PAGES 101 Tech Free Toddler Activities EbookTech+Free... · 1" ©Julie Kieras 2015. All Rights Reserved. Personal Use Only. No portion of this book may be copied without the express

� 1©Julie Kieras 2015. All Rights Reserved. Personal Use Only. No portion of this book may be copied without the express written permission of the author. To contact us, please visit http://happystronghome.com. Affiliate links have been used in this publication.

http://happystronghome.com

Table of Contents

Why did I write this book? 3 .......................................................

What you’ll 6ind 4 ..............................................................................

Chapter 1: Ideas for Water Play 5 .....................................

Chapter 2: Ideas for Summer Reading 8 ........................

Chapter 3: Ideas for Arts & Crafts 10 .............................

Chapter 4: Ideas for Rainy Day Play 12 ..........................

Chapter 5: Ideas for Road Trips 14 ..................................

Chapter 6: Ideas for Kiddie Workouts 16 ......................

Chapter 7: Ideas for Kids in the Kitchen 18 .................

Chapter 8: Ideas for Life Skills Activities 20 ................

Chapter 9: Ideas for Simple Play 22 ................................

BONUS Materials 24 .........................................................................

About the author 26 .........................................................................

!!



!Why did I write this book?

!Remember being bored as a kid? I don’t even have time to be bored now. With blogging, Facebook, and Pinterest, on top of parenting, housework and being a wife (in no particular order!) I’m never just sitting around wondering what to do next!

Parents have a challenge keeping busy toddlers (and older kids!) occupied, especially during school vacations and looooong hot summer days. Oh, not to mention rainy days, cold winter days, road trips…

Small children, in my opinion, don’t get bored so much as they haven’t yet grasped the concept of time; so they play with an object for three minutes and move on, but in their minds that was a long time! They also are still learning how to engage in self-‐directed play, which is a skill you can help them learn as they grow.

When my 6irst son was eighteen months old, I found myself constantly searching for ideas and activities we could do together. That was 2011, and I published a series of blog posts called 101 Toddler Activities; each post shared ideas around a theme, like water play, or kitchen activities. Now I have a nearly 6ive-‐year old, and a two and a half year old, and I’ve consulted my own list many a time. But I also felt it could use updating and additional resources, now that I’ve gone through the process of keeping two little boys busy all day.

So I decided to publish the updated activities guide as an ebook for parents. If you’re a parent looking for ways to keep your child excited about learning through play, without turning to digital resources, then this guide is for you!

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”…. Fred Rogers

!


http://www.pinterest.com/juliekieras


What you’ll Bind !The most creative learning for young children occurs during hands-‐on, self-‐directed play. So none of the activities require digital devices. Also, to keep activities “natural” (and inexpensive and convenient), most use common household materials.

Some activities take a bit of preparation by an adult, while others can be done at a moment’s notice. Some require supervision or adult involvement, and others can be done independently by the child while the parent preps dinner or works nearby. And some activities are just ideas for spending quality time with little ones.

There’s no rocket science, just a handy list of ideas so you don’t exhaust yourself constantly coming up with new things to do. I think I’ve include something for everyone!

For some activities, I reference a tutorial or “recipe” found on external sites, which, for copyright reasons, I cannot include here. At publication, all links were active, and I will do my best to keep them current. However, should you 6ind a broken link, let me know, or do a Google or Pinterest search, as you will likely 6ind many versions listed.

This book is aimed at children ages 1-‐3 years old, however many activities could work for older children. Every child’s interest level and engagement will vary. If your child isn’t interested in one activity this time, try it again a few weeks or months later.

Enjoy each moment. Unbelievably, (for 6irst-‐time moms) this phase passes quicker than you think. The days are long, but the years few, and my prayer for parents and caregivers reading this book is you’ll enjoy each moment, 6ill the days with fun, and look back with fond memories of these years with young ones.

!



Ideas for Water Play

�

Especially during spring and summer months, kids just want to be outdoors and… get wet. There’s something about water that draws children like a magnet. So get out a change of clothes for them, pick a few of these activities, and have fun!

1. Jump in puddles. Never underestimate the thrill of letting your kids go outdoors when it’s raining. One rainy day, we spent 10-‐15 minutes outside, walking through the rain, running his cars through puddles, stomping in the puddles, and getting soaked. My son had a blast. Just line your entryway with towels and have a change of clothes handy and this activity will go smoothly.

