Developing toddlers

[Anonymous]

What do good nannies do to help 3-4 yos develop their english language skills, motor skills, etc.?
What do good nannies do with those and when there is a 2 yo floating about?

I fear we are at a crux where we need a good toddler nanny, not baby nanny. thanks ahead of time.

[Anonymous]

Any nanny tips for helping develop pre-schoolers? I'm running out of ideas and projects!

[Anonymous]

I usually talk and to my charges.... for english skills.
Play with my charges for small and gross motor development .
Count things as I play.... for math skills.

It's not rocket science!

[Anonymous]

My nanny just sits on the couch while the 2 yo and 4 yo run around doing nothing. Sigh.
And if a playdate is arranged then all 3-4 kids run around doing nothing much while the two nannies have tea and chat.

[Anonymous]

I read, talk and sing to my charges all the time. I get down on the floor and play with them when they want me to. I take them to the park, library, music class... I taught my four year old charge to read and he reads to the toddler when I am preparing lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny just sits on the couch while the 2 yo and 4 yo run around doing nothing. Sigh.
And if a playdate is arranged then all 3-4 kids run around doing nothing much while the two nannies have tea and chat.

Are you paying a fair market rate (for 2 kids ages 2 and 4 in the DC area that's about $18-22/hr with guaranteed hours and some PTO)? If the answer is yes, then fire her and replace her with someone who will do a better job. If the answer is no and you can't afford the type of nanny compensation described above, then you're stuck with a subpar nanny, or consider other options (daycare etc).

[Anonymous]

We read books daily, sing songs and recite poems and nursery rhymes that coincide with different things that come up during the day (e.g., sing itsby bitsy spider when we see a spider web on a walk), play silly rhyming games (e.g., "Do you need some water? How about an otter? How about the otter's daughter?" *giggles ensue*), tell stories verbally in the car, on walks (like the three little pigs, etc.), I speak fluently and don't dumb down my language and I encourage them to ask for clarification. We bring their "journals" along on outings and they draw pictures and write a word or two to describe things that interest them.

For math, we do a lot of counting and measuring and basic math as part of activities. We also talk a lot about comparitive size, weight, etc. We have a few math games but mostly we just use it as needed in normal life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny just sits on the couch while the 2 yo and 4 yo run around doing nothing. Sigh.
And if a playdate is arranged then all 3-4 kids run around doing nothing much while the two nannies have tea and chat.

that sounds not too bad!

[Anonymous]

It's not really about language skills -- it's all social emotional. A toddler/preschooler nanny should be able to discipline appropriately, work on developing self care like cleaning up and toiletinf, and helping grow in the ability to self regulate. Our toddler/preschooler nanny, for example, understands my kid's somewhat complex social emotional stuff better than I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not really about language skills -- it's all social emotional. A toddler/preschooler nanny should be able to discipline appropriately, work on developing self care like cleaning up and toiletinf, and helping grow in the ability to self regulate. Our toddler/preschooler nanny, for example, understands my kid's somewhat complex social emotional stuff better than I do.

This!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not really about language skills -- it's all social emotional. A toddler/preschooler nanny should be able to discipline appropriately, work on developing self care like cleaning up and toiletinf, and helping grow in the ability to self regulate. Our toddler/preschooler nanny, for example, understands my kid's somewhat complex social emotional stuff better than I do.

It really shouldn't be either/or. If your nanny is in touch with your kid's social and emotional development but isn't on top of developmental milestones such as language and basic number sense then you don't have a very good nanny.

[Anonymous]

Talk with them a lot. Repeat what they are saying.

Example : 3 year old says, "I play toys." I say, "You are playing with your toys."

I don't correct kids for pronouncing things wrong. Well, after age 10 I tell them the correct way to pronounce things if they are still saying a word improperly.

Also, I think having a lot of background noise interferes with a preschoolers ability to learn how to speak properly. Like having the TV on while you / they are trying to talk.