Fun Things To Do With Toddlers

Parents enjoy every phase of their child’s growth, but not all wish for it to last indefinitely. It is a period when many parents have to don the entertainer’s hat and even get into the skin of a silly cartoon character, if that is what brings a smile on their little angel’s face. It is true that once your baby reaches the toddler stage, normal life is like a pleasant but unreal dream. Doting parents that they usually are, they undergo drastic changes in almost their entire outlook, with their toddlers becoming the bigger and probably only focus of their existence, throwing notions of the parents’ freedom and independence crashing out of the picture. It is no wonder, then, that many parents see the toddler years as the toughest to deal with, if only a tad less stressful than the teens.

 

After the calm comes the storm, as the popular belief goes, and so after spending days of deceptive bliss as an infant simply smiling at you from the safety of the bed, that angelic bundle suddenly turns overnight into an unstoppable little devil full of energy and excitement, bringing the whole house down like a crawling, walking hurricane. Toddlers snoop and meddle with their cute little noses all around the house, trying to unearth mysteries known only to them! They are powerful enough to weaken the resolve of the firmest of parents and very hard to please. Their anger tantrums and unreasonable demands take quite an effort to put down. But if you study them closely, you will realize that they are only growing up and learning things in their own peculiar ways. So you do not need a counselor’s help when your little one asks you to get the moon. Just remember, he/she is learning! With fun filled activities you can also make these years memorable enough to be cherished for life.

The kitchen is a favorite hangout for most toddlers, as they can find all kinds of odds and ends to tinker around with. From scissors to pans, everything aids them in their games of make-believe. So small lessons taught there go a long way. If your toddler creates a ruckus while you bake a cake, ask him/her for a helping hand. Make him/her blend some flour or knead some dough in a corner to keep him/her feeling important, occupied and happy. He/she can then be asked to make figures out of the dough, to be colored later. Toddlers enjoy that sense of belonging and involvement through this activity.

Activities should be both fun-filled and educational. This one is sure to do just that. Cleaning up a home is one of those boring tasks most mothers grumble about. Ask your toddler to help you out, and in all probability, he/she will be more than happy to be of service. While asking him/her to pick things up, give a clue on the color or shape, such as asking for the “yellow colored things to be picked up first and kept on the table”, or asking him/her to “next pick up and place all the round objects on the table”. This can teach a thing or two to your toddler along with helping you clean up the mess. It is like hitting two birds with a single stone.

You would be a fool to underestimate your toddler’s interest in computers. You can try encouraging his/her artistic skills with the correct software in your computer. This will also prevent him/her from wanting to use the walls of your apartment as one big canvas. You will also have a computer savvy kid at home in the bargain, much before he/she reaches the school-going age!

Put a few things inside a bag like a silk scarf, cotton swab, metal scrub and a cleaning sponge; in short, things with varying textures. Then take the things out one by one from the bag and ask your toddler to feel it and describe its texture. For instance, demonstrate with the silk piece. Rub it on the face and say ‘soft’. This is the best way to teach your toddler different textures and names of things. Though it takes some time, it will improve your toddler’s vocabulary and teach him/her new things in a fun way.

Bedtime stories are the best way to help toddlers work on their imagination. Color their imagination by either making up your own story or reading one out to them. This is also a great way to lull your toddler into deep, peaceful sleep.