Author Topic: Toddler Activity Ideas  (Read 38056 times)

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Offline Erin M

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Toddler Activity Ideas
« on: August 30, 2006, 13:24:02 pm »
Thought I would redo the toddler activity sticky as some people were having trouble accessing the other file.  Please add ideas that you have!  Thanks to everyone whose ideas are on here and thanks to Georgia (GG) for originally creating the thread.  :)
« Last Edit: August 30, 2006, 14:03:07 pm by Erin M »

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2006, 13:31:00 pm »
GAMES & ACTIVITIES:  1-2 yr

  • Hide-N-Go-Seek: Your toddler will not only have fun playing with you and testing out their new found walking legs (works just fine with crawlers, too) but they will also learn that, just because they can't see you, it doesn't mean you're not coming back for them.
  • Toy Hide-N-Go-Seek: Take 5 of your child's favorite toys and have him cover his eyes and 'hide' them around the room. As they get older you can hide them in more difficult places. But to start make them in plain view. Encourage them to find the items by using 'warmer' or 'colder' or by saying 'it's near a blue pillow' etc.
    (This is a great game to play if you're trying to nurse a baby while playing with your toddler.)
  • Pudding Paint:  (you can do something similar with flavored gelatin)
    Materials: Instant pudding, food coloring, small containers for pudding, long sheet of bulletin board paper or heavy craft paper, soap and water.
    Description: Prepare pudding and tape paper to a table. Give each child their own container of pudding, then let them use their fingers to do the rest. Talk about how it feels between their fingers, about the taste, and the smell.
  • Animal Toss: for a littler toddler, Stand her in her crib along with a bunch of stuffed animals.  Place a laundry basket on the floor and teach her how to drop the animals, one by one, into the basket!
  • Bowling:
    Materials: Empty 2 liter soda bottles and balls.
    Description: Set up plastic bottles like bowling pins, have toddlers use a lightweight plastic ball to roll from a short distance to knock the bottles down. This will be best accomplished by showing them, the first time, what you want them to do. The bottles do not have to be set up in a specific way so try to get the toddlers to help set up as well as bowl.
  • Treasure Hunt: paint small rocks and hide them in the sandbox or in a big bin of rice for your toddler to unearth.  Or just hide little toys.
  • Frozen water play (For hot days only): Buy a packet of assorted shape balloons and select some different shapes. Fill each with water and place them in the freezer for a couple of days.
    When they are frozen solid, cut away the balloon, leaving the frozen shape.
    Place the iced shapes into your children's wading pool, large dish or even a baby bath.  Your children will have lots of fun dropping food colouring onto the frozen shapes with an eye dropper and watching the colours change.

    OR you can fill plastic containers with coloured water for a different experience.  Your children will be fascinated by these colourful 'icebergs' to play with.
  • Feelings and Emotions
    Materials: Felt circle for face, eyes, nose and different mouths for feelings (mad, happy, sad, etc.), eyebrows for mad = straight lines at angle, sad etc.
    Description: Create a face board and use the different faces to show toddlers; happy, sad, mad, scared, etc. Felt works really great because it sticks and is easy to get off and on quickly.
  • Color Glove
    Materials: White work gloves;  red, yellow, green, blue and orange paint.
    Description: Take the white gloves and paint the fingers only of both hands. Paint them red, yellow, blue, green, orange, so that you have two of each color.  Then, sing this song.
         Tune: "Where is thumbkin" or "Are you sleeping?"
    Where is red? (bring one hand up with all fingers showing)
    Where is red? (repeat with other hand.)
    Here I am,  (wave one hand)
    Here I am (wave other hand)
    Show me if you can, (Hold hands up)
    Show me if you can.
    Where is red?
    Where is red?
    Repeat this with all the colors allowing the toddlers to show you the colors.
  • Sticky Floor: Place contact paper the wrong side up on the carpet. You will need to tape the corners of it to the floor with some masking tape. Take off shoes and socks and go to it!  Kids love the feel and the sound it makes.
  • Milk or Soda Containers: Cut the top off a milk or soda bottle. Put popsicle sticks or clothes pins inside.  Let your child try to drop them in from various heights or distances.
  • Sensory Box/Indoor Sandbox: We have a sensory box that my son loves. It is just a large plastic storage box and each month we add different things to it. Right now, we have rice, measuring spoon/cups, and muffins tins in it. First I spread out a Neat Sheet on the kitchen floor.  Put the box of rice in the middle and give him some fun things to play with in the rice.
Here is the link where I got the idea from and ideas for each month.
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/activites_for_2_s.html#AugustSensoryTub

