Introduction
Although you may become exasperated by cries of 'Again, again, again!' and wonder how your little one can possibly enjoy the same story a thousand times, babies and toddlers (up to around 18 months) thrive on repetition.
Repeating activities or stories helps them to learn and remember new information. Once they've learnt something, they will enjoy repetition because they can anticipate what comes next. And, by knowing what comes next, they feel they have accomplished something. Plus they get to enjoy that excitement of completion all over again.
How CBeebies can help
Most pre-school programmes have the same format for each episode, although a slightly different topic or idea may be covered.
This repetitiveness helps babies and toddlers learn. They can anticipate what happens next and join in.
So, for instance, you may find that your little one starts singing along to a theme song quite quickly. They've probably heard the song at the beginning and end of each episode several times before. They know what's coming when the music starts and want to join in.
Don't worry - it is perfectly normal for your child to want to watch the same TV show (sometimes the same episode) over and over again. It's just a stage they're going through!
How to make a magic moment
In your play activities, you may find that your little one wants you to build the tower of bricks and knock them down again and again. Or it may be a repetitive game of 'Round and round the garden like a teddy bear' where he/she has a big tickle at the end.
Whatever activity is chosen, be prepared for the fact that you'll be bored of it before them! Once you start an activity, don't expect to do it just once. Allow enough time to do it several times. Even though it can really test your patience, it's just a phase they're going through. Sometimes keeping that in mind can really help!
