For someone who has or had a toddler, you know that they can be a handful. Household chores already keep your hands full. And thinking of ways to keep toddlers busy is not really on top of your to-do list. One solution include introducing fun educational activities to them.
10 fun educational activities for toddlers
However, there are easy, fun, and exciting activities to do with your toddler. We all know that kids are like sponges, especially toddlers. They are always curious about new things and eager to learn new ideas. Having these activities will help develop their skills, both mentally and physically.
1. Playtime in the bathtub with stuffed animals
This is a fun activity you and your toddler can do together. Let them play with their favorite stuffed animals. Allow them to use their imagination. They can even pretend that they are Noah and rescuing animals is their top priority.
2. Cash wash with toy cars
Pretend that the sink is the car wash station. Fill up the sink with soapy water and set aside a bucket of water to rinse the cars off. Pile up the toy cars by the sink and wash them one by one. Rinse them with water and use a towel to dry.
This is a good activity because it will allow your toddler to follow step-by-step instructions. You will be surprised how proud your toddler will be looking at the shiny and clean toy cars.
3. Pom-pom drop
A good way to enhance your toddler’s counting skills is to do this activity. This do-it-yourself project involves using a container (an oatmeal container, for example) and then creating a hole on the lid. Use large pom-poms (which can be bought from any hobby or thrift shop).
Let your toddler drop the pom-poms in the hole. They will love counting how many pom-poms have been poked inside.
4. Counting practice with Cheerios
Take some play dough, roll it into a ball, and stick some spaghetti noodles on top. Let your toddler slide down cheerios on the noodle. As they do this, let them count each cheerio. This is also a great practice for their motor skills. Not only will this activity keep them busy, but they will also love it.
5. Melting ice
It’s a surprise how much toddlers love this game, but they do. There is something about this activity that toddlers really enjoy. Freeze a water balloon and then pour hot water over it. Just be careful and watch your toddler to make sure that they do not burn themselves. This can also be a good science experiment as it makes them learn about water and ice.
To make this more fun, try sticking little treasures inside before freezing the water. Or put little dinosaurs and make Dino Eggs.
6. Ice cube painting
Another do-it-yourself activity with your toddler is ice cube painting. Fill an ice tray and put some food color in it. Put in some Popsicle sticks and let them freeze until solid. Once frozen, pop them out and let your toddler paint using the ice cubes. It will be like doing a watercolor painting. This will also help toddlers recognize different colors.
7. Playdough
Playdough is a great activity to develop your toddler’s fine motor skills. Using their hands to make objects develops their strength. Their creativity will also be enhanced. Independence and self-sufficiency develop as toddlers can do several fun educational activities.
8. A game of Hot and Cold
Hide your toddler’s favorite toy and let them search the room. They get cold if they are wandering away from it and warm if they are getting near. As they get closer, they get warmer and eventually hot. If you see that they are getting frustrated or impatient, hold their hand and look with them.
This game will sharpen their emotional skills. Patience and perseverance will be learned along the way. It will also teach them the thought that just because an object cannot be seen doesn’t mean it isn’t actually there.
9. Scavenger hunt
Send your toddler on a scavenger hunt for objects found inside the house. You can tell them what to look for.
For example, tell them “find me something blue” or “find me something soft”. This is good practice for following orders.
10. Puzzles
Solve a puzzle with your toddler. This is one of the fun educational activities for toddlers as it covers almost all the bases of development:
- physical (making the pieces fit)
- cognitive (solving the puzzle)
- emotional (patience)
This will also give them knowledge on different shapes, help them set and meet a simple goal and is good for developing their memory.
There are limitless ways to have fun with your toddler. If you want your child to have the best learning experience, get in touch with us at Akers Academy. Our goal is to ensure that your toddler’s skills are developed and enhanced as they grow older.