Games to help with oral motor skills

  • Blowing bubbles
  • Bubble prints: Put food coloring and little water in cup and add a little bubble mixture. Place paper on the table under the bubble cup.  Blow through a straw until bubbles reach the top of the cup.  Place paper on bubbles and make bubble prints.
  • Cotton balls game: Place cotton wool balls on the table and try to blow them across the table.
  • Lipstick prints: Put lipstick on and make round lip prints on paper, alternate kissing shapes with smiling shapes.  You can also do this on a foggy mirror or window. Or you can make lip prints in icing on a plate, then have fun licking it off.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2006, 13:37:18 pm by Erin M »

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2006, 13:42:23 pm »
GAMES & ACTIVITIES:  2-3yr

  • Construction Site:  I read in Family Fun a suggestion to spread cornmeal (for sand) on waxed paper on the table with marshmallows, etc to create a truck construction site.  (Store in ziplock bag for next time.)  This would probably be a great, albeit messy, idea for a 3 year old.
  • Buttons: I have a collection of old buttons of different sizes and shapes. He likes to empty them out of their container into a muffin tin. He can sort them into their colours, or sizes, or textures and so it gives him some learning in that respect. Today though we played tiddley winks with them, and it really worked him hard on his coordination skills.
    Similar things can be achieved with dried pulses or beans but obviously if there is a risk they will put any of this in their mouths, they can't do this unsupervised.
  • Clothes Pins: Another fun thing that he discovered for himself was clothes pegs. Again he sorts these out into colours but I have taught him how to operate them and he pegs them onto an egg box that I have cut holes into. This seems to really work those muscles in his hands as he finds it difficult to squeeze the two ends together but is getting better all the time. (I am thinking of the muscles needed later for using scissors.)
  • Collections:  he is into collections at the moment so we have a stone collection, a cork collection (from those new kind of corks made form plastic rather than cork), an out doors collection consisting of interesting things he has found on walks such as pine cones, conkers, sycamore seeds etc. he plays with these a lot. All these can be counted, painted, sorted stacked, put down tubes to test gravity, put into water to see if they sink or float etc.  I love toddlerhood!!! It is just the best thing to watch in the world!!
  • Tents & pillow forts
  • Tunnels: this isn't right from the book but close... we made tunnels for his matchbox cars.  First a small box from a tube of Desitin - perfect size.  Then I took a tube from a large roll of wrapping paper and we propped one end up on the fireplace (or coffee table).  We drove the cars into the tunnel and they shot out the bottom and kept rolling.  He really liked this one.  (Her original idea was to do tennis balls in a big tube and shoot them down the stairs but I had no balls and tubes that were compatible.)
  • Toddler basketball: take a big box and cut a large hole in one side.  You can decorate it with a face, making the hole into the "mouth" (decorating not necessary though).  Toss rolled up socks into the hole from a few feet away.  Or use bean bags.  I think a laundry or waste basket would work fine too and be easier.
  • Toddler Toss:  a variation on that one is to take a big sheet of paper or posterboard and draw shapes of different colors, and try tossing the beanbag or socks onto the "red square" and so forth.  Or you get points for landing on different shapes, etc.
  • Sock Fish Game: "What do you do when you have mismatched socks? Make them into fishes for a game of catch! This is a fun game that I made. My daughter likes "catching" the fish by scooping them off the floor, and dumping them from one "net" to the other.....
    What you need: old socks ,uncooked beans or rice, ribbon or string ,scissors, permanent marker, empty soda or milk bottle, masking tape
