Toddler classes and attention span/following directions

[livinlovinlaughin]

DS and I are doing a class together focusing on shapes and colors.This class is for 2yr olds. We have only had 2 classes so far. I notice that most of the kids sit and color or do their craft for the full time alloted. DS wants to do it until we sit down. He lasts a very short time before he is ready to explore the room or do something else. He barely puts any color on papers when he colors too. At home coloring always turns into hauling crayons in his trucks. When the group forms a circle he will sit with me but does not do the songs if they are standing and moving in a circle he just stands there. He dances at home with us all the time. DH asked if I thought he has ADD or something. I don't think so and hope not. Any suggestions here? He tells me he likes class but doesn't do the activities much. Is it just because this is so new to him?

[sapphire_chan]

I'm amazed that the other kids all sit and do the activity. Your ds is the one acting like most 2 year olds I've known.

I'm also jealous that he'll just sit on your lap for circle time. We haven't tried a library story time in awhile because dd will yell at everyone to stop singing and will actually put her hand over my mouth.

[flightgoddess]

No, that is how two year olds are. At ECFE (early childhood family education) at the beginning of the year, my lil guy JUST turned 2 and was all over like that. Now that he is over 2.5, he will sit and participate more than he used to, but not all the time yet, at least not as much as the 3 and 4 yr olds. His patience will develop more over the next year. If in a year or so and there is literally no change, then you could start thinking about an evaluation. On the classroom wall, there is a great graphic comparing activity/attention levels of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. The baby maybe plays with 2-4 things in the room in 3 min, the preschoolers maybe 2-5 things, but the toddler zig zags all over. At that age they are now mobile, and have the power to decide what THEY want and when (for the most part) and everything is interesting and new, so they want to try everything!

[tessie]

Yep, absolutely typical. My kid can sit and concentrate on a task/activity for ages if it's what she wants to do. Other times she's the one jumping round the room like a kangaroo on speed.

[lifeguard]

I've been taking ds to the library reading time once a week for 30 minutes for over a year. He has only recently at 2.5 started to REALLY participate. Before that I know he enjoyed the whole thing but mostly he watched from the sidelines.

[youngspiritmom]

I signed up my 2 year old DS for a similar art class where they sat at a craft table for 10 minutes then transitioned to the next one. My son sat for about 30 seconds then ran laps around the room. He'll sit for about 45 seconds at story time at the library and then run. I think it's typically and I have also worried about his attention span, but I think it is normal. I think this is also more true for boys than girls at this age.

No worries. :)