Good morning! We hope you had a wonderful weekend and have some self-care moments planned for this week. We have been thinking a lot about self-care lately and how to find a few moments a day while parenting young children. It can be as simple as taking a shower or making yourself a cup of tea. Here are a few invitations for toddlers today, one has a moment of mindfulness built into it.
Science/building Invitation: Cars and ramps
We have a couple of invitations this week that invite toddlers to explore ramps and slides. This morning we suggest finding a piece of cardboard (or wood if you have a piece on hand) at least 12” long. It should be wide enough for a toy car to roll down. Invite your toddler to build a support for one end of the ramp and slide their toy vehicles down it.
While exploring ramps, toddlers are investigating gravity, slope, and speed/acceleration. It is also a challenge to discover how many blocks to use to support the ramp.
Sensory Invitation: Taste-safe cloud dough
While this is made with raw flour, which you should not eat, it is non-toxic and simple to make. In a large bowl mix together:
2 cups plain flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
Powdered food coloring (optional)
When the flour is incorporated, you should have a mixture that holds together when squeezed, but easily breaks apart. You can leave it in the bowl, or pour it into a sensory bin/tub with some scoops and small containers. This would probably be more aptly named cloud sand rather than cloud dough. Regardless, it is an interesting sensory experience.
Sensory investigations are a way for toddlers to explore the physical properties of the world around them, to work with filling and dumping, and experience different textures.
Movement Invitation: Yoga journey
It has been many weeks since we have been able to go on an actual journey, but today might be a good day to go on a yoga journey with your toddler. You can find some very fun, though fast-paced, adventures on Cosmic Kids, or make up one of your own. More verbal toddlers can add where they would like to go, what they see out the windows, and what obstacles you have to cross to get there. End with a moment of quiet breathing to center everyone.
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