s no need to rush it. More time on the floor is better than sitting in a baby seat for helping your baby improve strength and balance. In this post: Side-lying provides balance and core work When your baby plays on their side, it’s easy for them to … Continued
Teach your toddler to do more on their own in 4 steps
Allowing your toddler to practice each part of a self-care skill with you boosts their confidence and independence.
Subtle signs of your toddler’s developing focus
Some toddlers can pay attention to an activity for several minutes, while others may need more support to stay focused for even a minute.
How can you encourage your toddler to be less clingy?
By staying close and being a calm, steady presence, you’re actually helping your toddler learn to become more independent in the future.
Teaching toddlers to persist: what the research says
Researchers analyzed how parents taught their 24-month-olds to complete a difficult activity and the children's persistence a year late. This is what they uncovered.
How to help your toddler get the most from parallel play
Learn four strategies to help your toddler enjoy—and learn from—parallel play.
The connection schema: putting things together and taking them apart
Toddlers love discovering how objects fit together and come apart. Discover 5 ways to support this type of play.
6 ways to build your toddler’s attention span
Giving your child opportunities to focus on a task uninterrupted and get into a “zone of concentration'' is an important part of the Montessori approach.
Wish your toddler would focus? Try playing together first
Are you eager for your toddler to play longer with a toy? Learn what you can do to help them get the most out of their playthings.