Young Toddlers Activities
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It might look like just child's play, but toddlers are hard at work learning important physical skills as they gain muscle control, balance, and coordination. Each new skill lets them progress to the next one, building on a foundation that leads to more complicated physical tasks, such as jumping rope, kicking a ball on the run, or turning a cartwheel.Toddlers always want to do more, which can motivate them to keep trying until they acquire a new skill, no matter what it takes.
Take advantage of your toddler's natural desire to keep moving. Even at this early age, kids establish patterns of activity that carry through the rest of childhood. So an active toddler is likely to remain active later.
Take advantage of your toddler's natural desire to keep moving. Even at this early age, kids establish patterns of activity that carry through the rest of childhood. So an active toddler is likely to remain active later.
Activity 1: Pour it !
Goals :Hand-eye coordination, spatial relations
Materials : A large dish tub or bucket; some plastic cups, bowls, and other containers KDI resource Because it's messy, try this activity outside, or in a kitchen or bathroom with a bath mat or towel on the floor. Fill the dish tub or bucket about halfway with water, and set out the various pouring implements next to it. Show your baby how to scoop water out of the bucket and pour it back in. She may not be able to do this without help just yet – but she'll enjoy trying! When she has the technique down, show her how to transfer water into a larger cup or bowl using a smaller one as a tool. Funnels, measuring cups with spouts, and plastic basters also make for great water play.Safety note: Never leave your baby unattended around water – even a small amount of water in a bowl or bucket – for even a moment. Activity 3: My little Trampoline
Goals : Standing, walking
Materials : A bed with a springy mattress or cushions resource Stand your baby upright in the middle of the bed, carefully supporting him with your hands holding both sides. Help him bounce up and down, lifting him off the bed, then landing him in a standing position. If your baby is already walking, you may be able to just hold his hands, once he gets used to the springy motion of the bed. Another fun game: Have him sit on the bed with his legs out in front of him and gently bounce the bed with your hands while crouching in front of him so he can't fall off. Safety note: Never leave a baby unattended on a bed. Activity 5: Under Cover
Goals: object permanence
Materials: sheet, blanket, or big towel for hiding under resource Clear a space for you and your toddler, away from toys and other distracting items. Make sure your child is watching you as you cover yourself. Ask, "Where did Mommy go?" and wait while your little one explores the mound that you've become. Encourage her by sliding your hand out from under the sheet and giving her a wave. When she finds your head, pop up like a jack-in-the-box, exclaiming, "Here I am!" Enjoy her delighted laughter, and get ready to play the game about 81 more times. You can also swap roles: Try covering her loosely with the sheet. Say "Where's Hannah? Where could she be?" Gently lift the edge of the sheet to find an arm or a leg ("What's this? Oh, it's Hannah's arm!") before finally whisking it off completely and saying, "I found you!" as you cover her with kisses. The expression on her face will brighten the whole room. Activity 7: Musical Pick Up
Goals : Gross Motor
Materials : Music KDI AL:1, SED:4,7,10,11, PDH:12,13,15, CLL:17,18,21, CA:38,39,40 .As a large group we will turn on some music and spread out fun shaped cards with different dance moves on them including a picture to help them figure it out on their own. For example: Act like a robot, move like a tornado, hop like a bunny, wiggle like a worm etc. . It helps us get out our extra energy and have a great time as a whole group. Each student will get a chance to pick a card and demonstrate it for the whole group. Activity 9: Shake your shaker
Goals : fine motor skills, gross motor skills, rhythm
Materials : two empty toilet paper rolls, a couple of magazine pages, scissors, tape, and O-shaped or similar-size cereal KDI resource The first step is to seal off one end of each tube so you can put cereal inside. Cut two circles that are bigger than the end of the toilet paper roll from the magazine paper. For each toilet paper tube, place a circle over one end and fold it down. Fasten it to the tube by wrapping the tape around the entire edge of the circle, as if the tape were a rubber band. Next, fill each tube about one third of the way with the cereal. Your toddler's pincer grasp is well developed by now, and he'll probably enjoy helping you with this. He may get a little snacking in, too! Now cut out two more circles and tape them to the uncovered ends of the toilet paper tubes to keep the cereal from falling out. Presto: You have two shakers! Keep one for yourself and hand the other to your child. Turn on some music and get your groove on. Shake your shaker to the music, and enjoy your toddler's happy expression as he attempts to do the same. Eventually, this activity can morph into dancing, with or without the shakers. Let it! Activity 11 : Monkey Motion
