Gardening with toddlers

Gardening can be real fun with toddlers and preschoolers. It allows them to get messy, play with mud and water and finally, see something they’ve planted blossom and grow.

Marble painting Activity

Place a piece of paper in the bottom of a box. Put 2 marbles in a container of paint. Have your toddler scoop the marbles out of the paint and drop them into the box. When your toddler moves the box around, the marbles paint a very artistic painting!

Sock puppet activity

Make sock puppets. No need to make this an elaborate craft project. Simply put a sock over your hand and pretend to talk to your toddler. Encourage your toddler to talk back!

Chalenge your child

Build on your child’s strength by encouraging him or her to play with a challenging toy.

Interest in playing

Shortly after your child’s first birthday cake, he will most likely show an interest for ball play. Initially, he will throw the ball around, waiting for someone else to pick it up and give it to them or picking it up on their own.

When kids play with electronics

60% of little people aged six months to two years (as well as 1 in 10 babies under 6 months) were found to play with devices around the home like laptops, computers, phones and tablets.

Toddler and Cherrios

How many things can you do with your Toddler using Cherrios? Some activities include counting, stringing them together and combine them with M&Ms for a treat.

60 minutes of activity

Schedule at least 60 minutes daily for active free play. Toddlers need more than an hour of unstructured physical play in a safe place every day.

Creating silhouettes for Valentines Day

Silhouettes are a very personal thing as no two are identical, so toddlers will love creating this unique card for their loved ones on Valentine’s Day.

Playing Outdoors

Playing outdoors gives child the opportunity to experience the natural world. Make it a habit to go for a walk, talk about things you see on your way – birds, trees, leaves, sky and other kids playing in the park.

Activity: Playtime

Be the producer not the director of his play. A parent’s job is to provide some fun objects, materials, or toys to invite a child’s imagination to take off, not to lead the play.

Activity: Create a ‘messy tray’

Create a "messy tray" – Take a shallow aluminum or plastic rectangular pan and fill with beans, oatmeal, or pasta. Add spoons and small unbreakable cups and set them up at the table.

Develop a child’s creativity

In our fast paced and high tech society, children have fewer and fewer opportunities to use and develop their creativity. Children who are not given frequent opportunities to play may have a difficult time entertaining themselves as they simply do not know what to do without instruction.

Orange juicing activity

Cut an orange in half and then show your toddler how to squeeze the juice from the fruit. After your toddler is done twisting back and forth, pour the juice in its cup.

Digital photo archive activity

Going on a trip? Fill up the iPhone or iPod with family photos and videos. Toddlers love going through the family digital photo archive.

Toddler field trips

Take your toddler for a field trip to identify things around him. Try to recognize tracks in the snow, collect pine cones, look for the little animals.

Recycle your crayons!

Take broken or worn-down crayons and some muffin tins in a 170-degree oven.

Freezing bubbles activity

When it’s chilly outside, blow bubbles outside and watch them freeze. Pop, them look at them and talk about them.

Snow fun

Fall down on the snow, spread your hands beside you and move them up and down on your side. Carefully rise and you will find a great imprint of you which look like an angel.

Structured activities

Many preschools focus on different activities in structured time periods: Art projects, indoor play, outdoor play, etc. Adding structured activities at home prior to the start of school helps prepare your child.