January 26, 2012

• 10 Things To Do With Your Toddler

  I LOVE hanging out with my little love bug. My husband works most weekends, but I’ve come to look forward to my days alone with my son. I do, however, struggle coming up with new, entertaining activities for us to do. I can’t be the only one, though, right? I racked my brain and realized that WE REALLY DO A LOT OF FUN STUFF! Here’s our top 10 list: 

   

  pretend play  messy factor: *

  

  As a kid, I really enjoyed dress-up. The frilly clothes, the shoes and hats… I would pretend to be a princess, or president, or nurse, or teacher (or a princess president that moonlighted as a nurse teacher). It looks like I’ve passed that love for pretend play on to my son. He’s game for wearing silly hats, glasses and even an outfit or two! 

  finger painting  messy factor: *****

  

  I know what you’re thinking: this is a disaster waiting to happen. But, there’s no greater joy than seeing the smile on your kid’s face as they squish the paint between their fingers, then smear it across the paper. I take an old fitted sheet and put it on the top of our kitchen table, and let him have at it! Be sure to have the bathtub ready when they’re done, though.

  reading  messy factor: N/A

  

  A good book can leave a lasting impression on a child. In fact, it was my love of books that inspired me to become a writer. Set aside time each day to read to your child. Don’t be embarrassed to read in different voices, or have them interact with what’s on the pages. Their brains are thirsty sponges; help fill them up.

  bubbles messy factor: **

  

  Who knew a little dish soap and a plastic wand would be a child’s obsession?! These floating orbs of air have a way of stopping a running toddler in their tracks, only to have them stare up, up, up. While this activity is best done outside, throw a few beach towels down in the living room and send the bubbles flying! Even better than watching bubbles soar? POPPING THEM!

  playing outside  messy factor: *-***    

  

  Got some energy to burn? Best take it outside! Love bug loves taking wagon or bike rides to the park, then running up and down the jungle gym. A. million. times. Point out things you see along the way (“see the bird?” “what color is the sky?”), and teach them about their outside surroundings. It’s okay if they get dirty—it’s what kids do!

  housework (play)  messy factor: N/A

  

  Teach children about housework early. I’m not saying give them actual chores, but let them “help” when you’re working around the house. My son loves to dust, vacuum and “cook” for us with his play kitchen. He’s also a fantastic sweeper and lawn man. We make clean up a game, and try to teach him that it’s okay to play and be messy, but we need to all help clean up when we’re done.

  swimming  messy factor: **        

  

  Unless you have access to an indoor pool, this activity may need to be earmarked for summer. Love bug enjoys filling containers with water, then dumping them back out; a baby pool served us well last summer. It was enough to get wet, but kept him safe and contained. He also loves jumping into the big pool (into our arms, which still makes me very nervous), and swimming with daddy.  Remember, ALWAYS supervise your child around water.

  play doh  messy factor: ***

  

  We have entered the “play doh” phase, and there’s no end in sight. Play doh exposes your child to colors, shapes and textures. They can build towers, or simply smoosh it between their fingers. We have a “pizza making” set, and he will sit for 10 minutes at a time, pressing the “doh” into the molds. Perfect for rainy days or car trips. Be warned that it flakes apart fairly easily, and requires a good deal of clean-up afterward.

  toddler gym  messy factor: N/A

  

  We enrolled our son in Gymboree last October. My initial thinking was more about the social aspect (to meet other parents), but it became a great way to burn off some weekend energy. We decided on the open age class, which exposes him to kids from 6 months to 5 years. For one hour each weekend, the class reads stories, pretend plays, sings, dances and have a ball. Yes, it can be a bit pricy, but for us—with only one kid—it’s worth it.

  blocks   messy factor: ***

  

  Our house is FILLED to the brim with blocks. I’m finding them in just about everything, from couch cushions to cabinets and even in the dark spots of the carpet! My son is quite the architect, however. Tall towers are erected in the playroom, only to be demolished seconds later. Did I mention he is quite the demo dude, too? It’s par for the course with this activity. They’ll love building it, then watching it crash to the ground. Definitely a winner at home.     

  What activities does YOUR toddler enjoy? Add to my list!

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  • 8:36 pm
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