2-3 years old
Q How are children developing?
Children are developing a sense of their own identity, that they're a boy or girl and who makes up their family.
Q What do they need from their parents?
- They are developing a large vocabulary and understand many more words than they can speak.
- They are asking a lot of Who? Where? What? Questions. Curious about babies.
- They like stories repeated over and over, song and rhyme.
- Around the time of potty and toilet training they can be very interested in what they produce - particularly poo! They can also be very interested in their own genital area and it is common for children of this age to touch their penis or vulva; this gives them a comforting feeling, but is not sexual.
- To be able to answer questions simply and honestly
- To help them understand enough about where babies come from. Click here for appropriate books available in your local library.
- To give them names for genital area - penis, vulva, bottom etc Click here for suggestions of what words to use to help children name body parts.
- To help them understand feelings and have basic words to describe them
- To have thought about how to respond to them touching their genitals at home and in public. Click here for some suggestions