    Directions
    --Just fill the socks with a handful of beans or uncooked rice and tie a secure knot.
    --Trim the cuff of the sock to make a fishy tail. Draw a face on the fish with permanent marker.
    --Use an empty milk or soda bottle to make a catcher. Cut off the bottom and tape over the edge with masking tape.
  • Magnet Fishing Fun: Cut out lots of cardboard animals or magazine pictures. Slide a paper clip onto each animal.  Tie a magnet onto a ruler end or a piece of dowel with string. Your children can then fish the animals out a bucket.  When the child has caught one and pulled it out you can ask them what animal it is or you can tell them.  This will help with children's vocabulary building.  You can make this activity into themes animals, shapes, transport, food, etc.  It will all help with vocab building.
  • Object Matchup:  Take a bunch of everyday objects, with interesting shapes (we used a metal star, a whisk broom, a frog candle holder, a spatula, a dustpan, safety scissors, a plastic egg, and some other junk), and trace each one with a large black marker, each one on a separate piece of paper.  Lay the pieces of paper out and give your toddler the pile of items and let him/her match each object with its outline. To make it harder, use objects that look similar but aren't quite the same.
  • Indoor Baseball: use a balloon and a wrapping paper tube!
  • Mailbox: take a few shoe boxes and use them for the "mail."  You can either just write "letters" and put them envelopes and mail them to each other, or you can put colored shapes on each box and use them for sorting (all the red lego blocks, or colored shape cutouts, etc. in one mailbox and so on).
  • Have a color day: This helps the child to remember the color you are focusing on.  Center the day around this color, wear the colour, add a small amount of food colouring into their milk (only for older children)or give them a fruit juice, etc in the colour, make foods or eat foods that is the colour, playdough in that colour.
  • Magazine picture puzzles: Look through magazines with your children and let them choose some pictures from which they would like to make puzzles. Help them cut out the pictures and use a strong glue to stick onto cardboard.
    When it is dry, cut it into puzzle shapes (big pieces).  As they master the skill, cut the picture into more pieces.
    Store and label the puzzles in plastic bags.
  • Balloon play: Blow up lots of balloons for the children to use for throwing, kicking and catching.  This is a great way to teach basic ball handling skills.
  • Jump the rope: Tie a small cushion or a sock half filled with rice, dried beans or sand onto the end of a rope.  Swing the rope around your slightly above the ground and the children try to jump the rope as it comes around.  If they are having difficulty, swing it a little slower until they master the skill.
    Once they have mastered this you can tie one end of the rope to your clothes line, small trunk tree or a post and have children run up and jump over the rope. With young children make sure it is low.  Eventually you will be able to swing the rope around and hopefully your child will be able to jump rope for real.
  • Hop-Scotch: Draw squares on cement or have pieces of carpet cut and lay them on the floor.  Start at one end and try to get LO to jump from square to square.
  • Breakfast Cereal Threading: Let your child thread cereal onto yarn or string.  To help thread the wool easier put some sticky tape around the end to use as the 'needle'.  Be sure to secure it tightly when all the loops are on.
  • Car Garages: You can use your empty cardboard boxes from foods for car garages or use them as houses in the sand pits if they are building roads.  They can also be taped together to help make a doll house type thing for smaller toy dolls.
  • Big Feet: Draw around your own feet or DH's feet on cardboard boxes or ice cream container lids.  Cut out the feet and attach elastic so your children can discover what it's like to have BIG FEET.

