The Everything Toddler Activities Book (3 page)

There are many different types of play activities, and each type addresses certain skills and promotes development. Here are just a few examples:

• Cooking:
  Develops math skills (counting and measuring), nutrition, and science concepts (prediction, cause and effect).
  
• Art:
  Develops creativity, emotional expression, symbolic representation, fine motor skills, large motor skills, cooperation, and spatial concepts.
  
• Pretend play:
  Develops social skills (cooperation, turn-taking, and sharing), language and vocabulary development, imagination, and emotional expression.
  
• Puzzles:
  Develops problem-solving skills, abstract reasoning, shape recognition, and spatial concepts.
  
• Block building:
  Develops a foundation for more advanced science comprehension including gravity, stability, weight, and balance.
  

Not every activity designed for toddlers will be right for your child. This is true for the activities in this book as well. You may find activities that are appropriate now and then come back later, as your child develops, to find other activities that are worthwhile. How do you choose appropriate activities for your child?

Start with your child’s interests and follow his lead. If he seems to enjoy spending time watching ants on the back porch, you may want to consider planning some activities about insect lore. If your child is afraid of clowns, you would avoid going to the circus. You can also let your child’s interest dictate how long an activity lasts and when to repeat it.

Use your personal knowledge of your child’s unique abilities to determine if an activity is appropriate. If an activity is too complex, he may become frustrated. On the other hand, activities that are too simple may bore him.

Although you want to choose activities that reflect your child’s skill level, you don’t have to worry about always keeping things easy. On occasion, go ahead and try an activity that poses some sort of challenge for your child. This doesn’t mean something so difficult that he becomes confused or frustrated. Just keep an eye out for activities that allow your child to try something new, with your encouragement and guidance.

There are ways for you to ensure that an activity is a fun and valuable experience for your toddler. Whether you are trying the activities in this book or those from another source, the following sections provide guidelines to help you.

Most toddlers have a very short attention span. Do not expect your toddler to be any different. He is too young to focus on an activity for any length of time and is apt to be easily sidetracked—especially from quiet activities or those that require him to remain passive, such as storytelling. Most activities presented here can be done in less than twenty or thirty minutes. If you want to plan a solid half-hour of activity time for your child, it is a good idea to set up two or three short activities rather than one longer one.

Be flexible, and respond to your child. If you notice that he is losing interest in an activity, try to modify it to recapture his interest or simply move on to something else.

Toddlers like to feel competent, and that means they want to do things for themselves. This does not mean that you should set up an activity for your toddler and walk away. You need to be available to encourage and guide your child through all stages of each activity.

Although you do not want to “do” the activity for your child, it is acceptable to intervene if your child is having difficulty or showing signs of frustration. Gently make suggestions or ask questions to guide your child along. For example, if your child is having a hard time with a puzzle, you might say, “Why not try the blue piece?” or “What other piece could you try?” With your guidance, your child will be able to master many new skills.

Waiting is especially difficult for the young child who does not clearly grasp time concepts. You cannot expect your toddler to be patient for long. Avoid activities that call for children to be eliminated. A game like musical chairs is an example. Once the child is out, he is left, often frustrated and angry, to entertain himself.

The most valuable and fun activities are those that actively involve your toddler. Avoid activities that require your child to be passive—to just sit back and watch. You can adapt most activities to enhance your child’s involvement depending on his interest and skill level. For example, when an activity requires cutting out pictures, you can let your older toddler help you. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to involve your child more. You might let him stir the batter in a cooking activity or help set up the boundaries for a game.

Whenever possible, look for activities that encourage your child to make choices. For example, the main goal of art experiences for young children is to promote creativity and emotional expression. There is very little value in having your child follow a rigid pattern to create something that looks just like the thing you or anyone else could make.

In the world of childhood art, boats may look like bananas, cats may have three eyes, and the sky can be orange. In the world of childhood games, someone may be “it” twice in a row, and it is okay to pin the tail on the donkey’s head. When rigid rules and restrictions are lifted, the real fun begins!

CHAPTER 2

Activities Throughout the Day

There may be times when you have the leisure to plan activities in advance for your toddler. However, there will certainly be many other times when you need to come up with something fun to occupy your toddler on the spot. The activities in this chapter are designed to fit into your normal daily routine without much effort or planning. You will find ways to entertain and involve your young child and to make any ordinary day more pleasurable for both you and your toddler.

Start your day on the right foot! These activities can help with routines and promote bonding with your toddler. Follow your child’s lead; if they are not a “morning person” they will not enjoy too much stimulation early in the day.

Add some pizzazz and excitement the next time you bounce your little one on your knee.

Chant the following words and use the corresponding actions:

Down by the banks of the Wanky Swanky
(bounce child on knees)

Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
(lift child from one to knee to the other)

With a hip, hop, and hippity hop
(bounce child on knees)

They jump off the lily pad and land kerplop!
(lower child between your knees)

Here is a fun way to promote classification skills. Don’t be afraid to include your socks in this game.

1. Place a pile of loose socks on the floor in front of your child.
   
2. Encourage your child to sort the socks by color or pattern.
   

Adjust the intensity of your touch to suit your child.
Some children find tickling to be an unpleasant sensation.

Slowly wake your child by gently tickling parts of his body. Start with extremities such as fingers and toes and work toward his belly.

Young children will enjoy the overexaggerated sense of suspense.

1. Encourage your children to creep or tiptoe throughout the house as they get ready for the day.
   
2. You may wish to whisper and add to the excitement by pretending not to wake a sleeping giant or family member.
   

Bath time can be very soothing and calm. But there’s also a dark side to getting clean—bath time can also be stressful, marked by battles and tantrums. It is not uncommon for children to resist the need to take a bath. Young toddlers often worry that they can slip down the drain. You can help make this a better experience with a very simple first step and just ensure that the water is a comfortable temperature. You will also find it helpful if you avoid rushing this routine and take the time to make things fun with these activities. To ensure the safety of your toddler at bath time, make sure that you eliminate all distractions. Turn on the answering machine, do not answer the door, and be sure to have all of your supplies close at hand.

Liven up your child’s bath time with these homemade fizzy bath balls.
Your toddler can also participate in making them!

1. Combine dry ingredients.
   
2. Mix oil and water, and drizzle onto dry ingredients while stirring. Stir to combine thoroughly.
   
3. Shape into balls. Allow to dry for 24–48 hours.
   
4. Add a fizzy ball to the bath water. The ball will fizz for a few minutes.
   

This activity combines an opportunity for creative expression with bathtub fun.
Your child can use these crayons to draw on the tile or on herself!

1. Mix soap and water together to make a stiff dough that can hold its own shape. Add more soap powder or water as needed to reach the desired consistency.
   
2. Divide the mixture into 3 or 4 balls. Add a few drops of paint to each portion to create desired colors.
   
3. Press mixture into molds and let set for a few days before using as crayons in the tub.
   

Most toddlers love to get messy. What better place for a messy activity than the bathtub?

1. Mix all ingredients together for each color and store in covered containers. Mixture will last for a few weeks.
   
2. Let your child use the paints to paint on his body or on the tub tiles. When bath time is over, the paint will rinse away.