24-30 Months: Toddler Discoveries -- Observation Record

How does the toddler explore and show understanding of concepts like color, matching, and size?

Toddlers explore objects in new ways all day long. They learn by touching, holding, taking apart, and trying to rebuild. They learn how things work and understand beginning concepts of color, matching, same, and different. The toddler might do one or more of the following:

• Build things–explore new ways to put things together, such as blocks, beads, pattern blocks, pegboards, or collage shapes.
• Observe with intensity–follow the path of an ant as it crawls across the sidewalk, or closely inspect every part of a spider's web.
• Put like things together–match pictures of similar things, such as all the pictures of birds or of bugs.
• Match it–find a blue crayon just like the one a friend is using.
• Want the same amount–complain that he doesn't have as many crackers as a friend has.

How does this toddler explore and show he's learning new things? (Include dates.)

How does the toddler show reasoning skills and imagination as he plans how he will do things?

Toddlers can now think ahead and plan what will happen next. They depend on routines and can be upset if asked to change from what they are expecting. They act out what they experience in daily life during dramatic play, block building, and art activities.

The toddler might do one or more of the following:

• Make one thing with another–push chairs into a row to create a train, and call out for people to come and ride.
• Hunt patiently–dump the contents of a box all over the floor as he looks everywhere for the front-loader tractor he was using yesterday.
• Plan a party–go over to the water table to fill up the teapot, so he can make tea for the stuffed animals placed on chairs around the table.
• Make a wish–put sticks on the play dough mound, and look for someone to come over and blow out the candles on the birthday cake.
• Be prepared–find all the felt cutouts needed to tell the story of Ask Mr. Bear on the felt board.

How does this toddler show he has a plan when he uses toys and other things? (Include dates.)

How does the toddler show his growing understanding of consequences as he acts out events and follows familiar routines?

Toddlers are very determined and often appear stubborn while trying to follow routines in the way they understand them. They want to make things happen in exactly the way they think they should happen, and can be very surprised when things don't work the way they expect.

The toddler might do one or more of the following:

• Copy what he's seen–look all over for the plastic screwdriver because he needs to fix the wheel on the wagon just like Grampa did.
• Ask for adult help–call for help from a nearby adult rather than hit or fight with another child who has grabbed his truck from him.
• Try it his way–insist on putting on his hat and mittens before putting on his coat, even though he discovers he has to take off his mittens in order to get his coat on.
• Find following rules hard–show frustration when trying to follow the rules of Follow the Leader.
• Have a plan in mind–go over to the book corner to find a book about cowboys after pulling on cowboy boots he found in the dress-up box.

How does this toddler show he's beginning to understand how things work? (Include dates.)