At home learning games for toddlers
10 fun and educational games to play with toddlers
The right game can boost your kid’s cognitive, physical and emotional skills. Kick off playtime with some easy toddler games that are fun and educational!
You’ve probably heard the saying that kids are like sponges—this is especially true for toddlers. Little ones between the ages of one and three are always absorbing new things. Their main mode for learning: Playtime. They begin by playing side-by-side (called parallel play), then progress into more interactive stuff, where they engage with and absorb information from their playmates. The right game can boost your kid’s cognitive, physical, and emotional skills, so get your toddler started with one of these games:
1. Simon Says
A game that you can play one on one or with a group of kids, Simon Says is a classic that teaches kids how to follow instructions. The rules are easy: You are Simon and what you say goes. Call out commands—“Simon says touch your toes!—and your kid has to follow them. It’s key they listen for the words “Simon says”—if you call out a command like “Jump up!” without prefacing with Simon says, players can be eliminated. Be sure to throw in some funny commands, too—do a silly dance, wiggle your ears, hop like a frog! This game is great for teaching toddlers the names for their body parts.
2. Hot and cold
See his favourite stuffy over there? Hide it and then have him search the room. If he’s wandering away from it, he’s cold, and as he gets closer he’s warm, warmer, hot! If he gets frustrated, you can hold his hand while he looks around. This game will sharpen your kid’s emotional skills—he’ll learn patience, perseverance and the idea that just because you can’t see something, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
3. One for you, one for me
Perfect for younger toddlers, this game teaches sharing (see here for more on teaching your toddler how to share). Set out a pile of objects like crayons or buttons and ask him to distribute them between you while saying “One for you, one for me.” Make sure you each have a container to hold your growing collections.
4. Hokey-Pokey
Another classic, this one is super fun to play and helps your kid follow instructions and learn the names for his body parts. The song “Hokey-Pokey” is a simple one with instructional lyrics. Playing is easy (you just do as the song says) and there are no losers!
You put your left foot (you can substitute for any body part) in,
You put your left foot out,
You put your left foot in, and you shake it all about!
You do the Hokey Pokey
(Raise hands, wiggle fingers, move arms—you can do whatever, really)
And you turn yourself around
(Turn around in a full circle)
That’s what it’s all about!
(Clap with each syllable)
5.
ParachuteOften played at daycares or preschools, this game is best with more than two people. Spread out a large sheet (or a parachute if you have it!) and have everyone hold an edge tightly in both hands. Working together, you can slowly raise it overhead and say “Up, up, up!” then lower it saying “Down, down, down!” When you call “Under, under, under!” everyone can let go of the sheet and hurry under. Alternatively, you can get under the sheet while still holding its corners. This games helps kids develop their fine motor skills while teaching them to wait and listen.
6. Scavenger hunt
Is there anything more fun than a scavenger hunt? Send your toddler hunting for objects around the house based on commands, such as “find me something round” or “find me something red.” Or, you could ask her to choose a bunch of random objects and ask her questions like “Which one is blue?” or “Which one is longer?”
7.
Hide-and-seekTeach your little kid problem solving skills by hiding from him! Or, if you’d rather not hide, you can always ask your her to hide an object in another room or sneaky spot of her choice—it could be as simple as asking her to go put a wrapper in the trash without telling her where the trash can is.
8.
Obstacle coursePromote gross motor skills, coordination and balance with a fun, safe obstacle course. If space allows, you can set up a small course in your living room or outside in the yard to get your kid rolling, jumping and running around, over or under objects or markers.
9. Puzzles
Puzzles are great games for toddlers because they cover all bases: Physical (from making the pieces fit), cognitive (actually solving the puzzle) and emotional skills (learning how to be patient.) Building a puzzle can also boost your kid’s memory, teach him about different shapes, and help him set (and meet!) simple goals.