2. Paint with water. Give your child kiddy paintbrushes and a bucket or pan of water. Let them paint on your driveway, sidewalk, fence, the side of the house. The water won’t hurt anything, and they’ll stay clean! Tip: Encourage your child to paint on a variety of surfaces to see different effects.

3. Water plants. Introduce gardening by letting them water plants with the hose turned low, or a small bucket or watering can. Show how to pour the water into the base of the plant, versus on the leaves.



Tip: Talk about the shapes and colors of leaves and 6lowers. Tell child plants are “just for looking” (not eating!) and how to touch the leaves gently (or not at all).

4. No plants? Our son loves to water the cement! 5. Create a water table. There are delightful water table toys on the market, but to make one on the cheap, get a large shallow pan, cupcake carrier, rubbermaid tote, or a baby bathtub and 6ill with water. Have your child experiment with various objects to see which 6loat. And which don’t!

6. Make Music. Fill several water bottles with various levels of water. Show your toddler how to blow across the top to make different notes. Or try tapping on the sides to hear the different levels of “hollow” sounds each bottle makes.

7. Sprinkler! Unless you have a water table or teeny tiny pool, 6illing and re6illing a big pool for toddlers is hard work. And impractical. In drier areas, pretty much impossible. Tots are in and out of their kiddie pools constantly. So make use of a sprinkler. Not only will your toddler have fun, but you’ll also water your lawn!

8. Icebreaker. Toddlers LOVE to bang on things! Freeze water in a bundt pan or other container. Add food coloring, or small plastic toys. Then, run container under hot water to loosen block of ice. Place the ice block on the sidewalk, driveway, or a hard surface that can stand some abuse! Show your child how to bang away with a small hammer, or stick to unearth hidden objects! Clean up will be a breeze! (Food coloring may stain, so be aware of placement!)

9. Bubbles! Use baby bubble bath in your kiddie pool or water table to create piles of bubbles. You don’t even need a lot of water to create a huge mound of bubbles if you use a generous amount of bubble bath. They’ll love batting around mounds of foam, scooping it into containers, and spreading it all over themselves.

10.Little Squirt. Use condiment squeeze bottles from a dollar store. Fill with water and let your toddler squirt away!

11.Water Balloons. Fill up balloons part way with water so they are not likely to burst easily. Toddlers will have fun squishing the water inside like a baby stress ball! Throwing will be fun too, as they watch the balloon 6lip and 6lop all over. And if the balloon happens to burst, that’s a bit of surprising fun, but it won’t create a huge blast of water that might upset small children.(Note: PLEASE be aware a broken balloon leaves small pieces that could be choking hazards, so I recommend adult supervisors pick up pieces immediately.)

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -‐George Bernard Shaw

!� 6

©Julie Kieras 2015. All Rights Reserved. Personal Use Only. No portion of this book may be copied without the express written permission of the author. To contact us, please visit http://happystronghome.com. Affiliate links have been used in this publication.

http://youtu.be/JYXH6nfViwU

http://ayearwithmomanddad.com/2011/05/funshine-little-tikes-spiralin-seas-giveaway/


Ideas for Summer (or Any-‐time!) Reading

�

I am a 6irm believer children should read year-‐round. Of course, many kids balk at the idea of summer reading lists. Some parents also feel summer should be a break from school.

Reading isn’t just for school (although it is important to have regular reading habits to maintain 6luency). Reading at the toddler age is about fostering imagination, hearing the 6low and cadence of language, and introducing new words, storylines, and characters. Also, reading gives tots pre-‐literacy skills like reading with the book right-‐side-‐up, locating the title, and left-‐to-‐right eye movement.

Many of these engaging reading activities can be modi6ied for older children.

1. Take a trip -‐ Nothing says summer like a road trip. Instead of reading at home, visit the library and spend an hour reading there. Take a picnic lunch to a park and read under 6leecy white clouds and blue skies. Hike up to the top of a local trail and read while perched on a rocky cleft! The change of scenery will good for toddlers and parents.Tip: Match your location to your story.

2. Make Way for Ducklings (Robert McCloskey) before a trip to a pond with waterfowl.

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar before a grocery store trip.



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4. A Letter for Amy (Ezra Jack Keats) followed by a trip to the post of6ice to mail a letter.

5. Use funny voices -‐ Find a great story like Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late to read with a silly tone and dramatic pauses. Children can distinguish when your tone is silly and fun, or dark and mysterious. They’ll look forward to hearing what voices you create for each character.

6. Act it out -‐ Reading doesn’t have to be static. Pick a familiar book, and prompt your toddler to mimic characters and actions! “What did the goose say?” “Show me how the backhoe digs!” “Let’s crawl like the Very Hungry Caterpillar!”