Goals : language, rhythm, fine motor skills
Materials: yourself and your child, plus a good dose of enthusiasm KDI: resource Sit on the floor with your toddler and say, "Let's talk about the five monkeys jumping on the bed!" If you're feeling particularly creative, try making a few monkey noises and see if she'll imitate you. Hold up five fingers and chant: "Five little monkeys jumping on the bed!" When you say "jumping," show her "jump" in sign language. To do this, hold your left hand out in front of you at stomach level, palm facing the ceiling. Make an upside down "v" with your right hand's forefinger and middle finger (think of it as two little legs). Make the legs "jump" up and down on your left palm. The next line is, "One fell off and bumped his head." On "bumped," tap your own head in a light but exaggerated motion. Next, chant "Mama called the doctor and the doctor said" while you mime talking into a telephone. The last line is, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" – wag your finger theatrically. You're done! Well, almost. Do the whole thing over again, this time starting with four monkeys (and your hand holding up four fingers). Then do three monkeys, then two, then one. Then say, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" and clap enthusiastically for your child – and yourself! Don't expect your toddler to mimic your motions right away, but if you do this activity frequently, she'll eventually do it right along with you. Activity 13 : Flip Book
Goals: language, understanding of relationships
Materials : photographs of immediate and extended family members (individual pictures are better than group shots), paste, scissors, cardboard or card stock cut into pieces slightly larger than the photos Resource Paste the photographs onto the cardboard or card stock. This will extend their lifetime, because your little one will love to handle them. (Even with this protection, however, they may not last long, so be sure to have your own copies tucked safely away.) Join your toddler on the floor or at a table with the photographs. Let him hold them, starting with the easiest – you! Ask him, "Who's this?" and see if he'll say, "Mommy!" Move on to Daddy, siblings, pets, and, of course, your toddler himself. Next, show him pictures of people in his extended family. As he explores these, you can tell him things to help him remember each person. "There's Aunt Joan. And there's Aunt Joan's doggy, Benji!" or "Here's Grandma wearing her pretty purple hat." Keep the photos in a special box that your child can pull out whenever he likes. As he becomes more familiar with the pictures, you can spread them out and ask him to pick out "Mommy" or "Aunt Joan." He'll get a nice jolt of satisfaction from finding the very one that you ask for. Activity 15 : Dressing Book
Goals: To increase language and communications skills; to increase sensory motor skills
Materials: A book about dressing Resource Begin by using children’s clothing and ask toddlers to point to the part of themselves that the clothing would cover. If necessary, give them a choice. Then point to the picture and back to the clothing as you name each. Name and point to the articles of clothing. Ask the toddler to point to the correct picture as you name each article. Then ask him to name the article of clothing shown in the picture and find the piece of clothing if he is wearing that article. Encourage toddlers to “read” the book to you. Then ask them to show you where each article goes, for instance: “Where do the shoes go? Yes, that’s right! Shoes go on your feet! Activity 17 : Take-a-part Toys
Goals: To increase cognitive development; to increase language and communication skills; to increase sensory motor skills
Materials: Toys (animals) that come apart Resource Present the toy to the toddler to explore. If she doesn’t take it apart on her own, show her how. Talk about the toy’s body parts. Ask, “Where’s his head?” and so on. Use the toy to stimulate language development while you do the more difficult taking apart and putting together. Ask, “Is this where the head goes?” Or ask the child to show you where the head goes and then you put it on. Take off one part at a time, such as the head or tail. Encourage the toddler to replace that piece. Gradually remove more and more pieces for the toddler to replace or encourage the toddler to pull the toy apart. Help put the toy back together as needed. Activity 19 : Painting with water
