Why Toddlers Love Repetition #toddlerbehavior

Brianna, © 2017 aspicyboycatandmyfatass.com

When I hear one of Brianna's favorite YouTube videos that she likes to watch, I feel like I might lose my shit. I find myself singing to the same tunes when I least expect it, especially when at work. You can probably find me humming the lyrics to "Baby Shark... doo doo... ", and many more. She loves repetition, and listens to the same things over and over again... not purposely to drive me crazy! Most toddlers like repetition since it's familiar, comforting, and at times helps them learn.

By the time your toddler is two, you should notice that she's starting to repeat the same words and phrases constantly. By the time that she's three, she will start to demand her favorite stories, songs and nursery rhymes over and over again. By repetition, your toddler is able to learn and take in new information every time. That's why you should allow your little one to select their bedtime book for you to read to her. You will most likely notice that she will chose the same one most of the time.

She will also love nursery rhymes and stories with repeated phrases... which is a good way to join in.This helps your child learn more words and phrases each time that you repeat it. If you make any changes, your toddler may correct you or add her own variation.


After hearing her favorite story over and over, she might even remember it well enough to add the endings to some of her sentences. Once she knows the ending to a story, she would be able to pay closer attention to the actual story the next time you read it to her. Repetition is your toddler's way of reminding herself what she knows... she enjoys the excitement.

Repetition is also comforting to a toddler. She want's to read the story over and over again, since she can predict what's about to happen. This gives a feeling of security and structure. As she learns more about the world around her, she can at times feel overwhelmed by everything that she's taking in. Something as simple as the repetition of a familiar story will help reassure her that everything is okay.

Make time daily to read to your toddler. Use different voices to tell stories and encourage her to join in the fun as much as possible. Have fun singing nursery rhymes and songs... look at your local library for stuff like "Toddler  Time" and other kinds of childrens groups. And when you're at home, try singing and making up rhymes for your toddler... the sillier the better!