Whether you’re looking for games to develop your toddler’s language skills or games that will be interesting for children, here are some great ideas to encourage activity in your babies.
Wet Sponges
Give your child wet sponges to play with outside. Let them wash their tricycle, the mailbox, or even press the wet sponges on the sidewalk. Show them how to squeeze the sponge to release water – this builds physical skills in their hands and fingers. ‘Important’ tasks like washing a tricycle or baby doll help children feel like confident and useful members of the family. As with all water activities, it is important to closely supervise children while they play.
Leaf Collecting
When you go for a walk, take a small basket and take your child for a walk around the neighborhood or nearby park. Ask them if they want to pick up leaves and other natural treasures and put them in their basket. You may be surprised at how long your child will happily walk, picking leaf after leaf for their collection. This activity develops gross motor skills (large muscles) and fine motor skills (small muscles) as children walk, squat, and gather their discoveries.
Toddlers Love ‘Freeze’ Dance
Play music and encourage your child to dance or move in any way they want. Then instruct them to stop when the music stops. This type of activity promotes listening skills and self-regulation as they practice stopping and starting. Try to make the intervals between stopping the music longer so the toddler can practice concentration and careful listening. As they get older, the intervals can be shortened.
Throwing Balls off a Blanket
Take a blanket and let your child hold one side while you hold the other. Place a few sponge balls on the blanket, then shake it so the balls bounce (or pop off). Your little one might sing ‘Jump, jump, hop, hop, hop!’ while shaking the blanket. When all the balls fall off, your child can run, pick them up, and put them back on the blanket to start again.
