11 Ways to let toddler be more independent  

Allow them to dress themselves 

Your toddler is capable of learning many fine and gross motor skills, and something like dressing themselves can give them the confidence to tackle other skills. Getting dressed is a daily task that they can practise morning, noon and night. Even putting their coat and boots on before leaving the house gives them a little extra independence and the quicker they learn, the less hands on you have to be!

Allow them to eat like you

When your toddler sees you eating, it makes the task more appealing. If the food on their plate looks exactly like yours, it can become more interesting. If your eating corn on the cob, give them corn on the cob and see how they do. 

Let them play on their own

Playing is a big part of learning, and even though you may think you need to always participate in playtime, it is important for toddlers to play on their own too. You can’t possibly be apart of the play every minute. Independent play teaches them to problem solve and explore, even to use their imagination. Remember, it’s their job to play, not yours. 

Let them pour their own drinks

Pouring is apart of sensory learning and can teach your toddler coordination while becoming more independent. Start by letting them pour Pom Poms from one cup to another. When you think they are ready, move on to water, and let them do their thing. Soon they can pour their own drink and feel like a Big Kid!

Let them problem solve

Playing can be a great way to problem solve but letting your toddler help you with daily tasks where problem solving is taking place can be a great way for them to see it in a different way. Something as simple as, “how do you think we should sort these toys? By colour or size?” While organizing on a regular basis, your toddler will figure out the best way to complete a task. 

Give them choices 

Sometimes asking your toddler a simple question will just lead to nothing. “Are you ready for bed?” Can become a battle before you know it. Instead give choices. “Do you want the red pyjamas OR the blue pyjamas?” This way, your toddler is in control of the situation and can make their own choice. 

Let them have control over activities 

Giving your toddler any kind of control can feel counterintuitive but it makes tasks much easier to get through for your child because they get to make the decisions. Making their own decisions can be exciting and make tasks more enjoyable. 

Forget about perfection

Toddler life is messy. With any task, a small child will still be learning and not as neatly as you might like it. That’s okay! Helping put away laundry in a drawer, or colouring outside the lines, forget about how perfect things can be and just focus on the progress. 

Give them control with potty training

No matter what society tells you, or when you think you need to start potty training, every child is going to be different and may find no interest at the age of 2 years old. Introducing the concept at this age is normal, but there can be a regression if your child is simply not ready. Taking notice of interest in what happens in the bathroom is a good sign for readiness, and allowing your toddler to take control of what is comfortable can lead to better results. Eventually a child will feel uncomfortable doing their business in a pull-up or underwear and will make them want to use the bathroom. 

Let them turn the page

Reading a book with your toddler can be another way to involve them in the process. Letting them turn the page helps with those motor skills and makes the book a little more exciting when they have a job to do. Again, it’s about giving them some control.

Encourage their effort

Encouraging your child to try something new, like climb and slide, let’s them know they are safe to go ahead and accomplish something that may look scary to them. 

And then, give them praise