Goals: To increase creative development; to increase sensory motor skills
Materials: 1-inch and 2-inch paintbrushes, buckets, water Resource On a warm day, fill buckets with water and encourage toddlers to paint the sidewalk or building. Encourage them to draw faces or pictures and then watch as the sun makes them disappear |
Activity 2: Hokey- Pokey
Goals : Music, rhythm, gross motor skills, language
Materials : Your own voice resource Hold your child on your hip and start singing slowly and softly, so as not to overwhelm him.You put your right foot in (put your own foot forward, raising it high enough so that he can see it) You put your right foot out (put your foot back down) You put your right foot in (put your right foot forward) And you shake it all about (shake it vigorously) You do the Hokey-Pokey and you turn yourself around (turn around in a circle while holding him) That's what it's all about! (clap once) You can get the full tune here. As your child gets used to the silliness, you can help him participate more actively by placing your hand gently on his foot (or other body part) and moving it “in,” then “out.” And if he’s a movement-lover, feel free to go faster and faster with each verse until you’re both breathless with laughter at the end. If your little one is able to stand independently or with minimal support, he might be game to try the Hokey-Pokey on his own two feet. Kneel so that you’re on his level, face him, and hold his hands in yours while you do the dance together. But don’t expect him to do the motions; he’s just as likely to prefer his own improvisational dance -- which is great for his body awareness, self confidence, and ever-ready sense of fun. Activity 4: Indoor Beach
Goals : Fine motor, imagination
Materials: A dishpan or other large, relatively shallow container; cornmeal or sand; sand toys or cooking utensils; wrapping or plain paper (optional) resource Fill a dishpan or other shallow container with cornmeal (or sand from an actual sandbox, if you have one, or from a craft store) and place it on the floor. (You can put wrapping paper or plain paper down on the floor first to make cleanup easier.) Offer some small sand toys or kitchen utensils to play with. Mini strainers, sifters, and flour scoops are great fun, as are measuring cups and spoons and, of course, good old buckets and shovels. Activity 6: Books on Board
Goals : language, love of books, attention, relaxation
Materials: a favorite book or two and a comfortable place to sit (try making a cozy "book nook" in the corner with some large floor cushions) resource Make reading more interactive by pointing things out in the pictures: "This is a big dog, just like Grandma's dog." Or, "There's the baby's nose. And here's your nose!" You can also let your toddler be the pointer, as you ask him, "Where's the moon?" or "Can you point to the green ball?" Your toddler might enjoy turning the pages himself. Don't worry if he turns them before you've finished reading the sentence. The important thing is that he enjoys story time, even if it means you only read bits and pieces of the story. He's probably taking in more than you realize. Activity 8: Mirror Me
Goals: motor coordination, social skills, imagination
Materials: just yourselves KDI Resource Have your toddler sit across from you so that you're facing each other. (This is a great game for the highchair.) Do something simple but eye-catching, like sticking out your tongue. Clap and cheer for her when she sticks out her own tongue. She may want to keep this up for a while, but once your tongue starts to feel oddly cold and dry, it might be time to switch to something else. Try waving, reaching up high, flapping your arms like wings, or covering your face. Encourage your toddler to copy you – but don't worry if she prefers to just laugh at you. Now it's her turn. Start copying her every move, and wait for her to notice. She'll gaze in fascination or crack up at your silly antics. In either case, it's a great time for your partner to break out the video camera. Just make sure the camera's trained on your toddler – those faces she'll be making are ones to remember! Activity 10:
Goals: fine motor skills, language, imitation, pretend play
