Engaging Toddler Activities

[musical]

It is amazing how creative parents can get in providing sensory experiences for their toddlers! Do you have any other recipes or ideas up your sleeves?

I don't have any fancy recipes, but I do have a simple and safe one for slime, using only shampoo and salt. It's an easy and fun texture my kid enjoys playing with from time to time. It's pretty much no-fail and doesn't require any cooking or unusual ingredients besides shampoo and some colored salt.

Just a word of caution, it can get a little messy, so supervised play is recommended! The slime is sticky and tends to cling onto clothing and furniture, but the mess is manageable.

 

[musical]

close supervision is definitely needed with young toddlers like Arthur. Staining isn't so much of an issue for me as I typically prepare art activities when my daughter has her nap time, but I let her explore freely then. Messy play is the best way to learn!

You're right about letting them explore freely during messy play - it's such a good educational approach. Toddlers are so curious and with their sense of touch, they learn so much through sensory experiences. I like how you encourage messiness in your toddler activities!

 

[koala]

You're welcome! I think most toddlers are fascinated by the sensory experience of mess - it's us parents who have to learn to let go of our fear of messiness, haha!

TexturedMess fun fact: Sand and shampoo foam make a fantastic sensory play combination that will keep them busy for a while. It's a hit with my kids, though clean-up is inevitably a little more involved. Still, watching the enjoyment and knowing the educational value makes it worthwhile! And some soap suds are a good excuse to get kids into the habit of washing their hands too.

The pleasure of seeing our toddlers enjoy themselves is a great payoff for the mess they make! Sand and shampoo foam sounds like an interesting combination I'm imagining a beach-themed sensory play, maybe with some seashells and little toy crabs thrown in too.

 

[eternity]

My boy is also fond of sand, especially anything with mouldable texture! He'll be thrilled to have his new play sandcastle set introduced to him soon! It comes with different shapes and a little shovel and bucket which he adores, and it's excitingly educational as well. I'm all for activities that keep them engaged and entertained, but also educate without them even realising it! Does anyone have other recommendations for hidden learning activities?

There are lots of fun, educational toddler activities one can explore!

I recently discovered these cute and colorful pattern cards that teach basic coding skills. They're called Coding Critters. Each card has a different activity your tot can follow and they learn basic coding concepts like sequencing and patterns without knowing it! It's a fun way to prep them for logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Another simple one is an DIY obstacle course that focuses on gross motor skills, balance and coordination. You can set one up indoors or outside with household items like pillows, cushions, chalk and balls. Your tot can navigate the "course" using movement instructions called out by you or older siblings. It's a fun way to keep them active!

 

[sunnydays]

The beauty of simple toddler activities is that they can often be adapted to suit what we have available at home, and our kids' interests. Arthur will enjoy the surprise element when I bust out the bubble wrap for painting time! Thanks!

There are so many ordinary household items we can make use of beyond bubble wraps. A personal favourite of mine - and an excellent sensory experience - is using everyday spices like cinnamon, cloves and even dried herbs for arts and sensory play!

 

[greenfingers]

It is amazing how creative parents can get in providing sensory experiences for their toddlers! Do you have any other recipes or ideas up your sleeves?

I'm all ears too, for Toddler activity ideas as I need them regularly haha! For kinetic sand especially, I've also seen online how some parents add glitter to the mix which makes it more exciting. And for a fall/autumn theme, I tried making some with cinnamon powder added in for a sensory and festive smell, though it ended up being quite messier than I'd hoped! Maybe I'll let the little one squeeze some orange food dye into the mix next time for more fun.

 

[joyful]

You're welcome! I think most toddlers are fascinated by the sensory experience of mess - it's us parents who have to learn to let go of our fear of messiness, haha!

TexturedMess fun fact: Sand and shampoo foam make a fantastic sensory play combination that will keep them busy for a while. It's a hit with my kids, though clean-up is inevitably a little more involved. Still, watching the enjoyment and knowing the educational value makes it worthwhile! And some soap suds are a good excuse to get kids into the habit of washing their hands too.

That sounds like fun! I'll have to remember that combination, thanks for sharing! Toddlers do seem to enjoy making a mess haha, it's great to encourage that independence and exploration. I find myself often needing reminders to back off and let Arthur explore without my constant worries.

It's also good to hear that some Mess = Good educational fun, might have to remind myself of this the next time I cringe at the sticky clean up!

 

[cissy]

You're welcome! I think most toddlers are fascinated by the sensory experience of mess - it's us parents who have to learn to let go of our fear of messiness, haha!

TexturedMess fun fact: Sand and shampoo foam make a fantastic sensory play combination that will keep them busy for a while. It's a hit with my kids, though clean-up is inevitably a little more involved. Still, watching the enjoyment and knowing the educational value makes it worthwhile! And some soap suds are a good excuse to get kids into the habit of washing their hands too.

