Question 1

Painting

Accepted Answer

Watch your child enjoy this activity using an adult paint brush! Set a large piece of paper on the floor of your house or sidewalk. Show your child how to go back and forth on the paper using water. Your child may end up 'painting' more than the paper!

Question 2

Stair Count

Accepted Answer

The habit of counting to children will begin to help them understand numbers when they are older. Whenever your child is going up or down the stairs, count each step. Your child will begin to absorb this language.

Question 3

My Place

Accepted Answer

Children love their own space to play! Locate a large cardboard box. Turn it upside down and cut out a door and windows. Encourage your child to take favorite toys inside the house to play. Encourage your child to say , "Bye Bye" when going inside and ,"Hello" when entering your space.

Question 4

Easel Painting

Accepted Answer

Children love to paint on an easel! Try using blue and yellow paints. Enjoy watching your child create the color "green".

Question 5

Matching Shapes

Accepted Answer

Shapes are fascinating to children! Show your child 2 rectangles, 2 squares, and 2 circles. Scatter the shapes on the floor in front of your child. Put one of the shapes in your hand and name the shape. Ask your child to find the other shape. If your child just wants to play with the shapes, that's fine! Try the activity later.

Question 6

Pretend

Accepted Answer

Children this age love trains! This is a fun song about a train to sing with your child:
The train is rolling down the track,
Listen to the wheels go clickety clack,
Over the bridge, around the bend,
Taking me for a ride.
Pretend you are a train moving around the house. Be creative with your movements as you turn on bends, go up hills, blow your whistle.

Question 7

Stringing Beads

Accepted Answer

Your child will develop eye/hand coordination with this fun stringing activity. Knot one end of the pipe cleaner. Show your child how to put the pipe cleaner in the hole of each bead. Let your child continue. Try not to interrupt your child's work.

Question 8

Fun in the Tub

Accepted Answer

Children love to be creative as they paint the sides of the bath tub. Provide your child with bath tub crayons designed for use while bathing. See how long your child will stay with this activity. Take a photo of the bath tub artwork to display for all to see!

Question 9

Play Doh

Accepted Answer

Play doh provides opportunities to develop fine motor skills and creative play for your child. Show your child how to roll the dough into snakes. Make different sizes of snakes. Make the snake noise. Name the snakes: Mommy snake, daddy snake, baby snake, etc.

Question 10

March and Sing

Accepted Answer

This classic song continues to be a favorite with children! March and sing this song with your child:"Hot cross buns! hot cross buns! one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns.One for mommy, one for________(child's name). one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns."

Question 11

Screwing Things Together

Accepted Answer

This fun activity will help develop fine motor skills. Locate a flashlight that screws together. Show your child how to screw the parts together. Show your child how to take them apart.

Question 12

Gross Motor

Accepted Answer

Brain development is connected to movement. Be sure that you provide ample time and a place for your child to practice gross motor exercises. A safe place for climbing, running, jumping, and other gross motor activities is important. Look around your house and yard to identify places that provide opportunities for gross motor skills. Play Musical Chair with your child. Place a small chair in the middle of the room or in the yard. Play some fast dancing music for your child to run, jump, and dance around the chair. Mute the music periodically for your child to sit in the chair before resuming the exercise.

Question 13

Paint With a Roller

Accepted Answer

This fun painting activity provides a wonderful gross motor opportunity for your child. Put a small amount of paint in a roller pan. Help your child put the paint roller in the paint and show your child how to roll the paint onto the paper. If this seems too messy, try having your child roll the sidewalk or garage floor with water today!

Question 14

Mystery Bag

Accepted Answer

Children use their sense of touch when they feel inside the "Mystery Bag!" Place the shapes in front of your child, and name each one before putting them in the tote bag. Ask your child to put two hands in the bag and find the rectangle. Continue with the other shapes. When your child is finished, ask your child to return each shape to the bag. If your child gives you the wrong shape, thank your child for the shape given to you. Name each shape as it is given to you.

