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10 to 20 Months:

Read books with simple, everyday, colorful pictures. Use a few familiar books over and over so your child can learn the story.

Change the rules of games and the stories in hard books so they are simple enough for your pre-toddler to enjoy.

Use "board books" so that your pre-toddler can hold and enjoy them, without the fear of damage.

Repeat a new word over and over and use gestures to help your child build his/her listening and understanding.

Learning bye-bye waves and kisses are fun for everyone.

Watch for your child's own hand-words, like pointing to a refrigerator when hungry.

Bang on pots to make music; dance to your songs. Your pre-toddler loves movement and noise.

Sing in the car, too. Treat yourself and share your favorite songs with your child. Your pre-toddler doesn't love only nursery rhymes.

Your busy, busy, busy child loves to experiment, touch, and make "messes." Help meet that desire on your terms: finger paint with pudding on a cookie sheet; play with shaving cream in the bathtub; put a plastic table cloth on the floor, then play with play-dough or eat a popsicle with fingers.

Your pre-toddler will have some "words." These words might not sound the way our words do, but praise your child and enjoy this sign of early learning and achievement - even if your pre-toddler's favorite words are "no, more, mine."

Make animal noises when you read animal books. Pretend to be animals by making noises and crawling together.

Water is fascinating to your pre-toddler. Water play with plastic cups and scoops will delight and amuse your child. You must always be there to watch, no matter how little water is in the tub or pool.

17 to 26 Months:

Expand your child's sentences. Say what your toddler says, but add a few extra words. Talk about everything you do, and encourage your toddler to talk, too.

Build with blocks and other toys. For toddlers, mowing down a tower is as fun and instructive as building it. Try it with your toddler; it really is fun.

It's time to play ball, let them throw, catch and try to kick!

Narrate your toddler's play, but don't question and quiz. Your toddler doesn't have the words to answer yet.

To help build skill following directions, give your toddler one or two simple tasks and praise him/her for being a wonderful helper.

Homemade puppets are a treat - a white sock with a colored magic marker face will delight your toddler.

Start pretend games like "feed the baby" - teach your toddler to be a caring person, like you!

Dress-up fun in mommy's hat and daddy's boots will entertain your toddler and help give him/her practice with dressing.

Talk with your child. Take time to listen as you tell your child about your world.

Bedtime is a special time. Talk in the dark, tell stories. Kids are starting to play with each other. Look for play groups or start your own. Kid to kid, parent to parent, we both need folks our own age.

Your toddler's favorite words will be "no, want it, me, mine," but action words will be coming soon.

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