Toddler Time

Before You Plan, Watch. It Changes What You See.

You ask your toddler what they want to do, and they say “I don’t know.” You set up the activity you were sure they’d love, and they wander off to play with the box.

Reggio offers a quieter alternative: watch first. The free Three Baskets guide is built on this same observe-and-respond loop.

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Why This Happens

If you’re talking, you’re not observing. Watch first, respond second.

When you watch without steering, you learn things you can’t get any other way — what they’re drawn to, how they approach a problem, when their focus deepens. That information tells you what to offer next.

Try These 3 Things Today

1

Watch for ten minutes without directing

Notice how your toddler sees things. No narrating, no suggesting, no correcting.

2

Notice what they return to.

Repeated interest is a signal worth following.

3

Jot one line down.

“Lined up stones by size for twenty minutes.” Over a week, these notes reveal patterns you’d miss in the moment.

The Three Baskets free guide

Slow down and notice what your toddler is showing you.

The free Three Baskets guide walks you through building a Calm Basket from 4–6 things already in your house — plus the four sentences to say when the feeling is already big. 16 pages, more than 40 items you already own, nothing to buy.

From a former elementary school teacher. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.

Want to Learn More?

Before You Plan, Watch: What Observation Can Show You

Bringing Reggio observation home → Learn how.

Remember: Progress, Not Perfection

Welcome to the nest.