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2006, 13:47:25 pm »
ARTS & CRAFTS for 2 year old


  • coloring
  • finger painting
  • gluing things (pasta, little pieces of paper) to a paper
  • hand print turkeys
  • gluing eyes/nose/mouth to a pumpkin cut out
  • sticker pictures
  • glue pictures of family members into a book and use it to learn everyone’s name
  • play doh
  • painted a small wooden birdhouse from the craft store
  • hand print tee shirt for daddy
  • glow in the dark pictures (use black construction paper, let color on it with a white crayon or gel pen (if you are brave), stick glow in the dark stars and planets on it)
  • They make that foam stuff with adhesive on the back.  Sometimes I cut out shapes for him to stick.  Last week he and a friend (who just turned 2) did jack-o-lantern faces like that.  I also cut out leaf shapes and let him make a fall picture with it.  It is a lot less messy than glue and doesn't have to dry.
  • Art Fun: we did sponge printing, which was really fun.  She suggests wetting the sponges and then coloring them with chalk to do the stamping.  Our sidewalk chalk didn't work all that well, but ketchup and mustard did!  You can also take cars and roll them first into paint and then roll them onto paper, making colored tire tracks.
  • Ribbon Dancer: Remove the cardboard tube from a pants hanger (the kind you get from the cleaners) or use a wooden dowel.  Attach 1 or 2 pieces of ribbon about 15" - 18" long to the end.  Put on a Sousa march and have a parade in the house! 
  • Newspaper Crafts: making things from rolled up newspaper – you can make a tall tower / robot etc.  You can also make monster masks / masks for his favourite book character
  • Homemade Finger Paints (from the Girl Scouts website)
    2 cups cold water; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1⁄2 cup cornstarch; dish detergent; food coloring
    1.Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
    2.Stirring constantly with a wire whisk, add in water and cook over a medium heat.
    3.Bring to a boil.
    4.After about five minutes, when mixture thickens, remove from heat and allow to cool.
    5.Pour 1⁄2 cup into each paint container; add one drop of liquid dish detergent and 3 to 5 drops of coloring to each. Paint will be semi-opaque.
    6.Mix and use.
    ***Paint may be stored in small jars with large lids. This paint works on most types of paper. The detergent provides easy cleanup

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2006, 13:52:09 pm »
CAR TRIPS

Wait as long a possible to start handing out new toys and things to do.

  • drive during nap times if LO will sleep in the car
  • stop and eat
  • have some favorite music
  • a few new toys and some favorites
  • Magnadoodle
  • Aquadoodle
  • coloring pages (we had a pad that had sticky on the top like a post it note. I stuck it to the tray)
  • a small train track on wind up train (Take along Thomas or  something like that)
  • a cookie sheet with magnetic animals
  • a view master and lots of reels (we only give one reel at a time so they don't get lost)
  • books
  • Lacing Cards
  • Sticker books
  • Spiral notebook just for coloring or whatever

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2006, 13:55:24 pm »
WEBSITES

« Last Edit: August 30, 2006, 13:58:23 pm by Erin M »

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2006, 13:59:06 pm »
Here's another idea suggested by Alligirl.  Thanks, Alli!

"As per our occupational therapist, I've given Z (and thereby Stephen) assorted beans to play with (a pack of bean soup to be exact).  You would have thought they had hit gold!  I gave them each two bowls (one large and one small) and a measuring cup and they played and played!  I can't believe how much they loved it!  And it's great for Z who has fine motor delays and sensory sensitivities....he has to put his hands in them and has to pick them up and move them around so that really helped him use his hands in ways that he's not used to doing.

Anyway, just thought I'd pass along this activity that my kids loved in case you are wanting to find something different to do.  BUT-it is a MESSY activity...even after cleaning them up, we've all been picking beans off the bottoms of our feet since they first played with them."

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2006, 13:59:56 pm »
From Sheila (Nathan's Mommy)

Here is another one that Nathan loves.  I take an empty sour cream container, and cut two or three round holes in the lid, just large enough to barely fit a little pom pom ball in (the colored ones you can get at a craft store).  He will spend 20 minutes pushing the pom pom balls in the container, then taking off the lid, emptying it out, and starting all over.  (Of course, only okay if your kids won't try to eat the pom poms...   ).   