7. Sing it out – Be silly and sing the entire story! Make up a tune. Sing key phrases over more than once, like a chorus. We used to sing the words from an autumn-‐themed book called The Leaves on the Trees to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus.

8. Play with the books – Let your toddler handle books. Use sturdy board books, cloth books, plastic bath time books that can endure little ones’ clutches! Use old magazines prior to tossing them in the recycling bin.

9. Encourage your toddler to “read with mommy and daddy” as you read, and be watchful for when a particular page or image catches their attention. Then you can identify the object or tell a little story about that picture before they are off and running! These types of book activities reinforce pre-‐literacy skills. Even babies that can’t see or hear bene6it from “literacy rich” experiences (link contains an excellent PDF resource for early literacy!)

10.Read on the go – Don’t pass up opportunities to build literacy while you’re running errands. Read signs and billboards as you walk, drive, or shop. Teaching your child to recognize signs and symbols is an important part of literacy. Pick familiar landmarks, like the restaurant you drive by every day, or a playground safety sign, even a map at a trailhead where you hike!

11.Make it – Create a book with pictures of your child’s favorite objects. Or let them pick pictures out of magazines. Glue image into a composition notebook, spiral notebook, or even on index cards with a hole punched in the corner for a ring clip. Another easy way to collect pictures is to get small photo albums at the dollar store and slide them into the photo pockets. Older children can label the objects, or write captions beneath the pictures to tell their own story.

12.Meet an author – Seek out a local author or book reading -‐ these are often at local libraries and bookstores, or sometimes children’s programs at museums. When children meet the person who wrote the book, it personalizes their reading experience! (This activity might be more impactful for older kids, but a fun activity habit to start when young).

13.Theme kits – Create a theme kit based on a favorite book. Compile your resources into a tote bag, 6ile folder or shoe box. Try pairing Jane Yolen’s Owl


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http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/cellpract_parent/infants/collections/CELL_Inf_Lit_Lrn_Exp.pdf

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399214577/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399214577&linkCode=as2&tag=ayewimoanda-20&linkId=AI5G74UQWPAXLT3W


Moon with Jim Arnosky’s All About Owls, and perhaps a hand-‐made sock puppet. If the child is reading a mystery, include a 6ingerprinting kit (tape, ink, paper), magnifying glass, and clues journal. Use the kits for a road trip or rainy day boredom buster – create kits and and bust them out as needed! Tip: No time to make kits, many local libraries have dozens of these kits pre-‐made that you can check out for a few weeks!

14.Author study – If your child enjoys a particular book, chances are they will enjoy other books by the same author. Collect a set of 3-‐5 books by the same author and read them consecutively. For older children, discuss how the books and characters seemed the same or different.

Simply cuddling up to read with your kids still works, and is always a fantastic way to spend time with your kids. But it’s fun to break from the norm once in a while and show kids reading can open a door to so much wonder.

Want a great resource for reading to your child? Check out the many printables available at author Jim Trelease’s website.

“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” -‐O. Fred Donaldson

!



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http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/brochures.html

Ideas for Arts & Crafts

�

Most of these activities are ones I found on other sites, so this section contains a lot of links to tutorials found elsewhere.

These crafts may take some supervision for the very young, but most don’t take a ton of speci6ic materials. I think the weirdest item you’ll need is plaster of paris for the goo/chalk.

1. Snack bag decorating! Let your child decorate snack bags with pipe cleaners, stickers, and googly eyes! (may require some help).

2. Create simple Binger puppets using old rubber gloves! Use permanent marker and they’ll be waterproof for bath time fun as well!

3. Teach your child to help wildlife with this easy nesting bag for birds craft! 4. If you can’t distribute bird nest materials in your area, try creating a bird nest craft with a paper bag and egg carton.

