Ok, so if you live in the northeast like me, I'm sure you are starting to get a serious case of cabin fever. The winter storms show no signs of stopping! Are you running out of things to do with your toddler? Well Gianna and I have come to your rescue! Here are some activities Gianna and I have been exploring and I must say we are having a winter blast!
1. CRAFTSWhether you are a professional artist, artistically challenged (like yours truly) or anything in between, crafts are an easy indoor activity to do with your toddler! With Pinterest on the scene among other resources, craft ideas are super easy to find; you do not have to be "creative" by making something from scratch. Be sure to have your basic craft supplies on hand (i.e. construction paper, scissors, glue, fuzzy pom poms, googly eyes, shimmer sticks, markers and crayons). Valentine's Day is quickly approaching so why not make some Valentine's crafts to give to family members? It's a fun and inexpensive way to show someone you care! I found all of the craft ideas from above on Pinterest. We added our own little twists to them and "Ta Da!" as Gianna would say!
2. BOOKS
What better way to strengthen your child's language skills and entertain him/her than to read some awesome books?! Gianna and I love reading time! She helps me turn the pages and even "reads" to me sometimes. We've been reading winter-themed books to stay in the seasonal spirit.
3. DANCE
We live in a day and age where you can get music at the tap of your iPad. I am a subscriber to Pandora Radio. I have a "Baby Einstein" station saved and we let the good times roll! Just freestyle with your child or take this opportunity to do more organized movement activities. Just be sure to be safe and remove any potential hazards out of the way so you and your tot have plenty of room to move and groove. One organized movement activity Gianna and I do is easy to set-up and a great way to work on gross motor skills. I blow up a couple of balloons and play classical music. I encourage Gianna to move "softly" with the balloons whenever the music is soft and move more aggressively, but safely, as the music gets loud.
4. APPS/YOU TUBE
I have a neat collection of children's apps on my iPad and Gianna absolutely loves them! Thanks to some of these learning apps, Gianna can now identify a handful of animals (courtesy of Baby First) and so much more! I also have a children's Bible app by You Version that is phenomenal! It incorporates engaging animation with kid-friendly storytelling techniques. Because of this app, Gianna calls my iPad "Bible." In addition to apps, You Tube is another great resource for learning activities. I have created a "Gianna Playlist" so that all of her songs are easily accessible. She sings along to songs about numbers, the alphabet, colors, shapes and more. I even have a cool song by Elmo about brushing your teeth. I play it every morning while Gianna brushes her teeth and I can see an improvement in how she cleans her little pearly whites!
5. DRAMATIC PLAY
When it comes to entertaining your toddler there is nothing like some good old fashioned playtime! You can make this as extravagant or as laid back of an event as you want. Dress up in your finest and have tea time or make some capes and become your child's favorite super hero! Children thoroughly enjoy having their parents play with them. Enjoy these moments to the fullest!
So there you have it folks! Our toddlers won't stay this age forever! Next thing you know, they'll be taking the keys to your car to go to the mall and hang out with their friends, so seize these precious moments! It will bring out the child in you and bring you closer to your little one!
*Have more ideas? Please share them in the comments section!
Zoodles! You mentioned Apps and You Tube, but Zoodles is one of the coolest app/programs I have experienced.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you can download Zoodles from Zoodles.com. you create an account and add your child(ren). Now, here's the cool part. When you launch the program, IT LOCKS OUT YOUR COMPUTER so your child stays in the Zoodles environment. It tailors the games to the age of whichever child is playing it, and you can control what your child sees. And it's FREE! Well, sort of. The paid version ($59 a year! A bargain!) lets you promote subjects you want them to spend more time on, blocking sites and characters, weekly reports, rating system, video mail (great for Grandparents) time limits, more games and unlocks all of the digital (recordable!) storybooks.
SECOND of all (there's more?) There's an app for anything you carry, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, sooooooo....you take the fun wherever you go! It locks out your phone/tablet just like the PC version so they can't make those phone calls to China. ;-)
Can you tell I love this app? I've been a subscriber for three years and I have not found anything else that is comparable.