Lesson Summary:
As children become mobile, curious explorers who need safe environments that allow them to climb, fall, and learn while building confidence and independence.
Dr. Kevin Skinner (LMFT, CSAT-S, EMDR), a licensed marriage and family therapist, explains that toddlers begin noticing emotions, testing boundaries with “no,” and forming early identity, which parents can support through encouragement, gentle limits, distraction, and offering choices rather than power struggles.
Creating spaces for safe exploration, emotional awareness, and early peer exposure through parallel play helps strengthen resilience, growth, and internal security.