10 Things to Do with Your Toddler at Home

August 19, 2008

photo by chris and arriella

Toddlers get bored very easily.  Sometimes, I really have to crack my brain thinking of interesting things that I can let Ashton and Ashlyn do and these are some of the activites.

1. Water Play - I bought some toys which are ocean animals.  Sometimes I will bring out a basin of water, a pail and some spades.  I will put the fishes and ocean animals in the water and allow them to fish them out.  On the way, I will introduce them the name of the animals.  They love it as children mostly love playing with water.
2. Painting - I personally thought sitting down quietly and painting on an A4 paper can be quite boring.  So I always get super big piece of white paper and paste them outside the corridor of my house.  I will bring out paints, brushes and sometimes some left over carrots, starfruits as stampers and let my kids explore painting, colours and at the same time let out their emotions by drawing.  Its enjoyable but it can be messy as well. If you are thinking of painting, you must be prepared to clean up the mess!
3. Jigsaw Puzzles - I bought floor puzzle, and it’s the size of the mat.  Sometimes the whole family will sit down and solve the puzzle together.  My youngest daughter, Ashlyn, who is only one year old will be in charge of handing the pieces to us so that we can form them together.
4. Simple cooking - As Ashton is already 2.5 years old and old enough to help in the kitchen, I will ocaasionally engage his help to make jelly, which is his favourite.  I use this opportunity to guide him in following step by step instructions at the back of the box.  He loves it and he is so proud of it when he eats the jelly that he has made himself.
5. Play hopscotch indoor - Sometimes when it rains and we can’t have field trips, I will use their squarish alphabet or numbers rubber mat to form hopscotch for my children to jump about and exercise.  They can really sweat.  Ashlyn will crawl thru and forth while Ashton goes jumping.
6. Flashcards - I have got some flashcards at home so will flash some flashcards and then Ashton’s favourite will be trying to recite and recall what I have flashed out.
7. Read a book - Ashton and Ashlyn have their own favourite books.  They will choose their own books and they will wait for their turn for me to read their books.
8. Have fun with shapes - I paste some magnetic shapes on the fridge.  When Ashton got sick of toys, he will just run to the fridge and we will use those shapes to form his favourite trains, ships, boats etc.  As for Ashlyn, I paste the alphabets on the fridge for her to learn.
9. Watch a educational VCD together -  I select the programs quite strictly.  I normally buy my own VCDs mostly with learning objectives like numbers, phonics etc.  Our favourite is the Brainy Baby series.  I will sit with them and explain to them along the way.  Sometimes, I will cut some fruits and eat together with them.
10. Play playdough - That allow Ashton to explore his imagination and he loves that!

I enjoy coming up with new activities for my children and when I am free, I will join in their activities.  As parents, the greatest gift that we can give our children is our “TIME.”  As young as they are, they need us to guide them, to make sure they sleep well, eat healthy and have fun with them!

Posted in Actvities For Toddlers