5. The clean way to make your own playdough or goo! (I love this! HINT: It never has to come out of the bag! Shhhh don’t tell your child until they are MUCH older and you might get another year or two without digging dried chunks out of all your furniture!). Tip: You’ll 6ind a great goo recipe at the end of this book!


http://www.jugglingwithkids.com/2012/01/butterfly-snacks.html

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=rubber%2520glove%2520finger%2520puppets&term_meta%255B%255D=rubber%257Ctyped&term_meta%255B%255D=glove%257Ctyped&term_meta%255B%255D=finger%257Ctyped&term_meta%255B%255D=puppets%257Ctyped

http://happystronghome.com/make-a-nesting-bag-for-birds/

http://www.attagirlsays.com/2012/04/17/crafting-with-kids-paper-bag-bird-nests/

http://babydickey.com/2011/11/17/homemade-playdough-goo-tutorial/


6. Make your own chunky sidewalk chalk for coloring on sidewalks and driveways.

7. Make your own non-‐toxic sidewalk paint! Don’t worry, it’ll wash away with the next rain shower!

8. Create a continuous coloring easel using a roll of paper, two over the door hooks, and curtain rod/dowel!

9. Make musical instruments like a paper tube rainstick. Kids love to make noise, so why not have them design and decorate their own noisemakers!

10.This is so simple, it’s almost ridiculous. Let your baby tear paper (magazines, construction, etc) into strips. Tearing paper an important pre-‐scissors skill. And babies love it. If you have an older child, they can make a collage with the torn strips, so this works for multiple age levels.

11.Create a decorated vase or pencil holder by having your toddler apply stickers to an empty soda bottle, disposable coffee cup or other container.

12.Use address label sheets as stickers! You know the labels that arrive unsolicited in the mail? These are great for sticker practice before buying more expensive “fun” stickers.” Early sticker-‐artists won’t really care as long as they get to stick, stick, stick!

13.I tried this Wonder Kleenex Box craft -‐ granted, I had to assemble it – but I found it to be a great no-‐sew use for my TONS of scrap fabrics, and my son loved playing with it too (nice quiet activity for car rides!). I used an old baby wipes container I was saving! Perfect!

14.Make temporary bean bags with zip snack bags 6illed with beans, rice, or unpopped corn kernels. (Use bags with a good seal or tape shut!). Kids will love to measure in the beans/corn. Or they might want to mix them for a fun multi-‐colored effect!

NOTE: Always supervise children closely when doing crafts as there are usually scissors and small objects around. COVER your table/6loor appropriately. And be near a sink.

“Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” – Abraham Maslow

!



http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-Sidewalk-Chalk/

http://sprigtoys.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/guest-blogger-this-mama-loves-her-bargains/

http://www.babycenter.com/210_wonder-kleenex_19634_640.bc?index=2

Ideas for Rainy Day Play

� !Stuck inside? Here’s how you can make your toddler’s time worthwhile!

1. Chef’s helper – have them crush crackers or stale bread for bread crumbs or pie crusts. Put the bread/crackers in a plastic storage bag and let them bang on it with a plastic or toy hammer. If you have a toy or small rolling pin, they can roll on the crackers until they are crushed. Even if you are not baking that day, save these in an airtight container for another time.

2. Trash-‐to-‐fun – save old cereal boxes and create a cereal box sidewalk path they can walk across in your play area!

3. Show them how to slide objects down a poster board or large folded cardboard box propped up against the couch. Sliding objects into a metal bowl will make a fun noise.

4. Create a object sorter from a small box (cereal, oatmeal, mailing box) by sealing the box and cutting a few different sized holes in the top/side. Babies can have fun putting small toys in and out.


http://www.toddlertoddler.com/todays_cereal_sidwalk.htm


5. Enjoy hand/foot play by tracing their hands/feet onto felt or construction paper. Cut out and tape down around the room. Let your child walk around putting their feet down on the footprints, and hands down on the handprints.

6. Hideout! Drape a large tablecloth or sheet over a smaller table or the backs of 4 chairs. Throw some pillows under the covering and your child now has a fun hideout to crawl in and out of all day!

7. Create a discovery bottle – 6ill empty soda bottle with rice or unpopped corn kernels. Add some small toys or items and seal closed (you can cut the bottle open to 6it in the toys, the tape shut).

8. Do cookie sheet drawing. If you’re daring about mess-‐making fun, sprinkle 6lour or rice onto a cookie sheet. Show your child how to draw letters or shapes with their 6ingers in the material. To erase, gently jiggle the sheet.

9. Tube stacking. Save empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls in a large bag. On a rainy day, show your toddler how to stack them into structures. Much quieter than blocks when they fall down. Older kids can tape them together to build larger structures.

10.Personal photo album. Create a personal photo album for your child with dollar store album and inexpensive printouts on your printer or at the store. Include photos of each family member with a name label. This is a great way to help them remember names of family they don’t see very often. Or, do a travel themed album -‐ this could be locally (parks, Grandma’s house) or family travel spots. Again, a good way for your child to learn the vocab of your family life.

