Fun – and free – things to do with your toddler
Read on for a round-up of great interactive and fun activities for little ones aged two to three-year-olds.
Looking for something fun to do with your toddler this weekend – but don’t want to head to a busy shopping mall and waste money or a crowded park and fight for a patch of grass? It is not necessary to spend money to keep your child entertained. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your home!
Try these fun ideas.
Make bubbles
Blowing bubbles and chasing them around to see if she can catch them will be a hit with your child. This is not only entertaining, but it also improves hand-eye and hand-mouth coordination. Make your own bubbles by following this easy step-by-step guide:
- Measure 6 cups of water into one container, then pour 1 cup of dish soap into the water and slowly stir it until the soap is mixed in. Try not to let foam or bubbles form while you stir.
- Measure 1 tablespoon of glycerin or 1/4 cup of corn syrup and add it to the container. Stir the solution until it is mixed together. You can use the solution right away, but to make even better bubbles, put the lid on the container and let your super bubble solution sit overnight.
- Dip a bubble wand or straw into the mixture, slowly pull it out, wait a few seconds, and then blow.
Pick up a book to read
Collect books with flaps and ask your child questions about the story to make reading more interactive.
Construct a tower
Stacking wooden blocks improves your toddler’s hand-eye coordination and grasping skills.
Create a puzzle
Simple puzzles, as well as shape-sorting puzzles, help your child to remember colours and shapes.
Play a card game
You can still have fun with cards even if your child isn’t ready for intricate card games. Cut a gap in the lid of an empty ice cream tub large enough to slide cards through, and then let your child “post” all of the cards. It’ll be a hit with her.
Build an obstacle course
Make an obstacle course for your youngster to climb over by stacking cushions. You can also construct a box tunnel for your child. All you’ll need is a few empty boxes. To build a lengthy tunnel, open the bottoms and tops of the boxes and tape them together.
Trace shadows
Take advantage of the sunny days by going outside whenever possible. As your child traces your shadow and plays a guessing game, remain still. Request that she guess what your shadow looks like – perhaps a tree or an animal. Switch positions and trace your child’s shadow to restart the guessing game.
