Toddler always wants to look inside fridge?

You mentioned that you don't want her to have the habit of standing there, staring in the fridge, deciding what she wants to eat. I'm not quite clear on this: is she wanting food after she asks you to open it? Or she just wants to look inside? If she wants to eat, how about having a small plastic shoebox size box inside that has snacks that are just hers? She can decorate it with stickers and you can put pre-portioned snacks or drinks in it for her. That way she just reaches in the box to get what she needs.

How about buying her a toy refrigerator? Tell her she can open HER refrigerator when she's asking. She's 2 - she's old enough to tell her you don't need to open it because it wastes electricity. You can talk to her about why that's important and other ways you save electricity in your home.

Sounds to me like she's curious about what's in the big box, or she just finds doors interesting. What the lady above me said is BRILLIANT - buy her a toy fridge - she can look in that all she wants. Hide stuff in there for her to find. Get her boxes - free boxes from the supermarket - and hide stuff inside for her to find.

She will soon loose interest in the fridge.

~Cindy! :)

She's curious.

I suggest that you show her once, but don't do it all day. Buy her a lock box with little doors on it that latch. You can hide things in there and she'll open and close happily. It will also improve her fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination.

She may also be interested in food. Let her help you prepare meals and snacks. She can peel eggs and slice them with an egg slicer, cut bananas and vegetables with a plastic or child-safe wavy cutter, mix and pour. This takes patience and a tolerance for mess, but it will be a worthwhile experience for you both.

Everytime I or my husband open's the refrigerator or the freezer doors, no matter what my son is doing, he run's into the kitchen and plays with stuff in the refrigerator. Ketchup and mustard bottles, mayonnaise, etc. are all taken out by my son. He will try to open the fridge, tries to shut it, and he stand's right at the fridge and tries to get more stuff. I have taken his picture while he does this, and I will show him twenty year's from now, how obsessed he was with being in the refrigerator.

I only let him play for the time that I get out what I need from in there. It's not good for the item's that are in the freezer or fridge while the door's are left open. I would limit the time your daughter spend's with the refrigerator to just the time you need the door's open. Give her a snack while you pick out what you need out of fridge, that way she is distracted from what your doing in there.

I would say this is not something to encourage.

To be honest I imagine that this is more out of curiosity than anything. Perhaps she recognises it as a big door and wonders whats inside? maybe she sees other doors and wonders why you don't walk through this one? It may take a little while but eventually she will learn what it is for and the curiosity will subside.

From what you have described it sounds as if she thinks its a door rather than a fridge.

The only problem would come if you were to 'reward' her with food or something everytime she asked you to open the fridge.

Natrualy she will eventually associate the fridge with food, (just as we all do) but the trick is to show that not everytime the fridge opens food is given out. this should weaken the association.

Also, it is ok to say 'no' sometimes, children need to learn boundaries but you should always tell them why. This aids learning and will hopefully satisfy their curiosity more than just "because I say so".

Young children although highly inquisitive can understand relatively complex situations so it is always best to talk to them.

Hope that helps.