Cognitive Development
Flower Arranging
Gather some fresh flowers from your garden or purchase from your local store. Provide a small vase, a small pitcher of water, and several stems of flowers. Encourage your child to pour water into the vase and arrange the flowers. Celebrate the beauty of the arrangement.
Physical Literacy
Soccer Stars
Kicking is a fundamental movement skill. Your toddler builds their eye-foot co-ordination, along with their balance by practicing kicking a ball repeatedly. Model kicking the ball and kick it back and forth with your child. Provide a target with a small net or two pylons and encourage your toddler to kick a ball to the target. GOAL!
Social-Emotional Development
Breathe In, Blow Out
Demonstrate how to take in a deep breath through your nose and release it through your mouth. Invite your child to pretend to hold a flower and smell it as they breathe in. Then have them hold up their index finger and pretend they are blowing out a candle as they release their breath. Model deep breathing for your child when you are stressed and remind your child to use this strategy when they are getting upset.
Language Development
Nature Walk
Walk with your child near some natural elements. Describe what you see on the walk. “I see green trees and red flowers.” Touch the tree and encourage your child to do the same. Talk about the roughness of the bark and the softness of the leaves. Smell the flowers and describe what you notice. Being close to nature supports our calm, enjoy.
Creative Activity
Fence Painting
With a bucket filled with water and a paintbrush, encourage your infant to make marks on a wooden fence. As your child’s mark changes the look of the fence, describe what you see. Encourage your infant to reach high. Participate with your child, making squiggles, lines and circles. Watch as the marks evaporate and ask your infant “Where did they go?”
Additional Resources:
https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/20-virtual-field-trips-to-take-with-your-kids.html – Here is another virtual field trip site to check out. You will find links to art museums, zoos, aquariums and some famous sites around the world.
https://www.abcya.com/ – This website offers a wide variety of free educational games for Pre-K through grade 6 children.