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2006, 14:02:29 pm »
Here's a great list of ideas for toddler activities from Aisling, one of our members.  Thanks for the great ideas!

I set up an obstacle course for Nello with baskets of surprises and many things are from around the house.  I change it every week to keep it fresh.  I made the living room in a circle, so I use chairs to block out openings so he stays in his course.  It contains this:

Book area: On our coffee table I put books with flaps or pop ups, he loves opening and closing these flaps.  He stands and does this with the books.

Ball area:  I put small plastic balls, a semi deflated beach ball, a large rubber ball and a plush ball.  Different tactile experiences with balls.

Wheel area: Cars, trains, wheel barrel, small plastic wagon--he loves wheeling these or just playing with the wheels

Basket #1:  Lids from yogurt containers, spatula, wooden spoon, an old VCR remote control, an old phone that doesn't work, an empty washed out shampoo bottle, skipping rope, sheer scarves, plastic measuring cups (this weeks play stuff!)

Basket #2: Plush toys, building blocks, plastic numbers and letters, stacking toys, a fisher price doctors kit (he loves this and I highly reccomend it-it has a stethoscope, tweezer, needle, fake plasters etc... all baby proof and nothing to swallow, he mostly just chews them and handles them, but loves crawling/walking around with them for some reason.)

Cruising area: The couch with the lambskin, towels, blankets, pillows on it.  He cruises around and loves to pull these things on and off of the couch.

Activity Table:  This is an old toy passed down from friends with an older child.  It is a play table with various "bells and whistles" things to turn and play, has music etc...I include a pic of him with it below.

He loves the baskets and mostly enjoys, taking things out an putting back in.  I get involved and play too or just let him get to it and take advantage of being able to tidy etc...

I made one outside too- A toddler slide and climbing thingy, a wagon that I pull him around with or he mostly plays with the straps and the wheels, my exercise ball, a kiddy pool filled with balls or sometimes I put a wee bit of water -not much and let him have a splash with various sand/water plastic toys I got at Woolies back in June-like a spade, pail, rake etc...

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2006, 14:06:24 pm »
From Sharon (Mum to Ella Rose)

We are in the process of moving house and have packed quite a bit of Ella's stuff already including her art supplies. So today (for the first time of course   ) she comes up to me asking to paint. So I found this great recipe for homemade paint online and just wanted to share it. It cleans remarkably well but the food colouring will stain fabric. Ella sure seemed to like it! 

• Mix together 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/3 cup of cornstarch in a small pan, then slowly add 2 cups of cold water.

• Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture becomes a smooth, almost clear gel (about 5 minutes).

• When it's cool, stir in 1/4 cup clear dishwashing liquid.

• Scoop equal amounts of the mixture into containers and stir in food coloring (or, for even more vibrant colors, use food coloring paste).

I found it took longer than five minutes to get to a gel. More like 10 or so. And it's supposed to keep in an airtight container for a week.

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2006, 18:02:37 pm »
Another great list from EmMUK74

Toddler Activities

1. Dump and Fill
Toddlers like to dump and fill just about anything. Be sure to supply the children with plenty of opportunities to dump and fill. Coffee cans and boxes make great items to be filled. You can have the children fill with toys, tops from baby food jars, and other toddler safe items.

2. Cause and effect
Toddlers will love to play games where they can see the cause and effect. A simple lightswitch can be a source of entertainment, (as well as the not so desirable toilet flushing LOL), toys that resond by touch, like music books, and pop up toys, jack in the boxes and activity centers are great toys for this age.

Another great cause and effect game includes the use of a large mailing tube and a toddler safe ball. (A choke tester is a reliable way to test toddler toys for safety.) The child places a ball or any item that will fit in the mailing tube and it will come out the other end.

3. Ramp and Roll
Create a ramp with a large block or book. Then gather toys and show how the toys roll or slide down the ramp.

4. Peanut Butter Play Dough
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup corn syrup
1 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Mix then knead the ingredients. Let your child mold and play with the dough... and when they are done.. They can eat it.

