| ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS (1-3 YEARS
) |
JUMBO COINS |
| What You Need |
| Metal lids from
the frozen juice containers
An old purse
|
| What to Do |
| Rinse out several lids from
frozen juice containers (they don't have sharp edges), dry them off
well. These are the "coins"
Fill up an old purse with "the coins" and give
it to your child. They will love taking the "money" out of the purse
and putting it back in.
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OOBLECK |
| Oobleck is a fictional form of green precipitation invented by children's author
Dr. Seuss in the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. The word has since been used to describe a weird substance - it is liquid yet solid. This very messy
activity is sure to fascinate any toddler! |
| What You Need |
| 1 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
5 to 7 drops food coloring(optional) |
| What to Do |
| Mix water and food coloring together. Slowly add cornstarch. Do not stir. Let the mixture stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Pick a handful of the oobleck up and squeeze it until it forms a hard ball. Open your hand and the oobleck will turn from a solid back into a liquid. If it gets too dry after awhile, just add a bit more water. |
| Note that oobleck contains no preservatives and is therefore perishable. |
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| FLANNEL TRAIN PUZZLE |
| What You Need |
 A
large piece of cardboard or foam board
One yard of green flannel
4-5 small pieces of felt (can be found at craft stores)
Duct tape and scissors |
| What to Do |
|
Make a flannel board by wrapping a foam board or cardboard with
flannel and securing it with a duct tape in the back
Cut out several felt shapes: one large rectangle, one small
rectangle, one square, one triangle, and two circles (making each
piece a different color will encourage color differentiation)
Assemble a train engine with your child, and then let them build
a train on their own
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TABLE TENT |
| What You Need |
|
A large sheet |
| What to Do |
| Cover a table with a sheet that's big enough to reach the floor on all sides. This makes a great playhouse that's particularly good for a rainy day. |
BOX CAR |
| What You Need |
|
A large cardboard box |
| What to Do |
| Give your child a large cardboard box to push around the room. He may want to take his stuffed animal or toy for a ride in it. If the box isn't too high-you'll most likely find your toddler in the box as well. |
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| FISH TANK |
| What You Need |
 Three sheets of
cardboard or construction paper: blue, light blue, and
green
Stickers with fish and/or other sea life
Glue and scissors |
| What to Do |
Prepare the fish tank "setting" in advance
(older children can make it
 themselves): use a light blue sheet
of cardboard as your base, and glue blue and green cutouts on
top of it to create water, seaweeds, or any other objects
appropriate for a fish tankGive your child a sheet of stickers
with fish, corals, etc., and ask them to place them
wherever they'd like. Try not to interfere, and let the
child's imagination do all the work.
You can frame the finished masterpiece and hang it on a wall. This
will boost your child's confidence, and show them that you
appreciate their talent and creativity. |
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BOTTLE BOWLING |
| What You Need |
| Clean, empty plastic bottles without lids (if you
keep the lids, make sure they are securely attached with glue for
safety)
A ball |
| What to Do |
| Set the bottles in a row or in a group
Let your child try to knock down the bottles by rolling the ball
towards them (throwing the ball instead of rolling is okay, too!)
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SHOPPING TRIP |
Shopping for groceries is just one of many daily routines that you can use to help your child learn. Shopping is especially good for teaching your child new words and for introducing him to new people and places.
What You Need
A grocery shopping list
What to Do
Pick a time when neither you nor your child is hungry or tired.
At the grocery store, put your child in the grocery cart so that he faces you. Take your time as you walk up and down the aisles.
Let your child feel the items that you buy-a cold carton of milk, for example or the skin of an orange. Talk to your child about the items: "The skin of the orange is rough and bumpy. Here, you feel it."
Be sure to name the objects that you see on shelves and talk about what you are seeing and doing: "First, we're going to buy some cereal. See, it's in a big red and blue box. Listen to the great noise it makes when I shake the box. Can you shake the box? Now we're going to pay for the groceries. We'll put them on the counter while I get out the money. The cashier will tell us how much we have to pay."
Encourage your child to practice saying "hi" and "bye-bye" to clerks and other shoppers.
Leave for home before your child gets tired or grumpy.
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PILLOW JUMP |
| What You Need |
| Pillows |
| What to Do |
| Give your child several pillows to jump into. (Toddlers usually figure out how to do this on their own!) |
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| GARDENING |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| What You Need |
|
An edible plant (parsley, dill,
basil, strawberry, etc.)
A small pot
Planting soil (preferably,
organic) |
| What to Do |
|
Take your child to a nursery.
Keep it simple - get just one
plant and one pot (and a bag of potting soil if you need
it) on this trip. The last thing you want to do is spend
an hour running after your toddler in an attempt to stop
him from tipping over yet another $500 ceramic vase,
while trying to decide which plants will make a nice
addition to your garden.
At home (in the backyard), have your
child help you fill the pot with soil - he or she can
use their shovel for this
Put the plant in, and add a little
more soil to cover up the roots
Have your child water it with a
small water can
Your child will love watching the
plant grow, and taking care of it. This activity might
even make the "green stuff" more acceptable on their
dinner plate!
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| COLOR WEEK |
| This activity helps older toddlers and preschoolers learn colors. |
| What to Do |
| Make each day of the week a certain color, such as Yellow Monday, Green Tuesday, etc.
Ask your child to find objects of that color throughout the day
If you go to a grocery store, ask your child to pick out fruits/vegetables of the selected color; serve them as snacks or a side dish
Ask him or her to paint something with the color of the day |
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WATER MATH |
| What You Need |
|
Various size containers and funnels |
| What to Do |
| This is a great bathtime activity! Let your child discover the basic math concepts, such as empty/full, shallow/deep, small/big as he or she pours water in and out various containers. |
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PAINTING WITH WATER |
| What You Need |
|
A large brush
A bucket filled with water |
| What to Do |
| This is a fun outdoor activity. Let your child pretend to "paint" the walls of the house, sidewalk, fence, etc. |
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