I love talking about joint attention, but a lot of my ideas and strategies in my courses may feel like they are geared toward older preschool-age students. My tips today are for the youngest learners, toddlers aged 2 to 3. Joint attention is an important foundational skill and it is never too early to get started with these strategies!
3 Ways to Get Started with Joint Attention with Your Toddler Today
Books
Books are the lifeline for learning and sharing activities and time with our little ones. For these young learners, when reading use a positive, energetic voice. Try using board books and interactive books with flaps. With your own child, make a goal to embed at least 15 minutes to read and interact with a book every day!
Some of my favorites: Huggy Kissy and the Llama Llama series
Songs
Use YOUR Voice. Learn songs with motions to sing with your toddler. If toddlers aren't speaking they can join in by using the gestures and doing the motions as you sing. You can also use visuals like toys that match the song or printed visuals from my TPT store for early intervention songs.
Some of my favorites: Wheels on the Bus, 5 Little Monkeys, Happy and You Know It, Old McDonald
Play
Playing with toddlers is so fun and you never know what they will love and enjoy. Focus on not asking questions but just modeling simple language and narrating the activity.
Some of my favorites: Bubbles, Sensory Bins, Cars with Tracks
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