I’ve been trying to figure out the most effective ways to praise my 2-year-old when she does something good. I know positive reinforcement works better than just saying “no” all the time, but I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.
Sometimes I say “good job” but I’ve read that might be too vague? Other times I try to be more specific like “thank you for putting your toys away” but I wonder if that’s the right approach.
What kinds of praise have worked well for your toddlers? Any tips on timing or specific phrases that seem to really motivate them to keep up the good behavior?
We’ve had good luck with adding little celebrations to the mix. When my daughter helps set the table or remembers to wash her hands, I might do a tiny happy dance or give her a high five along with saying what she did.
She lights up when she sees me get excited about her choices. Sometimes I’ll tell her dad later while she’s listening - “did you see how she remembered to put her cup in the sink?” That pride on her face is everything.
I also started asking her how she feels about what she accomplished. Like after she shares a toy, I’ll say “how did that make you feel when you shared with your friend?” She’s learning to recognize that good feeling that comes from making good choices.
Specific praise worked better for us too. Like “you shared your snacks with your brother” instead of just “good job.” I noticed catching them right when they do something good makes a bigger difference than waiting until later.
My kid went through this phase where regular praise just bounced right off him. What started working was narrating his actions more like “I see you picked up three blocks and put them in the basket.” Not even calling it good or bad, just noticing out loud what he did. Sometimes he’d repeat the behavior just to hear me describe it again. Made me realize how much toddlers just want to be seen and acknowledged for what they’re doing in the moment.
my 5 year old responds well to describing what they actually did, like “you cleaned up your blocks without me asking.” I’m still figuring out if praise every single time is too much though. Sometimes I wonder if I should wait for bigger moments or keep noticing the small stuff. What age did you start mixing in other ways to encourage them besides just verbal praise?