Parents of toddlers, as you know, this age can be incredibly rewarding and challenging. Children learn so much during this stage and yet they can struggle with things such as emotional regulation and communicating their wants and needs.
Did you know that many Special Needs Nannies have training and experience in helping children develop skills that may be relevant to your typically developing toddler? 

Language Development

Nannies who are RBTs (Registered Behavior Technicians), or who have experience in special education classrooms often work with children with language needs. These nannies will have many tools in their teaching toolbox to help your child develop their language skills at the precise level at which they are ready. 

Behavior

Oftentimes, behavioral issues can come up when a child doesn’t know how to communicate their wants and needs effectively, and other times, it can be because they don’t yet have the skills to regulate their emotions. Special needs nannies can help with these very typical toddler issues as well. These nannies have been trained in behavioral science and understand how to encourage behavior that will meet the needs of the child and those around them, while minimizing undesired behaviors. 

Language Building Activities with Toy Trains

When my son was a toddler, he loved to play with his toy trains, so I will use this activity as an example of all of the fun ways your nanny with specialized training might help your child build their language skills while playing with your child. 

0-18 months

• The nanny might show the child the train and, if the child shows interest, the nanny could model saying the word “train” (pausing briefly to give the child a chance to echo them) as they give the train to the child. 

• If there is a pile of trains and tracks in front of the child, the nanny might ask the child to hand them a train. 

• The nanny might set up a “train race” and to begin the race, the nanny can say “ready, set….” and pause to let the child say “go!”

18-30 months

• The nanny might set out several types of trains and ask the child which train they would like (example: the red train, big train, etc)

• The nanny might set the trains out to play, and bring the child into the room to see them with a prompt of “I have a surprise for you” and then when they see it, they might ask “What do you see?” (trains, train set, etc).

• The nanny might ask the child to be silly and have the train jump or fly, or some other funny action for a train. 

• The nanny might sing a familiar train song, pausing at strategic points to let the child fill in the words

30-48 months

• The nanny might be silly and play with the train in an unexpected way (example, putting the train upside-down on the track) and ask the child what is wrong, encouraging them to tell them in a simple sentence. 

• The nanny might ask for a specific train by using two descriptors (example: small blue train) from a big set of different toys including various types of trains

• The nanny might ask various questions about trains while they play (example: Who is driving the train? Where is the train going? What is the train carrying? etc)

If you or your nanny would like to learn how to support your child’s language development, you might enjoy our FREE Webinar titled Facilitating Language Development Through Play on our website, here.