Question 15

Water Pouring

Accepted Answer

This pouring activity will develop your child's eye/hand coordination. Open the door of your dishwasher and have your child place a small pitcher and cups on top of the door. Show your child how to pour water from one container to another. Your child may want to serve you 'tea' at the small table.

Question 16

Numbers

Accepted Answer

This fun activity will help your child begin to understand counting concepts. Cut a slit in the lid of the container. Put 1 poker chip in the slit and say, "One." (Let your child hear the sound of each chip.) Continue until you get to 5. Empty the container and repeat the activity. Let your child drop the chips as you count. (Your child may only be interested in putting the chips in the container. That is fine!)

Question 17

Traffic Signs

Accepted Answer

Children are interested in observing you as you drive them around. This is a good time to help your child understand traffic signs. Start with two signs, a stop sign and red/green light. Play with the vehicles and show your child when to stop and go. You can add more signs later.

Question 18

Jars and Lids

Accepted Answer

Your child's fine motor development will help with writing skills later. This activity lets your child practice screwing lids on and off while developing hand muscles and eye/hand coordination. Place several empty baby food (or other) jars and lids in front of your child. Have your child practice opening and closing the jars.

Question 19

My Tree

Accepted Answer

Children love to experience nature! Show your child a tree in your yard. Talk about what the tree looks like in this season. Take a picture of your child next to the tree.

Question 20

Set the Table

Accepted Answer

Children love to help around the house! Let your child set the table for dinner tonight. Put the place mat on the table. On the place mat, outline the plate, cup, fork, knife, and spoon with a permanent marker. Show your child how to match the place setting to the outlines and set the table.

Question 21

Numbered Plate

Accepted Answer

This activity helps your child with number recognition. Draw a line down the center of a paper plate. Draw another line across the paper plate, making 4 sections on the paper plate. Write the number 1 in one of the sections, number 2 in the next. Continue with writing the numbers 3 then 4 in the other sections. Hand your child a glue stick and a cup of raisins. Help your child count out the number of raisins to glue on each section of the plate. Help your child glue the raisins on the plate. Count the raisons with your child before displaying the plate for other family members to see.

Question 22

Shape Sort

Accepted Answer

Matching is a wonderful pre-reading skill for your child. Place one set of shapes in front of your child. Hold up the other set of shapes one by one and name each shape. See if your child can match the shapes.v

Question 23

Toddler Dominoes

Accepted Answer

Toddlers love knocking things over! Take a few of your empty cereal boxes and line them up on the floor. Push one at the end to show your toddler how they all fall down. Let your toddler try to do the same.

Question 24

Naming Colors

Accepted Answer

Understanding color concepts can be learned through play. Locate 4 colored blocks: red, yellow, green, blue. Put the red block in your child's hand. Say, "Red." Put the yellow block in your child's hand. Say, "Yellow." Put the two blocks together in front of your child. "May I have red?" Put out your hand and say, "Thank You." "May I have yellow?" Do the same with the remaining 2 blocks. Put the blocks in a basket and put it on your child's toy shelf. This activity is fun to repeat.

Question 25

How Vehicles Move

Accepted Answer

Your child is observing various vehicles as you walk and drive around. This activity will help your child understand how these vehicles move. Download pictures of different vehicles, (train, plane, truck, boat, etc.) Describe where each vehicle moves. "The plane flies in the sky." "The truck drives on the road." "Children ride bicycles on the sidewalk." "Trains travel on railroad tracks."

Question 26

Stamping

Accepted Answer

Enjoy watching your child's creativity shine! Place 3 or more stampers along with 3 different colored stamp pads in front of your child. Tape a large piece of paper on a table and observe as your child experiments. You may want to use the piece of artwork as your decorative tablecloth during mealtime today.

