Patience Is A Virtue...Unless You're Two: How To Teach Patience To Your Toddler Before They Enter Preschool

If there is one thing that all toddlers have in common it's impatience. Though it is normal for your toddler to get antsy while waiting in line, you want to nip it in the bub before your child starts preschool. If your child does not learn how to be patient before they enter preschool it will make it harder to learn and harder for their teacher to teach. Below are simple and fun steps to take to teach this virtue to your child before they embark on their educational journey.

Get Moving

There are several daily situations that are perfect for teaching your child patience. One of them is while waiting in line at a grocery store or the bank. While waiting in line, have your child do different things that require body movement. For instance, you can ask your child to march in place with a silly face or sway back and forth the way a tree would in the breeze. The body movement and the silly face will take your child's mind off of the waiting and make the experience of waiting fun.

Play Distracting Games

The best way to teach a child to have patience is through distraction and play. You want to take their attention away from the fact that they are waiting for someone by giving them something fun to do. While waiting in line, play "I Spy". Ask them to find certain colors that are around them. Their focus will be diverted to their surroundings. You can also name of a variety animals and ask your child what sounds each animal makes. If your child does not know their colors or animal sounds, this game will basically kill two birds with one stone by teaching them patience and simple skills they'll need to know for preschool.

Positive Reinforcement

Children love to feel as if they did something good, so always offer your child positive reinforcement whenever possible. If your child stood in line at the grocery store or patiently waited their turn at the doctor's office, be sure to praise them for a job well done. The more praise you give your toddler when they are patient, the more often they try to be patient while out and about or at home. If your child was only patient part of the time, highlight that. Tell them that you are proud of them for being patient for so long but to hard to be patient longer the next time you two are out.

It's completely normal for your toddler to get antsy waiting around, however, there are ways to curb the behavior before they enter into preschool. By following the simple and fun steps listed above, your child will learn this virtue and not even realize it.  

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