Activities To Do With Your Toddler

There are so many activities to do with your toddler. They don’t have to be the same thing every day. Make it fun for both of you!
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Read A Book Together

Reading is great for learning but also a fun way to have time spent with your toddler. Let him or her choose one or two of their favorite books for you to read together. Talk about it and discuss. Let your little one “read” to you every once in a while too. Set up some stuffed animals or dolls and let him/her read to their toys. ( It is quite interesting and entertaining to listen to their own version of the story they are “reading”.)

Your local library may also have toddler reading times. It is a way for your toddler to play and meet with other toddlers and for you to meet other moms too.

If you have two of the same books that is either owned or from the library, read them together. Let your toddler turn the pages of their own book and after you read, let them take a turn at the same page and “read” it back to you.

Lyla loves doing this with one of her favorite books, “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch

 

Play With Games and Toys

Playing games was always one of my favorite things to do growing up. My husband, personally doesn’t like board games. So, I don’t usually get to play them. Now that I have my little girl to play with, I get to go down memory lane and play kids games that I haven’t played since I was little. We don’t always play by the rules (depending on, if the rules are too hard for her to understand) but always make it fun to play together.

Here is a list of some of the games that we like to play together:  (CAUTION: * Some of these games have smaller pieces. If you know your little one isn’t ready for games that have smaller pieces, wait a little longer to play it with them.)

• *Hungry Hungry Hippos – (Lyla’s #1 Favorite)
• *Let’s Go Fishing
• *Perfection – ( Lyla’s and My #2 Favorite) It is kind of  pricey but so much fun. If you find one at a second hand store with all the pieces, give it a try 🙂
• Memory
• Puzzles
• Twister– This is a fun way for them to learn their colors and learning their right from their left.

Most of all, use your imagination along with your toddler. Play house, trucks, dolls, super heroes, farm animals, etc…

 

Art

This was one of the things I found that I missed doing a lot with my little Lyla after Blake was born. I hadn’t colored with her for a couple weeks after he was born. She really missed our time spent coloring together. Taking the time to draw with her was calming and relaxing for me, even if it was just in a little kids coloring book 😉 Coloring is a good time spent between both of us.

If you don’t feel like drawing in a little kids coloring book, then get an adults coloring book. Grab your colored pencils or share your toddlers crayons. 🙂

Here are couple other art projects to do together:

• Finger Paint
• Playdoh
• Chalk on the side walk

 

Go To The Park Or Take A Walk

I don’t currently have a double seated stroller right now, so Blake is in the stroller and Lyla has to be a big girl and walk. She likes to “help” me push the stroller as we are walking. This is a great way to make sure she is right were I can see her and is in my reach as we are walking.

As we walk we talk about what we see. We say or sing our ABC’s and count our steps, ups to 10.

If it is too cold or hot outside to go to the park, go to a restaurant that has one inside.

Lyla gets tired after we get done playing at the park. I plan our walks before she needs to take her nap. This way, she can clean up and then go to bed after we get home.

This gives both of you some outdoor time, time spent together, and exercise.

 

Workout Together

Don’t let having your toddler around, be an excuse to skip out on your workouts. Let them join you. Follow a workout video or do your own routine together. You can even use them as your weight in mommy and me exercises.

I like doing this FREE Mommy Trainer Challenge! -IdealFit   with my toddler. They are perfect for helping to get the mommy weight off. It is pregnancy, post- baby, and nursing friendly. There is even a free nutrition plan that goes along with it.

Yoga is also a great way to do relaxing exercises after waking up or before bed.

Here are a couple of other exercises to do with your toddler:

• jump rope
• play hopscotch
• swimming
• Run with them in their stroller
• Buy an attachment for your bike, so your toddler can ride behind you.

 

Dance and Make Some Noise

Let go, have fun, and be silly together. Turn on some of your favorite songs and dance and sing to them. Play patty cake, sing out loud, or play some music of your own.

Make some noise:

• pots and pans
• kids musical instruments
• Piano
• Play and sing patty cake
• Play and sing head, shoulders, knees, and toes etc……

 

Mail A “Letter” (Picture) To A Loved One

Send one of your toddlers pictures or “letters” to someone special. It is sure to put a smile on their face, especially if you have family that does not live near you. Send a letter of your own and your toddlers picture together in the mail. Snail mail is sometimes the best mail to get, especially from someone special. (which is you and your little one)

 

 

Watch A Movie Out Together

Yes, you can always watch a movie at home but a movie on the big screen is always so much more special. Going to a discounted theater or going to a regular theater during their matinee prices will keep your going out budget low. Also, if you have a drive in theater in your area, usually their prices are quite decent. Make a family movie night, out. Lyla loved going to see Finding Dory when it came out in theaters.

Do you have a memory of going to a favorite movie when you were little?

 

Cook

You don’t have to be a world renown chef to cook with your little one. Even using a boxed mix is a lot of fun to do with your toddler. Get the pots, pans, bowls, and spoons. Have fun and whip up something yummy to eat.  🙂

It is so cute to see your little one all dressed up in their apron, kitchen hat, and their own mixing spoon!

What was your favorite thing to make with a family member or friend, growing up?

 

Garden

While you are out in the garden, let your little one help you. You can even buy them their own toy set of gardening tools.

Larger seeds like green beans, pumpkin, watermelon, chard, sunflower, and peas, are all seeds that your toddler can help plant.

Lyla always loves our time spent outside picking strawberries and green beans. She has a small green produce box that she collects her bounty of food to sit down and eat in the grass. Gardening is relaxing and is very rewarding. It gives me a chance to soak up some sun and teach my little girl how to grow some of her own food.

Let them have their own watering can or water cup.(They will probably get wet but that’s what summer is all about. Right? 🙂 ).

 

Places To Go

• Bowling
• Ice Skating
• Library
• Zoo
• Aquarium

Outside Activities

• Blow some bubbles
• Get some squirt bottles or little plastic water guns and get each other wet.
• hopscotch
• soccer
• Pick some flowers outside to bring in. Let them help you with your bouquet or let them have their own.
• Garden
• Throw some water balloons
• Make a snowman and snow angels when there is enough snow on the ground.
• Make some snow cones with fresh snow.

Do Chores Together

Lets face it. Chores aren’t that fun but you can make it fun! You can do chores together. Even if it a smaller chore, they can still be your big little helper.

If you would like some ideas to make chores fun, read 7 Fun Chores To Do With Your Two Year Old

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Don’t get stuck in a rut with the same activities. Always keep an open mind to new fun things to do with your toddler.

I would love for you to tell me your favorite activities to do with your toddler.

 

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