Question 27

Animals and Their Homes

Accepted Answer

Language concepts are learned through play. This matching activity will help your child understand animals and their homes. Download/print pictures of fish/ water, frog/pond, lion/jungle, bear/cave. Play a matching game with your child. Scatter the pictures on the floor and match the 2 showing, "Fish live in water," "Frogs live in ponds," etc.

Question 28

Sand Letters

Accepted Answer

Fine motor skills develop as your child uses hand muscles playing in the sand. Fill a rectangular pan with sand and let your child practice writing letters and numbers with your help.

Question 29

Pretend Play

Accepted Answer

Young children enjoy replicas of the things they see in the real world. If your child watches the school bus every morning, your child will enjoy playing with a play school bus. Your child may like toy cars and trucks. Begin to observe what your child is doing with these toys. Play is how your child makes sense of the world. It is an important part of brain development. You may notice that your child makes a sound when the bus door opens. This shows your child is absorbing audio clues in the environment. Encourage your child to imitate what they see, "What sound did the truck make?" "How did the garbage truck empty the can?"

Question 30

Birthday Cake Dough

Accepted Answer

Play Doh helps develop hand muscles, an important pre writing skill. Put some play doh on the your child's table or high chair tray. Show your child how hands are used to push down the play doh. Try making a birthday cake with your child out of play doh. Form the cake and add small plastic letters, pike cleaners, birthday candles or golf tees. Sing Happy Birthday and pretend to blow out the candles!

Question 31

Squeeze the Baster

Accepted Answer

This activity will help your child develop hand muscles that promote fine motor skills. Exercising hand muscles prepares your child for writing. Show your child the baster and demonstrate how to squeeze the bulb to fill it. Lift the baster out of the water and squeeze it again to empty it.

Question 32

Walk in My Shoes

Accepted Answer

Have fun with your child with this fun activity that will challenge your child's balance. Gather a variety of shoes from the closets: boots, slippers, work shoes, etc. Watch your child walk around wearing the family shoes. Make sure your child has a clear space to walk and soft area in the event of a fall.

Question 33

Hear The Sound

Accepted Answer

Children's sense of hearing helps them differentiate sounds. Sit across from your child when you do this activity. Take photos of 3 instrument you have, (xylophone, drum, keyboard, etc.) Place the photos in front of your child. Demonstrate the sound of each instrument before placing it in the tote bag. Place your hand inside the tote bag and make the sound of one of the instruments. Ask your child to find the photo of the object that made the sound. Continue with the other instruments.

Question 34

Clapping Rhyme

Accepted Answer

Clap hands with your child as you recite this poem! The verses may seem silly to you but children love to hear and feel the rhythm of poems! Rhyming is an important pre reading skill. "Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot nine days old. Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pot nine days old."

Question 35

Scrub a Rock

Accepted Answer

Scrubbing will help develop your child's upper body strength and eye/hand coordination. Some children scrub for long periods of time. Show your child how to put the scrub brush in the soapy water and scrub a muddy rock. How long did your child spend scrubbing the rock?

Question 36

Batter Up

Accepted Answer

Children this age enjoy experiencing the results of their actions. Place a large light weight rubber or plastic wiffle ball on a baseball tee. Show your child how to swing a wiffle bat and hit the ball off the tee. Enjoy watching your child learn a new skill today!

Question 37

Throw the Ball

Accepted Answer

This fun activity will help develop eye/hand coordination for your child. Select a ball that fits in your child's hand and have your child throw it into a laundry basket. Have your child stand in front of the basket at first. See how far away you can move the basket.

Question 38

Baster

Accepted Answer

This activity will help your child develop small muscles in the hands needed for writing. Place the baster and containers in front of your child. Show your child how to transfer the colored water from one container to the other using the baster. Observe what your child does with this fun activity.

Question 39

Musical Instruments

Accepted Answer

Children's sense of hearing helps them learn. This activity will help your child hear different sounds that come from instruments. Make a sound with each instrument: bell, rhythm sticks, drum. Put the other set of instruments under the blanket. Play one of the instruments. Have your child feel for the instrument that you just played.

