Try these strategies to support your toddler’s cognitive development

• Show four objects on a tray; cover the tray and remove one object; uncover the tray and ask what is missing.
• Set up choices that involve your child making decisions, and encourage your child to use gestures (or language in the future) to make a decision.
• Use concept words (such as big, little, heavy, soft) often in daily conversations.
• Play games that involve naming opposites (hot–cold, up–down, empty–full).
• Compare objects to show opposites (fast–slow, wet–dry).
• Practice sorting shapes and objects by size, colour, or other properties.
• Compare objects for length (short or long; long, longer, longest).
• Discuss objects by use (shovel–outside).
• Discuss objects by where they may be found (land, sea, sky; library, home, school, store).
• Encourage your child to complete puzzles.

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