5. Goop
Mix 2 cups water with a little food coloring, add 6 cups of cornflour/cornstarch to make goop. A great outdoor summer activity. And it is edible, but doesn't taste very good.

6. Bubbles
Toddlers are amazed by bubbles. Bubbles can catch a toddlers attention for at least 15 minutes.

7. Sand and Water Play
A dishtub filled with sand or water can provide entertainment as well as a great learning experience. Ideas to add to water play: a drop of food coloring, turkey basters, funnels, cups, dish soap, boats, plastic toys, brushes and sponges, ice, cold or warm water, baby dolls or play dishes to wash, toddler safe balls, items that will sink or float.

8. A box
Add a large cardboard box to a toddlers enviroment. Be sure the child does not stand ON the box. The children will have fun climbing in the box and hiding.

9. Peek a Boo
Even older toddlers still enjoy a game of Peek a Boo. Place your hands on your face and say "(child's name) where are you?" I usually encourage the older children to pull my hands away from my face. They really like to have control over the game. Let them put your hands over your face and pull them away.

10. Chocolate Pudding Finger Paint
Mix instant chocolate pudding according to the directions and paint on wax paper. Great for children who like to eat their art:)

11. Shaving Cream
Put a small mound of shaving cream on a tabletop, and allow your child to fingerpaintwith it. To add some more fun, add a little food coloring, for some pastel colors.Supervision is required so the child does not get the shaving cream in their eyes... butanywhere else is easily cleaned with a damp towel. (The pic is my son, enjoying his shaving cream experience)

12. Bell in a Bottle
Place a bell in a pop bottle. Seal the top very tight with hot glue. Allow to dry. Let the children play with the bottle.

13. Ring around the Rosie
Play Ring around the Rosie with the children.

14. Jump Song
(child's name), (child's name),
Jump up and down, Jump up and down, Jump up and down,
(child's name), (child's name),
Jump up and down, now sit back down
Variations:
replace "act like a clown" or "spin all around" for "jump up and down"
replace "child's name" with "everybody" or the name of your class, eg "Tot 2"

15. Sing a song

16. Art
Some material you may use for art projects include:

Crayons, Pens, Colored Pencils, Markers, Paint, Lace, String, Holes from a hole Punch, Ribbon, Paper Doilys, Tissue Paper, Yarn, Torn Paper, Stickers, Sand, Old Puzzle Pieces, Colored Glue, Colored Tape, Chalk, Wet Chalk, Wrapping Paper, Stamps, Aluminum Foil, Confetti, Sponges, Colored Pasta, Colored Rice,

I am sure there are plenty more... I will add more as I think of them.

17. Marble Art
You need a container with a top. (the larger the better) Cut out peices of paper to fit inside the top of the containter. Place a piece of paper in the top of the container, a small amount of water or paint will help it stick ot the lid. Place a small amount of paint in the bottom of the container. Use a few different colors. Add four or so marbles. Place the lid on the bottom. Flip the container upside down. Have your child shake the container. When they are finished, open the contianer and take out the paper.

18. Paper Tear
This is especially helpful when toddler feel the need to tear books. A center should be provided with paper that they may tear.

19. Paint with Water
On a hot day, take out a small container of water and large and small brushes. Allow the children to paint with the water. (Supervise the children at all times.)

20. Play Basketball
Supply the children with a large ball and a laundry basket. Show the children how to put the ball in the basket. Try the same with bean bags or small pillows.

21. Bean Bag Fun
Play with bean bags, toss them in a basket, up in the air, balance them on your head or the back of your hand, toss them to a friend.

22. Roll the Ball
Roll a ball back and forth.

23. Dance
Play some music and dance with your child.

24. Make an intrument
Use a pot or pan and a spoon, an empty coffee tin with lid, or two pot tops for cymbals.

25. Go for a Nature Walk
Point out trees, grass, bugs, rocks... etc.

26. Play in a mirror
Make silly faces into a mirror. Toddlers love to look at themselves. For added fun, place a mirror on the floor and let the toddler walk on it.