Question 40

Tube Rolls

Accepted Answer

Your child will love watching balls roll down tubes! Place the tubes against a cushion. Put the cushion on a slant up against the sofa. Take the basket of small balls and show your child how to put them one by one inside the tube. It should be interesting to see which ball travels the fastest.

Question 41

Sledding Indoors

Accepted Answer

Pretend it has snowed inside and you are taking your child for an inside sled ride. Tie a rope on your laundry basket. Pull your child from room to room. Did your child enjoy the sled ride?

Question 42

Diaper Change

Accepted Answer

This activity may take some time for your child to do. Ask your child to bring you the basket of diapers when your child needs a clean diaper. (This could give you a clue as to when to begin potty training.)

Question 43

Sticky

Accepted Answer

Children learn through the sense of touch. Today they will feel and better understand 'sticky.' Cut a piece of clear contact paper at least 2' long. Remove the backing and tape the contact paper, sticky side up, to the floor or carpeting, (after testing it on the floor). You may want to do place the paper on a cement floor. Your child may just stand on the paper. Your child may run, jump, and dance on it. What does your child do?

Question 44

The Farmer in the Dell

Accepted Answer

The song, "The Farmer in the Dell" has been enjoyed by children for generations. Try 'tweaking' the words and sing when you want to encourage your child to put toys away."The Farmer in the Dell, The Farmer in the Dell,
Hi Ho a Derry-O
The Farmer in the Dell.
The books go on the shelf, the books go on the shelf
Hi Ho a Derry-O, the books go on the shelf.
The blocks go in the bin," etc. in the Dell

Question 45

Dust Pan and Broom

Accepted Answer

Children love to help around the house! Show your child how to use a small dustpan and broom for cleaning off crumbs on the small table. Have a waste can close by to dispose of the crumbs. Keep these handy for your child to use. The earlier house chores are introduced to your child, the more likely they will be accepted and become a habit.

Question 46

Food Stamps

Accepted Answer

Enjoy being creative with your child today. Pour some washable paint in a bowl. Take a fruit or vegetable, cut it in a half, and dip it in the bowl. "Stamp" the fruit or vegetable on a large sheet of paper to create a fun craft. Print the name of the fruit or vegetable under each painting.

Question 47

Clean Up, Clean Up

Accepted Answer

There are times that toys are strewn throughout the house and it's time to 'Clean Up.' Try the lyrics to the tune:"Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Clean Up.Clean Up, Clean Up, Put Your Things Away."Set a hand held timer in the room and see if the room is cleaned up before the timer sounds.

Question 48

Garden Animals

Accepted Answer

Language concepts are learned through play. Weather permitting, take your child outside to your garden to find some insects. Name each insect as you search under the soil, rocks, etc. When you come in, download pictures of the insects you observed in the garden and talk about the ones you saw today. You may want to make an "Insect Book" placing a photo on the left page and the name of the insect on the right page.

Question 49

Play Family

Accepted Answer

Children love to play with "family figures." Put the play family members in a basket. Sit with your child and take out one member at a time. Example: "This is Daddy. He is going to work. Good-bye Daddy". Pretend with the other figures that are in the basket. You and your child may want to build a 'house' out of blocks for the 'family.' Sit back and enjoy watching your child play with the people!

Question 50

Listen Game

Accepted Answer

Listening skills are learned through play. Locate 3 noise items, (whistle, cymbals, tambourine, etc.) and cover them with a blanket on the floor. As your child watches, remove the blanket and make a noise with one of the items. Repeat with the other ones. Cover the items again, then lift the edge of the blanket facing you and make a noise using one of the items. See if your child can locate which item made the noise.

Question 51

Straw Blow

Accepted Answer

This simple science experiment is easy to do and needs only a straw and some water. Place some drops of water on your child's high chair tray. Blow through a straw and watch with your child as the water moves around the tray. Does your child want to try doing this?

