The Emotional World of the Toddler: A Magical, Musical Place

An Introduction to the Emotional World of Toddlerhood: A Magical, Musical Place
by Melissa R. Johnson, Ph.D.

Toddlerhood is a time of life that challenges both developmental psychologists and parents with its fascinating mixture of change, growth, joy and frustration. Between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, the child leaves babyhood behind and emerges as a verbal and (relatively) competent pre-schooler. During this transition process, the changes that occur physically, cognitively, socially, emotionally, and in communication skills are amazing and, at times, overwhelming.

Toddlerhood has gained a reputation as being difficult because this is a period of tremendous energy and great capacity for movement and activity in the child, while at the same time it is the period when children are just barely beginning to acquire the rudiments of self-control and to accept the need for limits.

One of the most rewarding challenges for parents during this period is selecting activities that introduce the toddler to new learning experiences without overwhelming his or her capacity to adapt to change. This is particularly important because successful activities, like the ones presented in Kindermusik curricula, support and strengthen the parent-child relationship, while activities that are developmentally inappropriate can stress it further. Knowledge of some of the key emotional tasks of the toddler years can help increase the joy and reduce the frustration of working with this age group.