Fun Activities for Toddlers
Toddlers, ever going, never tiring and ultimately chaotic… so just how do you find enough activities to keep them entertained?
Toddlers aren’t old enough to entertain themselves or get involved in pretend play (without a little help), which means it’s up to you to keep them entertained and happy. The best activities for toddlers are fun-filled while still fully helping them developmentally. The good news is that toddlers are fairly easy to entertain so there’s no need to go out and spend a fortune or turn your house into an amusement park.
So what are some fun and educational activities for your toddler?
Here are a few fun ideas:
Go for a Nature Walk – Educational yet lots of fun. Your toddler will love exploring and collecting different treasures to bring home. Point out big leaves to him or different colored plants or flowers. Collect opposites such as a small leaf and a big leaf or a small stick and a big stick. Take your time and have fun. Don’t worry if you don’t live near a nature reserve or park. A simple walk around your neighborhood will be sufficient. Your toddler won’t mind and there will still be lots for him to see.
Play With a Box – Toddlers as young as one year old will enjoy this one: get a large box (about 2 feet x 2 feet) and push the flaps inside so that it makes a tunnel. Your toddler will enjoy crawling through, sitting inside, and placing toys inside and on top of the box. If you want to make it a little more permanent, you can cut out shapes, numbers, or letters, stick on photos of family and friends, or cut out magazine pictures and glue them on, then cover the whole thing with clear contact paper. In addition to naming shapes, colors, and objects, your toddler will enjoy having her own space.
Bake Cookies – The bad news first: your kitchen will get messy. The good news: cooking is both fun and educational and even children as young as 2 can get involved. Depending on your toddler’s age, let her help and don’t worry too much about how the final product will look or even taste. Concentrate on the actual putting it together part. As you’re mixing the ingredients, tell your toddler what you’re doing. Name each ingredient and measurement out loud, and once you finish, enjoy your delicious homemade treats.
Have Fun With Water - Fill a small tub with water and give your toddler several containers of different sizes. Let him pour water from one container to the other. You can even add some bubbles for extra fun. This is an entertaining activity that also helps build hand-eye coordination. You can also place different objects in a tub and show your child how some of them float and others sink.
Start a Photo Album – Make a photo album and fill it with pictures of your toddler, your family, and your extended family as well. This is especially good if your toddler has relatives that live far away. Talk about who each person is and where they live.
Paper Tearing or Cutting – Find a couple of old magazines or catalogs and let your toddler tear pages out. Try to get her to tear small shapes, or just let her have fun. If your toddler is a little older, you can teach her how to use toddler scissors to cut out shapes.
Toddlers are constantly learning. This is the perfect age for you to have fun with your child while helping them learn. Don’t think you have to do something too elaborate. Toddlers are easily pleased and will find wonder and amazement in even the smallest of things. Enjoy these years.
