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| |    Toddlers and Preschoolers: Becoming Part of the Holiday Tradition by Susan E. Davis reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. Once your baby has grown into a walking, talking (or at least grunting), and keenly observant little human, she's ready to start taking an active role in family traditions. Here are some ideas to make the holidays magical: Indulge their senses. Toddlers and preschoolers mostly take joy in the immediate, sensual pleasures of the season, such as the flickering lights of the menorah, the fragrance and glitter of the Christmas tree, the colorful array of wrapped presents. Put out bowls of evergreen-scented potpourri (safely out of reach, of course), play seasonal music, and fill the house with colorful and sparkling decorations, and don't forget to save a few special ones for their room. Food definitely falls into the category of sensual pleasures, and you can include your child in many different ways. Help her use cookie cutters to form dreidels, stars, fir trees, or reindeer out of dough, for instance, and then let her go wild with sprinkles and frosting. Let her mix the batter for latkes or sweet potato pie. If she mangles your ingredients too badly, fix her up with her own little bowl filled with flour and water, you'll have a bit of a mess to clean up, but you'll also have a happy kid and a less stressful baking session. Participate and delegate. Young children love to be part of a festive group, and activities such as sleigh rides, Christmas caroling, holiday parties, and religious services all deepen their perception that this is a special time. Encourage their budding sense of responsibility by letting them choose or make a couple of presents, help with the wrapping, fold the poinsettia dinner napkins, place the tree topper as Dad holds them aloft. Any age-appropriate way that you can think of to involve them in your holiday preparations will add to their sense of inclusion and self-esteem. Get them thinking. Remember, too, that preschoolers are hungry for information about how the world works. This is the age when you can begin to introduce not only traditional holiday tales, both secular and religious, but also the important general themes associated with this time of year, such as family unity, the importance of giving, even the wonder of miracles. You don't have to lecture, there's a wealth of age-appropriate holiday books, videos, and TV shows that can spark a great conversation on these worthwhile topics.
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