Materials : An old pocketbook and things to put in it. KDI resource Try "credit cards" (you finally have a use for all those blank credit cards that arrive in your junk mail), empty makeup containers, an old checkbook cover, a small pad of paper, and an old wallet. And those keys that you've forgotten the uses for but don't want to throw away because they might lead to someplace important? Put them all on a key ring and toss them in! Just make sure all items are big enough that your toddler can't swallow or choke on them or otherwise hurt himself with them. This is a fabulous activity for waiting rooms. Bring the pocketbook along to your next doctor, dentist, or oil change appointment, and present it to your toddler when he starts to get squirrelly in the waiting room. As he explores each item, name it for him and tell him what it's for. For example, "I see you found the keys! Keys unlock doors." Never before has waiting been this much fun. And the best part is that your own pocketbook is safe and sound. Activity 12 : Scarf Dance
Goals : gross motor skills, rhythm, color identification, social play, language
Materials : A variety of music and several scarves. But save your long winter scarves for bundling up; light, fashion scarves work best (your local thrift shop might be a good source if you don't have any). You can also use handkerchiefs, cloth napkins, or bandanas. KDI resource Clear some space, turn on the music, and join your toddler on the floor. Drop the scarves at her feet, keeping one or two for yourself. As your child watches, make your scarf "dance" in time to the music. She might just observe for a while, or she may join right in by shaking her own scarf. As you dance your scarves, try playing peekaboo in time to the music. Place a scarf over your head and let her grab it. Or drape one on her head and let her pull it off. Switch out the music so that you can try different tempos. Float your scarves gracefully for slow music and jiggle them jauntily for quicker music. Work on colors by saying, "Do you want a turn with the blue one?" or "Is Mommy under this pink scarf?" Finally, try a little teamwork by having her hold one end of the scarf while you hold the other, and dance in place or around the room. You can also hold her in your arms while you dance with a big scarf, swirling it back and forth around the two of you. When you're done, encourage your child to help you put the scarves in a bag. And keep the bag in a handy place (but not one where your toddler can get to it); as your child continues her rapid growth, she'll enjoy playing this game again and again, and she'll find all kinds of inventive ways to dance with the scarves. Note: Scarves and other long, string-like objects pose a strangulation hazard, so make sure to watch your child carefully and never leave her alone with them. Activity 14 : Puppets
Goals: To increase language and communication skills; to increase creative development
Materials: Duck or bunny puppets (or other animal puppets) Resource With the puppet on your hand, talk to the toddler and encourage the toddler to talk with the duck or bunny: “I’m a duck. I say ‘quack, quack.’ ” Encourage the toddler to imitate sounds, words, or actions. Then let the tod-dler experiment with putting the puppet on his hand. Use the puppet to have a “conversation” with the toddler. Give the toddler time to respond Activity 16 : Shape Sorter
Goals: To increase cognitive development; to increase sensory motor skills
Materials: Shape sorter Resource Present the toy to the child and encourage the toddler to lift the top off, remove the shapes, and then replace the top. Encourage them to place the shapes in appropriate holes. If needed, demonstrate how the shapes fit into the holes. If this is difficult, have toddlers put in and take out the shapes without the lid. Then cover one or two spaces with your hand or a piece of cardboard or tape so children have fewer choices. As toddlers become more skillful, use a shape sorter with more shapes, name the shapes, and ask toddlers to put in the shapes you name Activity 18 : Dump and fill
Goals: To increase sensory motor skills; to increase cognitive development
Materials: Dishpans, rice, oatmeal, beans, plastic measuring cups, measuring spoons Resource Put about 2 inches of rice, oatmeal, or beans in a dishpan. Add a variety of cups and spoons. If necessary, place children’s hands in the container and help them explore the medium. Encourage them to fill the container with their hands and dump them. Have toddlers dump the contents from one container into another. Activity 20 : Big Pictures
Goals: To increase creative development; to increase social awareness
Materials: Large sheet of newsprint, water-based markers, large crayons, large chalk Resource Cover a table with paper; tape it down. Be sure each toddler has space to draw with markers, crayons, and chalk while encouraging him to be part of a group. Make the picture have a theme and have the toddlers’ scribble some-thing related to that theme. If toddlers desire, label the scribble and write what they say about it. |