KEEPING BUSY AT HOME
Structured classes aren’t needed to provide fun activities for your toddler. You can play some great games at home, and she can learn just as much from them!
CHANGING COLOUR Cut squares of coloured cellophane, and give them to your child with the instruction to walk around and look at different objects through the coloured square. Talk to her about how the colours change when they’re “mixed” together. An older toddler can do this by herself, but do not leave a younger child unattended, as she may put the plastic in her mouth.
MOVEMENT TO MUSIC Encourage your child to move to the rhythm of music, clap her hands to the beat or jump around when the tempo picks up. Alternate the kinds of music that you put on for these sessions: Try jazz, classical, pop, rock and world music. Your child can express herself differently to each type of music, point out the change in rhythm, beat and tempo. Introduce props like ribbons and scarves to these sessions as well.
PUT ON PLAYS OR SHOWS WITH FINGER PUPPETS This is a great way to encourage your toddler’s creativity! Finger puppets can be bought from toy stores or made from pieces of felt or fabric. You and your tot will have hours of fun acting out stories with them.
TURN YOUR LIVING ROOM INTO A FORT Your child can hide away and spin magical stories. Create a “tent” by draping a sheet over chairs and weighing the fabric down with something heavy. Put some pillows and blankets in the tent for comfort.
TURN THE GARDEN INTO AN OBSTACLE COURSE by placing boxes, buckets and other objects in strategic positions. Tell your tot which of these obstacles she needs to jump over, walk around or climb under and in what order.
TEACH YOUR CHILD ABOUT THE DIFFERENT HABITATS WHERE ANIMALS LIVE by creating a puzzle for her. Create a poster of different environments by using magazine or internet pictures. Take a big piece of cardboard or paper, and split it into four equal sections. Create a different environment in each of these sections, like grassland, water, snow and forest. Then, cut out a few pictures of animals that live in each of these environments and ask your child to guess where each of them lives by sticking them down.
Besides being great fun and a fantastic way to use up some energy, dancing helps your child develop her motor skills, increase muscle development and flexibility and increase her social and mental development.