Toddler
When you look back on your children's toddler years, you'll know that this wonder-filled time is over in the blink of an eye. Armed with some ideas for toddler play, you can make the most of each precious day.
INDOOR FUN
Adventure cave: Tie two large sheets together above your dining table and drape the sheets to the floor. Put some teddies and treasures under the table, and go adventuring with your toddler!
Dance the samba: Have someone play a drum, or use a toy electronic keyboard. When the tempo is fast, dance or run around the room fast. When the tempo is slow, dance or run around the room slow. When the music stops - stop! A very exciting game and also helps toddlers understand how to follow directions.
Toddler fashion jewellery: Your toddler will adore making making necklaces for himself and for mum. Help your toddler thread some string through some penne pasta or some small doughnut-shaped cereal. You could paint the pasta first and talk about the patterns formed as you make the necklaces.
Put on a puppet show: With a few farm-animal puppets, you and your toddler can be the whole Old McDonald farm!
Many toddlers adore train sets: These can be built up slowly, buying more pieces over time. Look for wooden pieces that your toddler can put together herself, and magnets on the trains that click together.
Ten in the bed: Set your toddler up on their bed or on a blanket on the floor, beside nine soft toys. Sing the 'Ten in the bed' song, and one by one make the toys roll out of bed, with your child being the last 'little one' to roll out of bed. Toddlers love this game and it's a practical lesson in counting.
Kitchen cupboard toy dinner set: Toddlers love keeping their toy dinner set in a kitchen cupboard. Let him put out his dinner set on a rug or children's table - complete with some yummy snacks. And then wash and put away back in the cupboard for next time.
OUTDOOR FUN
Painting: Paint with sponges. Or fill spray containers with watercolours and let your toddler spray a large piece of paper with different colours.
Obstacle course: set up small pieces of playground equipment and toys, and have your toddler follow you as you run and climb your way around the course. Then follow her as she leads you! Good for building leadership skills.
Splish Splash: In summertime, a small paddling pool can provide hours of entertainment for a toddler. Fill it with coloured plastic balls, sail small boats, blow bubbles (less mess as the detergent mixture drips into the pool)
Be sure to stay with your toddler the whole time, and empty the paddling pool after use.
Toy libraries: many people are not aware that you can hire play equipment and toys cheaply from toy libraries. Look up 'toy library' in the Yellow Pages to check if there is one near you.
Clay or playdough people: Roll balls of clay and then use sticks, leaves, bark, gumnuts and flowers (non-poisonous species only!) that you find around the yard to make faces and clothing for your clay people.
Gardening: digging with toy spades, watering plants and planting seeds are all great learning experiences for toddlers.
The Big Outdoors
The wheels on the bus go round and round: Some toddlers have never been on a train, bus or ferry. Take them on something (transport) they have never been on before, to somewhere they have never been before. A total adventure.
The park: From playgrounds to feeding the ducks, there are lots of reasons to take your toddler to the park. Large inflatable balls can be great fun to take to a park with family or friends. The balls are easy for toddlers to push or kick, or even roll around on. Take a picnic and make a day of it!
The beach: Do you find yourself ticking off a checklist when planning a day at the beach? Sunshade or umbrella, huge bagful of toys, towels, picnic rug, esky of food, music... Try this: Take nothing except your toddler (or children), some sunhats, and some easy snacks/water in a backpack. Spend two or three hours exploring rockpools, making amazing sand castles, drawing in the sand, looking for crabs under rocks, and splashing in the water. Towels are often not needed; you can towel off when you get back to the car.
Chat with other EB mums about your toddlers and kids in our forums.
