Turn the screens off—TV, iPods, computers etc and enjoy these activities with your toddler

1. Snow Ball Fight

Our snowballs are made of half sheets of newspaper crumpled up inside a plastic sandwich bag (with the fold-over top). Everyone helps to make as many as possible, the more the better. Divide them into two piles, or collect in a laundry basket, box, or trashcan.

To keep the game contained to a certain area use a table, couch, or row of chairs as a divider between the players. You need a minimum of two players, one on each side, and each with a basket of snowballs.

Ready-Set-Go! Throw as many balls to the other side as you can.

Clean-up hint: The laundry basket or box becomes a goal. Each child can get as close to or as far away from the goal as they choose.

2. Stepping Stones

Are you looking for a fun and creative balance challenge that works well inside or outside? Try Stepping Stones.

The “stones” can be washcloths, handkerchiefs, no-skid drawer liner, or other items kids can step on without it sliding from underneath them. Cloth slides on hardwood flooring so be careful. Outside you can use sidewalk chalk to draw stones in different colors.

You can place the stones in a pattern and invite your child (or show him) how to step, hop, or jump from one onto another. Challenge him to find a way to cross the room without touching the carpet. Or let him design his own pattern and find ways to get from one stone to the next.

3. Five Senses Walk

Take a walk focusing on one of the five senses by asking some of the following questions as you go.

• Hearing - What do we hear? Is it loud or soft? Can you mimic the sound? These can be natural sounds as well as man-made sounds.
• Touch - Can you touch something tall, round, or yellow? Is it rough or smooth? Is it warm or cold? What is the temperature today? Can you feel the wind blowing?
• Sight  - Play the game “I Spy…” - keep it simple for toddlers e.g. " I spy something that is big" or ask wondering questions like, “How can you see if the wind is blowing?”
• Taste  - What does rain/snow taste like? Are their any plants in your garden that are edible?
• Smell - What do you smell? Does this have a smell?
• Add movement to your Five Senses Walk by turning it into a fast-paced game. Challenge your child by saying, “How fast can you bring me something soft, green, brown, and rough?” or “Run, skip, hop, or jump to touch something blue, warm, wet, or tall.”
• As your walk ends, bring some outdoor objects inside, such as leaves in all colors and shapes, branches, dirt, nuts, and rocks. Find a shoebox and cut a good-sized hole in one of the short sides and smaller ones in the other short side and in the lid for viewing holes. Invite your child to arrange the objects from outdoors inside the box, and replace the lid. Look through the viewing hole at the beautiful nature display inside.

While creating some fun activities and memories, you are also helping your young child build his brainpower and stay healthy.

By Jolanda Hengstman CAPE, NBCT

You may also be interested in...

• Toddler activities - Exploring senses
• Here are 10 activities centered around turning on your toddler’s senses:
• more

• TV free activities for toddlers
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two don’t watch TV at all. With that in mind, here are some TV-free activities for you and your toddler to enjoy.
• more

• Ready to move - Toddlers
• Being active from an early age will help children become physically fit later in life.
• more

• Reading with Toddlers
• Toddlers and board books go together—both are durable, come in easy to handle packages, and are found in a variety of shapes and sizes.
• more