10. Odd one out
Place a series of blocks of the same colour in front of your toddler, making sure to add at least one block that’s a different colour (you could also do this with small fruit or veggies). Once she’s had a chance to look at all the blocks, ask her which one is the odd one out. You can make this game harder by using flash cards of shapes or plants, then ask her which ones are similar and which ones are different.
Read more:
6 fun indoor activities for toddlers
5 toddler games to play when you’re sick
Baby talk: Bad for your toddler’s language development?
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20 At-Home Learning Activities for Toddlers
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Have fun with letters, numbers, and shapes using these educational activities for toddlers.
By Marisa LaScala
planningplaytime
Just because your toddler isn't in elementary school yet, it doesn't mean their path to learning hasn't started. Encourage them to experiment with the concepts behind math, reading, science — even engineering and social studies — with these fun, at-home learning activities for toddlers and preschoolers, most of which can be done with items that you've pulled from around the house (which makes them easy to enjoy any time there's an unexpected rainy day and you need some fun indoor activities for the kids). Pretty soon, they'll be counting, reciting their letters, and sorting their toys by color or shape. After that ... the world is theirs!
A word of caution though: Even though toddlers and preschoolers seem so big compared to the babies they once were, they still have no common sense at all, so any activity still has to be closely supervised. This is especially true for counting activities or projects that involve small pieces, which may present choking hazards, or anything involving water, which could be a drowning risk (even if it's just a small bucket of water). But with you guiding them through, they'll love these projects so much, the'll forget all about those buzzing, blinking toys in the toy bin.
Clothespin Color Match
Chalk Academy
Paper Building Blocks
Babble Dabble Do
Paper can't be as strong as a wooden block — can it? For this engineering activity, you can show kids how even a flexible material like paper can become sturdy enough to hold up a weight (like a couple of Oreos!) if you shape it a certain way.
Get the tutorial at Babble Dabble Do »
Water Walking Experiment
Fun Learning for Kids
A super-easy way to bring a bit of the science lab home, the "water walking" experiment illuminates two concepts: First, the water "walks" over the paper towel bridges (demonstrating capillarity), and then the colors mix to make new ones (the yellow water and the blue water "walk" into the same cup to make green). All you need is cups, food coloring, and paper towels.
Get the tutorial at Fun Learning for Kids »
RELATED: 23 Easy Science Experiments for Kids You Can Do at Home With Everyday Items
Number Pom Pom Challenge
Raising Dragons
Another activity that uses hand-eye coordination as well as number recognition, this cardboard tube maze is an exciting challenge for little counters. The object is to tilt the box so that the pom pom rolls through the tubes in number order.
Get the tutorial at Raising Dragons »
Shape Scavenger Hunt
The Many Little Joys
Sure, your tot can recognize shapes in block form, but can they find the same shapes out in the wild? Send them on a scavenger hunt to see how shapes are used in everyday life.
Get the tutorial at The Many Little Joys »
RELATED: 22 Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas to Keep Your Kids Guessing
Adding Boxes
The Best Ideas for Kids
What's 2 + 4? This simple machine will help kids figure it out. Put two poms in one tube, four in the other, and count the total in the box at the end.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas for Kids »
Word Family Houses
The Measured Mom
For preschoolers who are learning to read, "word families" show how one group of sounds can form different words. Spin the wheel to show how the "-un" word ending can turn from "run" into "fun" or "bun. "
Get the tutorial at The Measured Mom »
RELATED: The 20 Best Toddler Activities
Muffin Tin Counting
Early Learning Ideas
Muffin tins are perfect for sorting and counting activities, because the whole point is keeping all the pieces neat and tidy. In addition to sorting by number, you can also use them to match colors if you line the tins with different shades of construction paper instead of the numbered circles.
Get the tutorial at Early Learning Ideas »
Craft Stick Names
Play-to-Learn Preschool
Teach them to spell the most important words ever: their names. This easy matching activity lets kids practice the order of the letters in their names; if you don't have craft sticks on-hand, clothespins would also work.