Question 52

Paint with Water

Accepted Answer

Your child may enjoy creating some designs on the driveway, garage or basement. Put a few inches of water in a bucket. Hand your child a thick paint brush and demonstrate how to dip the brush then 'paint'. Watch your child enjoy being creative and delighting in the work of art.

Question 53

Animal Sounds

Accepted Answer

Children love to hear you sing silly songs! Make up a song about animal sounds. Enjoy singing this fun song, "Clap your hands and sing like a bird. Tweet, Tweet, Tweet, Tweet, Tweet. Touch your head and moo like a cow", etc. It may have you both laughing!

Question 54

Color Marker Art

Accepted Answer

You can have fun with this activity at a low easel, on the floor, or on the driveway. Begin with two colors. (You can offer more colors in the future.) Let your child create with these markers. Your child may need some assistance at first with this activity.

Question 55

Stop and Go

Accepted Answer

Introduce the words 'Stop' and 'Go' to your child while driving your car. When you come to a red light, say "Red light Stop". When you come to a green light, say "Green light Go." When your child is older and verbal, don't be surprised if your child tells you when to Stop and Go!

Question 56

Sidewalk Chalk

Accepted Answer

Children love to draw with chalk! Let you child draw on the sidewalk or driveway, (weather permitting), or inside on your basement or garage floors. Encourage circular motions when drawing with chalk. This is a pre writing skill that will be needed when older.

Question 57

Holding Crayons

Accepted Answer

This activity will encourage your child's creativity through the use of crayons. At this age, it is fine for your child to grip the crayon with their entire hand using a 'fist' position. Your child will progress to learn to hold a crayon using the pincer grasp between the ages ages of 2-4. For now, focus on encouraging creativity. Put 6 regular sized (small) crayons in a container. Let your child sit at a small table and color with the crayons.

Question 58

Baster

Accepted Answer

Squeezing a baster may be a new experience for your child! Show your child how to squeeze the baster while it is submerged in the container filled with water. Slowly let the bulb out. Next, pick up the baster, (with water in it), and transfer it to an empty container. Watch your child's expression when the bulb is squeezed! (Your child may need assistance with this activity.

Question 59

Pillow Course

Accepted Answer

Create a path of pillows and cushions in a trail that zig zags on the floor of your child's playroom. Encourage your child to follow the course by crawling or walking, (with your help), along the path.

Question 60

Riding Toys

Accepted Answer

Motor development is important at this age. Provide a riding toy your child can push with his/her feet. Be sure the toy is sturdy and safe for your child to ride. Your child is developing gross motor skills as well as balance and coordination.

Question 61

Ladder Walk

Accepted Answer

Your child will be challenged, when walking between the rungs of a ladder. Lay a wooden ladder across the floor. Demonstrate how to walk from one end of the ladder to the other. Encourage your child to do the same. If this is too frustrating for your child, try it later.

Question 62

Painting

Accepted Answer

Children love to explore and experiment with paints! Put the paper on a table or easel. Choose two colors such as yellow and red. Enjoy watching your child paint and create the color orange. "You made orange!"

Question 63

Pop the Bubbles

Accepted Answer

Your child will delight in watching you blow bubbles! Encourage your child to pop them as they are blown. Create a space where you can make many bubbles. Enjoy watching your child visually track the bubbles and delight when the bubbles pop! Sing: "Here we go around the bubbles today, the bubbles today, the bubbles today. Here we go around the bubbles today. Pop go the bubbles!"

Question 64

Music and Movement

Accepted Answer

Children love to hear you sing songs and do the different movements to the song with you. Try this one!
"Did you ever see a lassie, a lassie, a lassie, did you ever see a lassie go this way and that?
Go this way and that way, go this way and that way,
Did you ever see a lassie, go this way and that."
Do a movement while singing the song. Change the movements as you add verses.

Developmental Activities for Toddlers

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