11.Garbage toss. Take recycled papers and crumble into balls. Set up a small to medium sized garbage can against the wall, and have your toddler practice throwing them into the garbage. Tip: Use an empty can with a clean bag so you can retrieve the balls for reuse. Placing against a wall keeps the garbage can from shifting, or place in the middle of the room for multiple “throwers.”

“Play is training for the unexpected.”…. Bekof

!


http://www.toddlertoddler.com/todays_hands_feet.htm


!Ideas for Road Trips with Toddlers

�

We’ve been on our share of road trips -‐ from short (1-‐3 hours) to extremely long (24 hour marathons down to Florida!). So I have had time to ponder what to do with that child crying in the backseat.

As a seasoned traveler-‐with-‐kids, I now keep the car stocked with activities and ideas to keep small children from going stir crazy.

1. Hang soft toys on plastic baby links within reach and they’ll be less likely to end up on the 6loor of the car where you can’t reach them! Note: I do not recommend hanging items from the raised bar of an infant car seat; infant car seat bars should always be pushed and locked back behind the seat for safety. Instead, use plastic links to hook the soft toy onto the child’s jacket or a loop in the car seat itself.

2. Sing. Bring a selection of CDs or make your own mix of songs on a CD or MP3 player to play for your kids!

3. Play the color game with cars or buildings. Either have children call out colors of cars or buildings they see, or do a version of “I Spy” with the colors (“I spy an orange car, a blue building….”). Just the sound of talking will interest a child, and older toddlers will join in. Take turns calling out colorful objects to spot.



4. Traveling toys. Pack a special bag of “car toys” for the trip -‐ make sure they are “new” to your child and not toys they commonly play with at home. Include a few board books and sturdy, washable toys.

5. Talk. Take the time with a captive audience to talk. For the youngest child, simply point out and name objects and places as you pass by. Older kids will enjoy hearing you tell stories of your own travels and childhood. Ask older kids what they look forward to, what they expect to do. On the way home ask what they enjoyed the most, or what they’d like to do again.

6. Count cars, birds, cows as you pass and see how high you can get between stops. Tip: pick a familiar and regularly occurring object.

7. Create. Bring along quiet toys for restaurant stops – a crayon holder is great for keeping crayons in their place.

8. Blow bubbles. Okay this is for the brave of heart. I read this on a website, and perhaps if an older child or adult was in the backseat, this might be a good activity. Blow out the window or in the car. I personally could not do this activity, but I like to keep bubbles for them to play with when we stop for a stretch or potty break.

9. Stickers. Get a little notebook of paper for your toddler to apply stickers into. This is a good time to use up those address label stickers. Or select stickers themed to your trip – if you’re going to the beach, 6ind 6ish and beach related stickers, etc.

10.Felt boards. Create your own felt board by gluing a large piece of felt to a sturdy piece of cardboard or foam board, or even a cookie sheet from the dollar store. Then cut out simple felt shapes to stick to the felt board. Soft, quiet fun for the car ride!

“Play is often talked about as if it were relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” – Mr. Rogers

!!



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Ideas for a Kiddie Workout

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Oh how kids love to move. My boys will roll, 6lop, wiggle, wave their arms from the minute they get up until bedtime.

So…next time your kiddo gets the wiggle-‐worms…here are eleven fun exercise activities! I call it the Kiddie Workout! If your kids are older, do them all in an “exercise class” for them!

1. Seesaw – my son loves seesaws. So when we’re home, sometimes I lie on my back, raise my knees and sit him on my feet. As he leans against my legs, I hold his arms to steady him, and raise my feet up and down like a seesaw. He LOVES it. It’s also a great ab workout for mama!

2. Obstacle course – place pillows, cereal boxes, and other objects like a path in your house or outside. Have the kids run from Point A to Point B going around and over objects. Play music or have a timer while they race!

3. Kiddie Yoga – I am not the stretchiest person in the world, but kids are. My son doesn’t even know what yoga is, but he started doing the downward dog headstand thing all on his own. Simple movements like bending side to side,



“picking apples” (reaching hand over hand into the air), and “planting seeds” (toe touches), keep them happy!

4. Kick – Develop your child’s eye-‐foot coordination skills by having them kick a small ball, a rolled up wad of paper, or even just water in the tub or pool! Try rolling up socks into a big ball for an indoor game!

5. Step Up – If you have some sturdy plastic storage bins about 6 inches high, place a few upside down on the 6loor and do a little aerobics stepping with your toddler. They will love getting up and down on the bin!