Get the tutorial at Play-to-Learn Preschool »
RELATED: 20 Fun Activities for 1-Year-Olds You Can Make With Items You Already Have
Sink or Float
Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide
It's an introduction to the Scientific Method: Kids can make a hypothesis about whether or not an object will sink or float in a tub of water, test out their theories, and record their results.
Get the tutorial at the Stay-at-Home Mom Survival Guide »
Feed the Monster
Happy Tot Shelf
The monster is hungry! But what does he want to eat? Move the strip of paper below him to reveal his lettery cravings, then have your tot find a block to match.
Get the tutorial at Happy Tot Shelf »
Missing Number Match
Planning Playtime
If they're counting from 1 to 10, give them a little challenge: Write a number line on a craft stick, but leave a blank space that needs to be filled by one of the numbered clothespins. Once they've mastered the matching game, move on and do 10–20!
Get the tutorial at Planning Playtime »
Felt Board Shapes
Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home
Remember Colorforms? Felt shapes can offer the same kind of pleasure, and kids can combine and re-combine the shapes to make different pictures. It's a learning activity and wall art in one.
Get the tutorial at Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home »
Rhyming Dominoes
No Time for Flashcards
Traditional dominoes are good for practicing numbers, but with a few tweaks you can also make the game a way to practice rhymes, too. For kids who can't read yet, you can use pictures instead of words and still match up word sounds.
Get the tutorial at No Time for Flash Cards »
Counting Carrots
Housing a Forest
Part-craft, part-counting practice, this activity gives kids a chance to put the correct number of sprouts on top of a construction-paper carrot. The geometry of this craft is so simple, too, you can also use it as a shape refresher for triangle and rectangles.
Get the tutorial at Housing a Forest »
Shape Match Game
Days With Grey
A twist on the classic memory game: Instead of flipping over cards, kids can make matches by pulling craft sticks out of an old egg carton. The great thing about this game is that it's so easy to pack up, it's the perfect activity to bring to Grandma's house.
Get the tutorial at Days With Grey »
"Bear Hunt" Map
Buggy and Buddy
Plot out the route that the characters take in the We're Going on a Bear Hunt book (or song), and teach kids how certain geographical features (water, landmarks) are represented by certain symbols on a map. If they're excited by maps, show them how to make one of their rooms, their backyard, or even their neighborhood.
Get the tutorial at Buggy and Buddy »
DIY Musical Instruments
Team Cartwright
It's easy to make different percussive instruments out out household items. Experiment to see how different fillers (beans, rice, pebbles) make different sounds, then try using them in different rhythms to sharpen those counting skills, too.
Get the tutorial at Team Cartwright »
Monster Craft
Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
This craft ties in multiple subject areas: After reading the book Love Monster, kids can design and create their own creatures, then count the number of eyes, teeth, ears, and feet.
Get the tutorial at Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds »
Tape Shape Sorting
Toddler Approved
Combine shape sorting with a scavenger hunt, and use painter's tape to make different outlines all over the house. Then, kids have to take their construction-paper shapes and search high and low to find a match.
Get the tutorial at Toddler Approved »
Marisa LaScala Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother.
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Educational games for 3-4 year olds with parents at home
For a 3-4 year old child, play is the main way to interact with the world. In the game process, the child develops logic and thinking, trains memory, expands communication skills, and strengthens physically. We have collected games that will appeal to both the baby and his parents, because they will be not only fun and interesting, but also useful.
Article content:
- Outdoor games
- Educational games
- Educational games
- Tips for parents
- Terminals
Outdoor games
Active games are aimed primarily at physical development. The kid improves coordination, attention, endurance. Regular activity strengthens the immune system and is the best prevention of diseases. Find out what you can play with your child at home or on the street.
-
Keeping balance. The parent lays out a rope or a long rope (such as a linen rope) on the floor. The child should walk along it, spreading his arms to the sides. The game can be made more difficult. For example, a child can carry a glass of water in his hands (of course, plastic) or hold a small book on his head.
