Teacher Talk for Parents

You don’t need an education degree or special equipment to use “scaffolding” when teaching toddlers at home. When educators talk about scaffolding, they’re talking about offering a little extra help as children learn a new skill.

Scaffolding happens when you place your hand over your child’s hand to draw a picture, use a spoon or perform another task. As your child learns, remove your hand to let your toddler perform the task independently. Scaffolding is what takes place when you encourage your child with clues or questions. As in: “Do you think we should place this toy here?” Remember: All children learn at their own pace.