6. Roll – My son loves when I roll him over and over on our bed; he loves to roll along the 6loor. Rolling is great fun.

7. Stomp – Get out those ants-‐in-‐the-‐pants and all that toddler energy by playing a game of Stomp! We use old bubble wrap to stomp on and make fun popping sounds. Old egg crates are also good for toddler to practice eye-‐foot coordination as the try to stomp all the egg bumps down!

8. Balance – Draw a chalk balance beam on the driveway, or tape down a length of ribbon indoors or use painter’s tape to create a line. Have children “balance” by walking along the line! Challenge them by creating a right angle turn!

9. Over & Under – Create a path using tables, blankets, pillows and/or boxes. Have your toddler go over and under the various obstacles. It’s a great way to teach them positional vocabulary (above, beneath, under, through) while they move!

10.Parachute – This works well as a group activity. Use a large sheet (for a group) or light blanket (for one or two kids). Have everyone grasp an edge or corner in each hand. Say “up!” and raise your hands, and instruct your child to follow. Say “down” and lower your arms, and your child will follow. Continue this up and down motion for a good arm exercise. Walk in a circle while holding the sheet still or moving it up and down so kids can see the movement change. Kids love watching the sheet billow up and down – and if you can get a bunch of kids in on the action, it’ll be even more fun and billowy! Play music and move your arms up and down to the rhythm -‐ a slow moving song works best for this activity.

11.Jump – Can’t leave out the most obvious activity of all – jumping! Kids love to jump. So whether you allow them to jump on the bed, couch, or maybe tape down some green dots for a lily pad frog pond and have them jumping around the room… jumping is a great way to expend energy!

“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein

!� 17



Ideas for Kids In The Kitchen

�

Cooking with kids is an exciting learning activity that can lead to your child taking a greater interest in what they eat. When kids “cook,” they are more likely to try what they’ve made, so being involved in the kitchen can help expand picky palates!

Here are some kid-‐friendly kitchen activities and recipes your child can make or attempt with little-‐to-‐no help!

1. Gelatin mix – you heat the water, they enjoy stirring until the gelatin dissolves. It’s a fast and easy recipe they’ll love to eat later that day. Tip: Use the quick-‐set method with the ice to cool that hot water down fast for safety.

2. Chex mix – You might be hearing crunches underfoot for a few days, but measuring out cereal helps kids practice scooping and pouring skills! Older toddlers can practice counting.

3. GORP – similar to the chex mix, throwing together Good Old Raisins and Peanuts (and whatever other goodies you like to include) is pretty much no fail? I mean, can you really add in TOO many chocolate chips?

4. Cut-‐out cookies – Bring out the cookie cutters, or have children cut their own shapes with plastic knives. You’ll have to roll the dough out most likely. While there’s potential for a big mess, it’s a good supervised cooking activity. Children



can decorate cookies with sprinkles either before or after baking. (After baking they will need to have frosting for the sprinkles to stick).

5. Thumbprint cookies – Make cookie dough, and roll spoonfuls into balls, then place onto a baking sheet. Then call your little one over to smash each ball down with their thumb. You’ll be eating those little love-‐printed cookies in no time! Older kids might be able to manage the dropping part too!

6. Ants on a log -‐ Shmear a celery stick (deveined) with peanut butter (or nut butter substitute). Then let your child plop the “ants (raisins or craisins or chocolate chips) onto the “log!” Yummy!

7. Cupcake decorating – Anything goes on top of frosting. Try sprinkles, mini M&Ms or chocolate chips! Gummi candies, nuts… you name it!

8. Apple Shake – put sliced apples, a teeny sprinkle of sugar (optional) and cinnamon into a Ziploc bag. Have your toddler shake to coat. Eat and enjoy!

9. Sandwiches -‐ Kids love to spread jelly on bread. Or layer lunchmeat. And maybe they’ll even eat their crusts?! If not, they can practice cutting with a dull plastic knife. (Sometimes we use those horsderves spreaders for the kids to practice cutting with).

10.Mud Balls -‐ Better than a mud pie – you can really eat these. However, I’m SURE they will create some kind of mess. Oh well!

11.BONUS: How cute is this “Painted Toast” idea! Fun, artistic, and edible!

“It is better to play than do nothing.” – Confucious

!!


http://fun.familyeducation.com/cooking/recipes/36813.html?detoured=1

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Painted-Toast


Ideas for Life Skills Activities

�

Some of the best ways to keep young children busy are simple activities that teach basic life skills. At this age, they see everything as a big game and there’s no need to tell them otherwise! It’s a perfect illustration of how children learn through play.