27. Roll around
Roll around on the floor or down a gentle hill outside.

28. Make a play house
Drape a blanket over a talbe for a fun place to play.

29. Feed the Birds
Help your child crumble old bread for the birds to eat.

30. Fingerprint fun
Have your child press one finger onto a non toxic ink pad and then press onto a piece of paper. Repeat.

31. Read a Book

32. Name it
Point to something and name it for your child. Or say what color it is or describe it. Encourage your child to point out objects for you to name.

33. Mimic Me
Repeat your child's vocal sounds. Make simple sounds for your child to mimic.

34. Do a Simple Puzzle
There are Puzzles with just two pieces for toddlers.

35. Play with a Puppet
Children like to have a puppet talk and play with them. have the puppet tell a story.

36. Box Train
Attach a short piece of yarn to a small box to make a train for your toddlers stuffed animals.

37. Beach Ball Bat
Hang a beach ball from the ceiling just within the child's reach. Allow the children to bat at the ball.

38. Shakers
Make shakers by stapling two paper plates together with beans inside, (the children may decorate these) or placing beans, beads, or other objects in a sealed bottle.

39. Masking Tape
Allow the children to play with a small piece of maksing tape. Supervision is required.

40. What sound does a ? make?
Ask you child what sounds does a car make... a cow, a dog....etc

41. Where is your___?
Ask you child "where is your nose?" eyes, head... etc

42. Chrunch Autumn Leaves

43. Try to Catch Snowflakes on your Tongue

44. Build with Blocks

45. Knock down a 3 or 4 block tower

46. Pretend to talk on a play phone

47. Have a picnic.

48. Play with a streamer in the wind

49. Record your voice
Record your child's voice and play it back for them.

50. Blow a Dandelion

51. Use sidewalk chalk

52. Play dress up

53. Dance with a scarf

54. Play Hide and Seek

55. Pretend to have a Tea Party. Invite a favorite stuffed animal.

56. Pretend to eat like Cookie Monster.
The toddlers seem to really like this a lot. I ask them for a cookie or ice cream and they pretend to give one to me and I make a lot of noise while pretending to eat it.

57. Pretend to be asleep.
Let the children wake you up, pretend to be suprised. Snoring adds a lot more fun to this game.

58. Up and away
Lie on your back and lift the child above you for an airplane ride.

59. Leg excercises
Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Ask a child to sit on your feet on place them on your feet, facing you. Lift your legs slowly so they are parrallel to the ground. If the child holds on you can Lift them upside down.

60. Pretend to be a ____!
Pretend to be a dog, cat, dinosaur, baby....

Offline Erin M

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2006, 02:49:15 am »
A link to another great list from CharlotteandCharlie

We can only do a few of these because dd is 13 months but at least its a good start for these cold rainy autumn days.

http://www.arkcity.com/pat/101things.html

Hope it helps some others out there.

Offline Samuel's mum

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Is your LO just starting to recognise numbers? This online game is quite sweet.
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2006, 22:14:26 pm »
Sam is getting really excited about recognising numbers at the moment (comes from Thomas the Tank Engine originally!).
He really gets a kick out of playing this simple game from the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/numberjacks/games/jumping_generator.shtml

(you might need flash to get it to work.)
<img src="http://b5.lilypie.com/vpkWp1.png" alt="Lilypie 5th Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />
<img src="http://b1.lilypie.com/iPGj0.png" alt="Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker" border="0"  />

Offline woopster

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Harry loves Numberjacks!
Harry: 29 July 2003
Lydia: 28 June 2005
Sam:  28 June 2005
David: 28 June 2005 - 12 August 2005
Daniel: 19 July 2007
That's all folks!
(Well, maybe another girl if I can convince DH!)

Offline mena

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Re: Toddler Activity Ideas
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2006, 15:20:59 pm »
THANK YOU FOR THIS THREAD!!

a very desperate-for-ideas mommy
Mom to
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