-
Collecting flowers. For this game, you will need several squares of colored paper, as well as a path, which can also be made from paper or, for example, a long scarf. The track is placed on the floor, pieces of multi-colored paper are scattered around it. We imagine that we are walking along a path, on both sides of which flowers grow. The facilitator (parent) periodically says how many and what flowers need to be collected. For example, 3 yellow or 5 red. The child stops and collects the right flowers. This game not only teaches coordination, but also distinguishes colors and recognizes numbers.
-
Sly fox. A mobile game that children love very much. It is more interesting to play it when there are many participants, but you can also play it together. The participants stand in a line, and the leader moves a few meters away and turns his back. The task of the player is to reach the leader. But you can only go when he is not looking! And when the leader turned, the participant must freeze, or they will have to go to the start.
-
Traffic light. For this game, you need to prepare red, yellow and green circles that can be made from colored paper. Each color represents a specific action. For example, the host shows a green circle - the child is running, yellow - jumping on 1 leg, red - crouching, etc. The game can be started with three signals, but when the baby remembers them, complicate and add new ones.
Educational games
All games are educational for a child. But adults by developing games usually mean those that are aimed at studying any objects, phenomena. Such games develop intelligence, broaden horizons, improve memory, attention and speech.
On the development of motor skills
The development of fine motor skills directly affects the formation of speech, self-service skills, thinking, memory. At home, you can use various household items for games: buttons, clothespins, colored pasta, pencils, etc. On the street you can take cones, chestnuts, sticks. Consider several options for games for the development of motor skills.
- Piggy bank. Let's take 2 cans. Pour beans into one of them, and leave the other empty. A cover with a small slot is put on the second. The task of the child is to shift the beans from one jar to another. Alternatively, you can use the steam container from the multicooker (with small round holes). You can put pasta in them.
- Groats drawing. PVA glue is applied to a sheet of paper, cereals are poured on top in a certain order. You can use semolina, wheat groats, buckwheat to create multi-colored patterns.
- Beads. The child is given a fishing line on which objects must be strung. It can be beads, buttons and even drying. Objects should not be too small, otherwise it will be difficult for the child to cope with them.
- Flower. Cut out a circle from paper - this will be the base of the flower. We will give the child colorful clothespins. He should attach them in a circle as if they were flower petals. In parallel, you can memorize colors and lay them out in a certain sequence.
For the development of logic
Logical connections are a very important part in the development of a child's thinking. To understand why and why, simple and exciting tasks will help.
- Find the extra. For this educational game, you will need special cards or sheets that can be found on the Internet and printed. The task for this age usually contains four simple subjects, one of which does not fit into the group for a certain reason. These can be color, shape, skills (for example, flies - does not fly), the purpose of the object (clothes, dishes, etc.) and other signs. It is important to allow the child to think independently.
- Divide into groups. A similar task, but here you need to select from the abundance of objects those that belong to a certain group. For example, vegetables, fruits, pets, toys, etc.
- Say the opposite. A child at 4 years old already understands what antonyms are, that is, words with the opposite meaning. The parent says "hot" - the child answers "cold", etc. Use understandable words: quiet-loud, white-black, sad-cheerful, deep-shallow, wet-dry.
- Who needs what. This game requires a ball. The facilitator says the profession, for example, "doctor", and throws the ball to the child. He must answer what the doctor may need (thermometer, syringe, white coat) and throw the ball back.
For the development of speech
It is important to develop speech from birth. Talking even with a baby who is still silent seems strange, but in fact it is an investment in his future. Often, already studying at school, children cannot connect several sentences into a logical text, retell what they read, or talk about some event. To prevent this from happening, at 3-4 years old you can offer such home games with children.
- Describe the item. For this game, you need to collect several toys and put them in a box. The child takes out a toy and describes it. For example, the girl took out a doll. She can tell what size the doll is, what color her eyes and hair are, what clothes she is wearing, and come up with a name for the doll.
