Blog: Toddlers

It’s Friday! We hope you have had some moments of joy during this stay-at-home week. Below are some activity invitations geared towards children age 12-30 months. Enjoy!

Sensory/Fine Motor Invitation: Exploring dirt

You will need a little bit of garden space or a pot of child-safe potting soil or dirt for this activity along with some digging tools (large spoons, small shovels, craft sticks) They can investigate what the tools do, how the dirt feels in their hands and what the earth looks like underneath the top surface. The Toddlers can manipulate the dirt in their hands or shovels, compare and contrast the texture of the dirt and use multiple senses to explore the dirt further. You can ask questions like, “How does the dirt feel in your hands?” (examples bumpy, smooth, etc) “Where else do you see dirt?” (look around in the yard)

 

Art Invitation: Finger Paint

Finger paint is a wonderful, and messy, way for toddlers to engage in sensory exploration and express themselves creatively.  They can investigate as many or as few colors as you would like. The toddlers can explore making shapes, lines and scribbles using the paint with their fingers. Have a wet rag or bathtub ready for when they are done. Some children dive in while others approach paint more slowly and carefully. What is your child’s approach?

 

Music/Movement Invitation: The Itsy Bitsy Spider

For a music invitation you can sing and do the gestures to The Itsy Bitsy Spider song. You can ask questions like, “Where do you think the spider was going?” “ What do you think the spider looked like?” “Do you think the spider has a name and if so what is it?”

 

Outdoor Invitation: Nature Hunt

Today might be a good day to go outside and collect different nature items. Children of this age love collecting things. You can provide your child with a bucket, cup or small paper bag to fill with their natural treasures. They can find things like leaves, sticks, pinecones, dandelions, tree bark and pine needles. You may ask questions like, “What kind of things did you find?” “How does it feel?” “ Where do you think _____ came from? “

 

Welcome to Lakewood at Home for Toddlers! These activities are tailored for children aged 12-26 months, but may appeal to a wide range of ages. We hope you will join the greater Durham community by sharing your experiences in the comments. We will be considering your comments as we craft future invitations.

Flowers

For a music and movement invitation you and your toddler can do the gestures to this Flowers fingerplay. You can ask questions like, “What color flower will you pretend to be?” “What colors are the different flowers?” “Where might you see flowers?”

Flowers

Flowers tall,

(let tall fingers stand up)

Flowers small,

(let little finger and thumb stand up)

Count them one by one,

Blowing with the breezes

In the springtime sun!

1,2,3,4,5

(touch each finger as you count)

 

Neighborhood Walk

For a gross motor invitation we think it will be refreshing for the toddlers to go for a neighborhood walk! They can label or point to things they see on the walk (a dog, car, squirrel, bus, fire truck etc), You may ask questions like, “Where do you think that truck is going?” “What sound does a dog make?” “What do you think we will see on the walk?”

 

Utensil Art

Materials: child-safe paint, large paper or tray, utensils such as whisks, spatulas, chopsticks

Find a space where paint splatters are okay (outside, on a table protected by an old shower curtain, etc.), tape paper to the surface, or set out a cookie sheet or washable tray, a cup of paint, and utensils. Invite your child to explore what they can do with the paint using these novel tools.

Water Exploration

After what may be a whole-body painting with utensils experience, you can extend the invitation to include cleaning the utensils (and your toddler). They may use the utensils and paint cup to toddlers scoop and pour water in the kitchen sink, bathtub, or in a bucket outside. Stay close to your child while they are exploring water. You can ask questions like, “How does the water feel?” (examples; warm, cold, etc) “What else can you do with the water?” “What happens when you put a duck in the water?” “What happens when you put a car in the water?” “Look the duck floats but the car sank (in the water.)”