1. Care for indoor plants. A great way to incorporate nature into skill building! I think most kids are fascinated with water and plants, so teach them how the two go together. Watering plants makes a great “6irst chore,” and is a good indoor or rainy day activity.

2. Buttoning. There are several children’s button toys that encourage buttoning clothing on dolls or stuffed animals. Or have them play with the buttons on an adult coat. Try this great use for old shirt sleeves to create a “button bracelet” for your toddler to play with!

3. Zip! Kids are fascinated by zippers. Give them small makeup bags, jackets, or other zippered items to play with as they practice zipping up and down!

4. Velcro, Buckles and Snaps! After every meal, our son used to ask to “but-‐kle” the high chair straps back together after being taken out of his seat. He just loved


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these simple routines as a toddler. You could get a buckle toy, or just let them play with buckles around the house.

5. Match. Give your child fabric patches cut from scraps and have them match textures or colors. Glue to cardboard for easier handling. Match stuffed toys to pictures, or create your own matching game with sets of small household items (two spoons, two measuring cups, two potholders, etc).

6. Open and close. Use various sized jars with screw-‐top lids to have your child practice opening and closing the screw-‐on lids. Children love the twisty-‐turn action and the motions engages a toddler’s 6ine motor skills.

7. Pour. Use dry beans, rice or salt to have your toddler pour from one container to another. Try using plastic measuring cups or pitchers. Vary this activity by using liquids, or pour liquids through a funnel into another container.

8. Transfer. Use hands, a scoop or a sponge to transfer liquids or solids from one container to another. Sponges are great to squeeze water from one bowl to another. Spoons and scoops work well for pasta, beans, sand, rice, etc. Or for larger objects, use tongs to move pom-‐poms, cotton balls, peanuts in the shell, etc. These are all good motor skill development exercises!

9. Sort. After the magic of transferring wears off, have your child sort by color, size, shape, type. Use muf6in tins or ice cube holders as sorting trays.

10.Cook! Give your child an egg beater to whip (the hand-‐crank kind), a spatula and bowl to scrape, or a whisk. Show them the movements of each one. Tip: Put a little water and a generous squeeze of dish soap in a bowl for them to whisk or beat up some bubbles! They won’t get water all over but will make tons of bubbles. You can just throw this in the sink when they are done to use for your own dishwashing.

11.Fold clothes. Start small by having them fold washcloths in half or match socks. When my son was eighteen months, he would stack up his cloth wipes. Later, he matched socks, and by age four he folded his pajamas in the morning. As they gain skill and con6idence, they’ll be able to fold bigger, more complicated items.

Life skill activities build motor skills and a child’s independence. Most importantly, they communicate that your child is an important, contributing family member.

“Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW! It is fun to have fun. But you have to know how.” – Dr. Suess

!� 21


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Ideas for Simple Ways to Connect With Toddlers

�

I want to celebrate how toddlers are happy doing the simplest of things, especially if it’s with their parents, siblings, and loved ones. Life for a toddler can be as simple as laughing at themselves in the mirror or being tickled by mom or dad.

There is certainly a place for toys and manipulatives. But instead of frustrating ourselves as parents and overcomplicating play with too many expensive toys and detailed materials, sometimes we need to call on the Occam’s Razor Principle of Toddler Play: The simplest solution is best. (NOTE: Occam’s Razor is real, but my application of it to toddler play is my own! haha!).

1. Reading. You can never read too much to them. 2. Walking. In the stroller, carrier, or older toddlers can walk on their own feet. Even just a tour of your backyard can be exciting.



3. Helping. Give directions to pick up various items and bring them to you, or put items away. Make a game by setting a timer and seeing how many things they can pick up in one or two minutes. Celebrate any amount completed, because it’s not really about the clean up, it’s about doing something together.

4. Mimicking. Play with sounds, actions, words. Toddlers love to copycat. 5. Finding. Play impromptu I-‐spy games to locate simple objects around the house or outdoors. This builds vocabulary and their attention as they seek for the object.

6. Throwing. Give them stale bread chunks at a pond, or loose pebbles, small sticks. Toddlers will throw things forever it seems.

7. Banging . If the noise is too much for you (it can be for me) use softer objects, like plastic spoons instead of metal. Or silicone measuring cups to bang together instead of metal (ear-‐savers!).

8. Tactile Exploring. Give your child items of different textures. A washcloth, Ziploc bag, wax paper, tin foil. Let them play with and feel the various textures. A great waiting-‐for-‐dinner activity.