- Tell me from the picture. For this game, you will need an illustration of some popular fairy tale (again, you can find it on the Internet and print it out, or just show it on the screen). The child must tell what he sees in the picture, what happened first and what happened later, how the story ended.
- Everything is messed up. For this game, you can take the plot of a fairy tale that the child knows well. In telling it, you need to make mistakes. For example, the animals did not let the fox into Teremok, or Little Red Riding Hood went not to her grandmother, but to her friend. The kid must understand what is wrong in the fairy tale. You can dream up and compose your own fairy tale, in which the end will be different.
Educational games
At the age of 3, you can introduce your child to letters and numbers. The number is average, sometimes more developed children show interest in letters even at 2 years old. But there is no need to rush and force the baby to study - this will only discourage the desire to learn new things.
For learning to read and write
A popular technique for learning letters is to hang cards in different places in the apartment/room. And you can do this without even waiting for the age of three. Cards with letters should be bright, arouse the interest of the child. If the baby does not ask what kind of letter it is, you should sometimes pronounce them on your own. You can hang a card with a letter on an object that begins with it. For example, hang the letter L on a chandelier, and the letter T on a TV. Periodically, cards need to be changed, outweighed in other places.
The following ideas are useful for learning about letters.
- Application. Cut out large letters from paper. For decoration, you can use cereals (motor development!), Cotton wool, fabric, beads, sparkles - whatever you like. When decorating a letter, be sure to pronounce it many times so that the baby remembers what it is called.
- Find the letter. Print the letter in several copies. Keep one for yourself, hide the rest in the children's room. Show the child a picture with a letter: "This is the letter O. Find 3 more such letters." At the same time, the letters should be hidden so that they are not difficult to find, you can give the baby hints.
- What's in common? Place items (or images of items) that begin with the same letter in a bag. The child must take them out and pronounce the names aloud, and then guess which letter was guessed.
When the child knows all the letters of the alphabet, you can move on to the study of syllables and words. To do this, write syllables or simple words of 3 letters on cardboard squares. These will be houses. Then take small toys, for example, from kinder surprises, and find a house for each toy. At the same time, pronounce: the horse lives in the “MA” house, the squirrel lives in the “CO” house, the bunny’s house is called “KY”, etc.
For teaching math
Educational games with numbers are the basis for learning mathematics for a child of 3-4 years old. They teach not only to memorize numbers, but also to compare, solve simple problems.
- Construction site. This game is suitable for both boys and girls. Build a brick house with your child. In this case, you need to determine how many floors there will be in the house, and how many apartments (cubes) on each floor. For example, on the 1st floor - 4 cubes, on the second - 3. To complicate it, you can take cubes of different colors and give tasks not only with numbers, but also with color (2 yellow cubes for the third floor).
- Train. Make cards with numbers from 1 to 10 and invite your child to make a train out of them. Only for this you need to arrange all the cards in order, from 1 to 10. If everything is done correctly, the train will go on a journey.
- Count the candies. Take two dolls (bears) and put them at the table to drink tea with sweets. Give one doll 2 candies, and the other 3. You can ask: "who has more candies", "how many candies do two dolls have in total." Then more dolls can come to visit, while the hostess will have to share the sweets equally among everyone. This game teaches not only to count, but also to think logically.
- One-many. Play a mindfulness game. You can ask the child: “What items are many in the room? And what subject is one? For example, in the kitchen there are many plates, but there is only one table.
Tips for parents
In conclusion of the article, we will give some important recommendations.
- For a baby, the game process itself, the action, and not the final result, is important. You should not be upset and even more so scold the child if the elephant you made looks more like a snowman.
- The rules of the game must be simple and clear. At the same time, it is necessary to leave room for creative improvisation. It develops imagination and initiative.
- Not all games may appeal to a child. You need to feel the mood of the crumbs and, if necessary, stop the game.
- Exercise regularly with your child. Try to set aside at least 15 minutes a day for joint activities.
