Promoting toddler independence

[FraggleRock77]

Ideas needed please? I'm trying to embrace my 18 month olds independence.
We have already done simple things like-
He has a step to reach the sink to brush his teeth.
He has a seat at the table now with a place mat instead of a high chair.
His coat and shoes are accessible for when we get ready to go out.

Anymore ideas please for around the home.

You're probably already doing these but can he;
Brush / comb his own hair
Pick a top to wear (ours tend to get launched around the room but we get there eventually)
Choose an activity to do (read a book or play with a toy, etc.)
Do you have any pets (our cat food is in a low cupboard so he likes to help get the food out)?
Can't think of any more at the moment.

It's exciting watching them gain their independence, isn't it?

Helping to tidy up toys.
Possibly still a bit young but mine have always helped to clear up after mealtimes. You probably don't want him stacking the dishwasher just yet but he could take his plate or cup to the sink.

Really exciting watching them grow. Thank you for the ideas as well

My 18mo

• tidys up her food spillage at the end of a meal
• puts the tootbtushs away after teeth
• Tidys shoes away
• is learning to pull her pants up and down for a wee.

OP - glad to hear you are enjoying it; so many MN 'posts' are fretting and worrying and "Can't cope any longer".

Don't make TOO much of a 'developmental exercise' out of it however. Good to keep a diary or journal of milestones and progress; it is so easy to forget what it was like!

I always advocate starting to learn music; if you can afford a keyboard (a REAL one, not a toy) he could be playing simple tunes from a tutor book in under a year.

Continue to ENJOY, and you won't believe how frighteningly fast it goes!

[Our DS is thirty-two and doing a PhD.]

We have their clothes for the day in a pile on a chair doenstairs each morning. They get to pick how much they put on each day before asking for help.
Ask them if they want to do things. Some days my 3 year old is desperate to set the dinner table other days it is the 5 year old other days one of the older two. If they are interested let them do as much as they are able.

I really like all the getting dressed ideas. DS was born 11 weeks early so I'm way past worrying about a lot of stuff!