Other developments: Developing the five senses, reading more

Other developments: Developing the five senses, reading more

Daily life is one big adventure for a newly mobile toddler. You've witnessed yours touch, smell, examine, and at least try to taste nearly everything that she finds. By fully investigating objects this way, children learn to distinguish the qualities of various things. She'll probably find tools — a whisk from the kitchen cupboard — and live creatures — an earthworm that creeps along the gutter after a rainstorm — especially fascinating.

You can make these "learning" experiences even more educational by talking to your toddler about what she's experiencing. Name the sounds that surround you when you're outside: "Do you hear that bird? Can you hear the sprinklers that are watering the grass?" for instance, or challenge her to find something particular, like "Help me find a rock that feels smooth." Learning to observe, listen, and investigate will help her develop important sensory skills.

Though your 16-month-old may not want to sit still for more than a few minutes, she is probably showing a little more interest in having stories read to her. Don't be frustrated if she seems to prefer pointing at specific pictures and having you tell her about them rather than listening to you read the text. One of her favorite things to do when looking at books may be to point to objects she has words for — such as ball, cat, dog, etc., and say them (over and over). But if you ask her to "Find the ... chicken (or the moon, or a car) ..." she'll enthusiastically do that, too. She is also probably very adamant about wanting to help you turn the pages, a sign of her increasing autonomy.