What sort of things are you teaching your 18 month old?

[Little Gorilla]

Just wondering what types of things you are teaching (or taught) your 18 month old?

Its confusing to know what I should be teaching him to do.

- I've been teaching him to pack up after himself if he makes a mess (but is he too young to do this?)
- I've been teaching him colours - he now knows 3 colours (I used my pegs to do this)
- I'm teaching him to count - just by saying "how many whatevers are there bubba" and he will go and point to each one while I count - usually just one 2 or 3 things - he loves doing this.

He isn't a big talker, but a very good "understander".

I know each child is different, but was just interested at what others are teaching (don't have many friends with kids around my bubs age...)

[drewid]

I very much follow Andrew's cues with what he is interested in. He is 17 months at the moment.

He loves to read the word books and will point to a picture for me to say the word. Then he tries to say it if its a new word, or repeats it if its a word he knows. He is getting very vocal and really enjoys learning new words. He surprised me this morning - a helicopter flew overhead really loudly and he goes 'ohhh!' and i say 'yes, thats a helicopter' and he said 'hellacopper'. Soo cute!

We also play with numbers, he loves 1-2-3 and gets a big kick of out using those numbers.

He loves exploring, so sometimes we just wander around outside and he will take my hand and show me interesting things.

He is starting to enjoy using crayons, so we have started doing some scribbling as well. I would never have though it, but if I draw a big circle or something, he will try to colour it in. That really blew me away.

He also enjoys putting things away - I dont' always make him do it if he makes a mess, but if I'm tidying away blocks or things, he just about always joins in of his own accord and puts things back in boxes etc.

Ball games are pretty fun too, he likes to throw a ball aroudn or roll it back and forth to each other across the floor.

Oh, so many things....

I think they are capable of SO much at this age - its just a matter of exploring just about everything really and seeing what they enjoy.

[Little Gorilla]

Yes, my son likes exploring and collecting little "treasures" in his bucket.
He is also into books, which I think is great because I'm sure he has learnt alot of things from books alone.
My son isn't saying much only - mum, dad, yaya, aidan, ball, bob, mad mad (sister's nickname), more, no, "there it is" (unclear though), hooray - he makes the correct sounds for all farmyard and zoo animals but hasn't attempted to say their names yet.

[jessgray]

my ds is 15 months old and isnt talking yet.
so far he can:
*point to the door if someone is knocking at the door
*point to what he wants (drink,food,etc)
*take his own nappy off (a skill i wis he never learnt lol)
he has just learnt how to help with putting his clothes on :) and he is starting to fully feed himself :D
should i wait till he is talking to teach numbers and colours?

[Little Gorilla]

jessgray - i started doing the numbers and colours thing way before my bub was talking - I do it every day or so with him - through repetition of these things they learn.

[HouseOfBlues]

Hi girls,
my DS is 18mths and he isn't talking much. He say's a few words.
He has about 20 plastic animals which he loves to play with and he knows them all by name. I say, "where's the elephant" and he gets it etc..
He doesn't say much but he understands a lot.