[freesiangel]

Am I the only mom that is clueless as to what I should be doing with my child?! I don't know what types of educational stuff or games I should be doing with him... We play a lot and I've taught him where most of his body parts are and how to clap and give high fives, hugs, kisses, etc. I point out things as we go on walks and all that jazz... But I feel like there are other things I could be doing. We color and finger paint, but he isn't really into that kind of stuff (yet, anyway).

Suggestions? Any web sites you visit or books you read with good ideas for what age-appropriate activities I could be doing with Xander?

[**Jenn**]

I think what you're doing is right on target. I know it always feels like we can be doing more but I think its safe to say Xander is right on track. Does he like to be read to? A good thing I like to do at that age is sit with a board book and not necessarily read it but point to the pictures and say what they are and then ask him where things are on the page. Playing with blocks are a huge hit in my house. Even Lila loves stacking little towers to knock over and it fosters good fine motor skills. Wooden puzzles are great too. Any kind of pretend play is fabulous as well.

Lila really likes the magna doodle--its coloring without the mess and not a big deal when she puts the "pen" in her mouth.

[Resi]

I think at this age the are best with free play and using their imagination. I'm not big one teaching my toddler to count or know his abc's. However it starts to happen without doing much teaching. Oliver learned to count to 13 by us counting the stairs when he climbed up them, he knows his colors from coloring, painting, and reading books with colors. /he knows some shapes from books and familair objects. He knows the abc song from me singing it to him It happens by just doing the basic things. I'll teach me more about numbers and letters when we start doing some preshool together maybe when he turns 3 this fall.

[Mars]

itto:

You're doing great thus far. It's all about learning through everyday experiences and not necessarily teaching things. When he gets a bit older you can help him learn colors through sorting the laundry, or through sock puppets and other things like that. And the list is endless for the other things that he can learn from just having fun and helping you out around the home. Many ideas will come to you as he grows.