Here’s a simple activity to do with your toddler (anywhere from 12 months is a good age for this one):
What you need:
- uncooked pasta shapes
- container or basket
- container with a lid
- child safe scissors
What to do:
Grab a handful of uncooked pasta shapes (whatever size or shape you like) and put them in a small container or basket
Get a clean, empty food container that has a removable lid (margarine containers are ideal)
Cut a hole in the lid of the container slightly larger than the pasta shapes
Place the lid on the empty container
Taking one pasta shape from its container/basket and demonstrate to your toddler how to put a pasta shape into the empty container through the hole in the lid.
Once your toddler has put all the pasta shapes in the other container (or has had enough of that), remove the lid and return the pasta shapes to their original container/basket.
My daughter loves this game and it’s a great one for developing fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination. Even better, it takes little effort or cost to make.
Note: for more of a challenge for the older toddler give your child the opportunity to remove the lid and pour the pasta shapes back into the original container/basket.
Activity #2: The Container Sorting Game
Another fun activity you can do with your toddler using empty containers is a sorting game. Gather several empty containers of varying sizes and colors and place them in front of your child. Then, give them a pile of mixed toys or objects and encourage them to sort them into the different containers based on their size or color.
This game not only helps with hand-eye coordination but also teaches your child about categorization and organization. You can even turn it into a race by setting a timer and seeing how quickly they can sort all the objects.
To add an educational element, you can have your child count the number of objects in each container or name the colors as they put the items inside. This simple activity is not only entertaining for toddlers but also helps develop important skills that will benefit them in school and everyday life.
Activity #3: Treasure Hunt
Another fun game to try is a treasure hunt. Hide small items around the house or yard and give your child a list of things to find. This encourages them to use their observation skills and can also incorporate learning about different objects or shapes.
For older children, you can make the treasure hunt more challenging by adding clues or riddles for them to solve. You can even have them create their own treasure hunt for you to participate in. This not only promotes critical thinking but also boosts creativity and imagination.
In addition to games, there are also many educational activities that you can do with your child at home, such as arts and crafts projects, science experiments, and cooking lessons. Keep reading here at Parenting Prattle for more fun and educational ideas for you and your child!