Table Toys

make up games that involve sorting by color and shape. At this age they enjoy toys that require being arranged in a particular order.

Music and Dancing

tapes, CD's, and simple musical instruments are great fun!!

try homemade instruments like pots and pans.

encourage them to sing songs and accompany it with dancing, clapping, hopping etc.

these activities provide a wonderful outlet for their energy and teach them different ways of expression and promotes language development as well as balance and rythym.

Imaginative Play

provide old clothes like dresses, jackets, ties, hats and purses.

Try adding props like dolls, play money, plastic dishes etc.

turn old shoe boxes, cardboard boxes and baskets into "pretend" furniture. It can furnish an imaginary house, store, hospital, restaurant...you name it!!

Imaginative play allows them to act out real-life situations and mimic the adult world. They practice talking and socializing. It gives them an outlet for their emotions and for working out problems.

Arts and Crafts

children can use tables, easles, or the floor as a work space.

provide an old shirt or an apron to protect clothing. I use an old shirt with buttons and put it on backwards. It works great.

try things like large handled brushes, sponges, finger paints, crayons, pastels, pencils, markers, playdough, glue, and paste, cut out pictures from magazines, pasta (with supervision)

arts and crafts are a great way for children to express themselves as well as discover new materials.

Science and Nature

let your toddler prepare meals with you. They can wash vegetables and things like that.

give them magnets to play with.

collect feathers, leaves and stones together.

plant some seeds and watch them grow.

put up a bird feeder.

these activities improve their observation skills, give them responsibility for something, and help them learn to count and sort objects into groups.

Books and Stories

keep books displayed on a shelf so that they can make their own selections

Read, Read, and Read to your child

try using a puppet as a prop

reading improves vocabulary, gives them new ways to express themselves introduces them to new situations and can prepare them for upcoming events, ie., visit to the doctor, new baby.

Water Play

children can play water games indoors or out

put a SMALL amount of water in plastic bins, old baby tubs, the kitchen sink, or the bathtub

add small toys and utensil, containers for pouring, funnels, put soap in the water and make bubbles, give a doll a bath

find things that float and things that don't

ALWAYS supervise children playing around water

Craft Recipes for Toddlers
Useful Tips
Activities to do with your Toddler
My favorite child related links
Our Family
Web Rings
Quinton's Room
My Awards
An Easter Party just for Toddlers

Email: tagor@sympatico.ca