9. Cuddling. Even bigger kids love to be “swaddled” in a large blanket. Tickle them through the blanket or rock them like baby and remind them of their teenier days. (Try to avoid shedding a tear on this one).

10.Cleaning. Every time I get the sweeper out, my son wants to use it. If he sees it leaning by the wall, he tries to clean. He also love to “wash” things with a dry washcloth or towel. Give your child the dustpan and brush, or a damp towel and let them go to work!

11.Building. Using sturdy board books, open them to “build” a little house, maze, or other structure. Kind of like Baby’s First House of Cards. Blocks or cardboard boxes also work for this activity, but use whatever is on hand.

I hope you have enjoyed my collection of 101 Toddler Activities. I had fun 6inding things to do with my young sons, and I hope it helps you in your life with little ones.

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

! !



BONUS MATERIALS!

Glittery Goo Recipe

�

To create non-‐messy sparkling goo for kids to play with, follow this simple recipe:

• 1 ounce water • 3 drops food coloring • 1 ounce glitter craft glue • ⅓ ounce Borax 1. In a glass measuring cup, mix the food coloring into the water. 2. Add the glue and mix well with a toothpick or other disposable item. 3. Slowly sprinkle in and mix in the Borax. Don’t dump in all at once or it will clump. You can stir quite vigorously until the goo starts to stick to itself.

4. Remove goo and rub it around the glass measuring cup to pick up stray bits. Knead with 6ingers until well-‐blended and pliable.

For less mess put the goo into a small plastic snack bag and seal for squishy fun.

For a larger batch, double the recipe. If you need more, I would mix up separate batches to maintain the correct ingredients ratios.

!� 24



Tips for Staying Sane While Crafting with Kids!

I love creating with my kids. Now that I have two little boys, this often means a big mess afterwards!

Here’s some keys to successful arts & crafts with kids:

Get ready ahead of time. I lay out all the materials the night before, or put them in a box to have everything in one place. Open packages and throw away the wrappers before the kids are on the scene. The last thing you want is to have kids bouncing around waiting while you tussle with those impossible plastic bubble wrappers on packages! Or have open jars of paint in front of your children, and then have to run to another room for the watercolor paper!

Expect a mess, and prepare by laying down drop cloths, having kids wear smocks and having cleanup supplies handy.

Keep it simple -‐ young children prefer doing repetitive activities like stamping with a dot marker all over than creating highly detailed work like actually drawing a recognizable picture (that will come later, I promise).

Focus on the exploration, not the creation -‐ let kids experience the materials, techniques, and enjoy themselves. Don’t worry so much about the end product at this point. It’ll take a lot of the stress off.

“Play is the work of children…” ~ J. Piaget

!!



About the Author

�

Julie Kieras is the mom and blogger at Happy Strong Home, a parenting and natural family living website. She’s been blogging since 2005, and created the Happy Strong Home family site in 2010, shortly after the birth of her 6irst son.

With a background in English / Language Arts education, Julie currently enjoys homeschooling her preschool and toddler sons, researching educational ideas and resources, and of course, blogging about family life!

She shares her love of education, travel, crafts, baking, and writing through articles and guest posts her site, and others like Melissa & Doug, Maggie Bags, Ergobaby, and other parenting spots around the ‘web.

�

*The quotes included in this book are meant to inspire and help us re_lect on why hands-‐on play is so important for our children. However, they are not an endorsement of all the beliefs held by each speaker.



!Connect with Julie !Email: [email protected]

Website: http://happystronghome.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/happystronghome

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Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/juliekieras

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!For more Kids Activities !Here’s a few links to other toddler and preschooler activities you may enjoy with your child!

5 Activities with Colorful Balls

7 Learning Activities with Lids

DIY Window Clings

Make Your Own Crayon Rubbing Plates

10 More Road Trip Activity Ideas for Preschoolers


mailto:[email protected]


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http://twitter.com/happystronghome

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http://happystronghome.com/ball-activities/

http://happystronghome.com/tot-explorations-7-learning-activities-with-lids/

http://happystronghome.com/kids-craft-diy-window-clings/

http://happystronghome.com/make-your-own-crayon-rubbing-plates/

http://happystronghome.com/10-road-trip-activity-ideas-for-preschoolers/


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PAGES 101 Tech Free Toddler Activities EbookTech+Free... · 1" ©Julie Kieras 2015. All Rights Reserved. Personal Use Only. No portion of this book may be copied without the express