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Young children begin to understand abstract ideas when they can connect them with their own experiences, says Jennie Lindon Between 18 months and two and a half years of age, most young children will show that they have made the move into ideas about familiar objects, people and events in daily life. This area of children's learning is the one that can be most difficult for adults to understand, until you really make the effort to see through a child's eyes. Ideas that seem obvious to us are brand new to children and initially make no sense at all.

Between 18 months and two and a half years of age, most young children will show that they have made the move into ideas about familiar objects, people and events in daily life. This area of children's learning is the one that can be most difficult for adults to understand, until you really make the effort to see through a child's eyes. Ideas that seem obvious to us are brand new to children and initially make no sense at all.

Listen to children's language and the kind of words that they use.

* First of all, toddlers learn words to name people and objects: 'cup', 'dog', 'baby', 'Mama', Daddy', the names of siblings or their key worker.

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