Yes, I'm learning that it's often the simplest ideas that work best sometimes!

 

[cissy]

I don't have any fancy recipes, but I do have a simple and safe one for slime, using only shampoo and salt. It's an easy and fun texture my kid enjoys playing with from time to time. It's pretty much no-fail and doesn't require any cooking or unusual ingredients besides shampoo and some colored salt.

Just a word of caution, it can get a little messy, so supervised play is recommended! The slime is sticky and tends to cling onto clothing and furniture, but the mess is manageable.

The slime you described sounds like a fun texture and also an interesting science experiment! I'm all for activities that are easy to set up and don't require extensive prep work or fancy materials. Messy play is unavoidable with toddlers anyway, so might as well embrace it! Do share your shampoo slime recipe!

 

[travelmum]

close supervision is definitely needed with young toddlers like Arthur. Staining isn't so much of an issue for me as I typically prepare art activities when my daughter has her nap time, but I let her explore freely then. Messy play is the best way to learn!

I let my little one explore自由地with his kinetic sandcastle while I prepare lunch. The independent playtime helps him develop his fine motor skills and sensory awareness, which I believe is essential for toddlers.

 

[nature]

There are so many ordinary household items we can make use of beyond bubble wraps. A personal favourite of mine - and an excellent sensory experience - is using everyday spices like cinnamon, cloves and even dried herbs for arts and sensory play!

That's a wonderful idea to introduce toddlers to new scents and textures - it's amazing how something simple like that can keep them occupied for quite some time too! It's also educational in that they learn about the different spices we use in our daily lives. And perhaps over time, they will be able to recognize these spices by smell alone!

 

[eternity]

close supervision is definitely needed with young toddlers like Arthur. Staining isn't so much of an issue for me as I typically prepare art activities when my daughter has her nap time, but I let her explore freely then. Messy play is the best way to learn!

Supervising tot-led activities can certainly be a juggling act but it sounds like you've found a good system! Messy play is a great learning experience and encourages creativity. Here's to colorful toddler arts and crafts, and nap time for mama!

 

[cissy]

close supervision is definitely needed with young toddlers like Arthur. Staining isn't so much of an issue for me as I typically prepare art activities when my daughter has her nap time, but I let her explore freely then. Messy play is the best way to learn!

Yes, some quiet time for mess-free toddler arts and crafts is much needed amidst the daily chaos! supervision is a must, especially for young ones.

 

[chickadee]

There are so many ordinary household items we can make use of beyond bubble wraps. A personal favourite of mine - and an excellent sensory experience - is using everyday spices like cinnamon, cloves and even dried herbs for arts and sensory play!

It's great how creative moms can get with everyday items for toddler activities! I've seen toddlers enjoy the most simple things the most. It's such a joy to watch them explore and learn.

 

[happyfeet]

You're right about letting them explore freely during messy play - it's such a good educational approach. Toddlers are so curious and with their sense of touch, they learn so much through sensory experiences. I like how you encourage messiness in your toddler activities!

Messy play makes for great learning as long as the cleanup is manageable! It teaches independence and encourages exploration, which is such an important part of a toddler's development.

 

[bookworm]

You're right about letting them explore freely during messy play - it's such a good educational approach. Toddlers are so curious and with their sense of touch, they learn so much through sensory experiences. I like how you encourage messiness in your toddler activities!

It is enjoyable to think of fun things to keep our toddlers occupied. I'm glad this thread has offered many simple but exciting suggestions which parents can easily recreate at home.

 

[doctormama]

The pleasure of seeing our toddlers enjoy themselves is a great payoff for the mess they make! Sand and shampoo foam sounds like an interesting combination I'm imagining a beach-themed sensory play, maybe with some seashells and little toy crabs thrown in too.

That does sound like a lovely theme, especially with summer around the corner! It creates a great immersive experience for them, like being whisked off to a beach! The possibilities are endless with all the animal figures and play props you can add to such a setup. I typically keep a bucket of sandbox toys handy, so they add a nice seaside twist.

 

[sunflower]

Yes, I'm learning that it's often the simplest ideas that work best sometimes!

Some toddler activities are really so engaging you'd think they'd never get tired of them!

 

[stargazer]

Supervising tot-led activities can certainly be a juggling act but it sounds like you've found a good system! Messy play is a great learning experience and encourages creativity. Here's to colorful toddler arts and crafts, and nap time for mama!

I'm glad we're all able to share these wonderful ideas! It's a great way to make sure everyone has a fun and educational activity to try out with their toddlers.

 

[happyfeet]

Yes, variety is the spice of life - even for toddlers! Bubble wrap is a fantastic idea for some extra texture and sensory fun. I also like the idea of bringing in some nature elements like leaves or feathery twigs for added interest. Toddler duties can be so much fun when we let our imagination run wild!

As parents, we just need to embrace the mess that comes with it.