Conclusions
Games at home with children are interesting and cool, but there is not always time and ideas for this. In order not to deprive the child of the opportunity to fully develop, you can take him to a specialized children's center or kindergarten "Baby Club", where the child will receive the necessary skills in a playful way and will develop all types of intelligence. Specially equipped and safe rooms for classes are suitable for children of different ages: from 8 months to 7 years. Professional educators support the natural curiosity of children, directing it in the right direction.
Educational games for 2-year-olds with parents at home
A game for a two-year-old kid is not just fun. Through this type of activity, the child learns the world. He learns, remembers information, gets acquainted with new things. The task of parents at this stage is to choose games for harmonious physical and intellectual development.
Article content:
- Outdoor games
- Educational games
- Educational games
- Tips for parents
- Terminals
Outdoor games
The best place for active games is the street, but what to do in bad weather? It is not at all necessary to leave a two-year-old without movement. You can organize games in a city apartment. Take advantage of our advice. And the child will be happy, and the furniture in the house will not suffer.
2 years is the optimal age for outdoor games. The child already coordinates the body well, easily orients in space. He controls actions, likes to imitate adults and learns to be independent. The task of parents is to be an example for the baby and show all the movements.
✅ Who walks how
The game will help strengthen the body, and also give a good mood to both the child and adults. There are no hard rules. Just name different animals and try to draw them. Copy the walk and sounds. And let the two-year-old repeat after you. Or make it a little more difficult. Let the child try to guess the animals that you show.
✅ Hide-and-seek with a toy
Ordinary hide-and-seek is difficult to organize in an apartment, especially if there is not enough space. But the 2-year-old kid will definitely like the option with a toy. Take a plush animal or doll. Explain to the child that his task is to find a toy. Hide it first in a conspicuous place, then complicate the task. Be active. Clap your hands, count loudly while the baby is waiting with your eyes closed, comment on his actions, rejoice at the found toy together.
✅ Who is the first
What to do with a child whose energy is over the edge? If the walk is canceled, you can organize active entertainment at home. A great idea is to arrange mini-competitions. Come up with tasks: run to the opposite wall, jump to the closet, crawl to the door on all fours. The victory will be doubly pleasant if you prepare small prizes in advance.
Educational games
Active games are not the only way to entertain a two year old. There are many interesting quiet activities. Master them, and you will learn how to spend time at home with benefit.
Develop motor skills
✅Repeat after me
The easiest option for kids. You can play for up to two years, and as you develop, complicate the tasks. The essence of the game is to show the child various physical actions so that he can repeat. Squat, bend over, raise your hands, clap your hands. Combine two or even three actions at once. This is useful for both coordination and memory.
✅ Bead sorting
The development of fine motor skills is necessary to stimulate speech, so do not neglect finger exercises. Offer your child a fishing line and three types of beads of different sizes. Let him string small ones first, then medium ones, and then large ones. Remember safety. Do not leave the baby unattended when he plays with small parts.
✅ Creativity
Playing with plasticine, modeling dough, kinetic sand helps to develop motor skills. Guide the child. Show him how to make shapes correctly. Don't be upset if it doesn't work the first time. Praise for effort.
Developing logic
✅ Mother - baby
Prepare cards with animals and birds, divided according to the principle "mother and her baby". For example: a cat is a kitten. Let the child collect pairs. Do not forget to comment on the actions during the game. Talk about animals, describe them, demonstrate the sounds they make. So you not only develop logic, but also introduce the child to the outside world.
✅ Guess the object
Take a few things that are familiar to a two-year-old. It can be toys or fruits. Pack them in opaque bags. The task of the child is to determine by touch what is inside. If you can't guess, give hints. For example:
- edible or not;
- what it is used for; What color is
- .
It is easier to develop logical thinking with toys. Parents of two-year-old children should definitely buy mosaics, cubes, large puzzles, plastic construction sets. Collect the figures according to the schemes, repeat the drawings from the pictures with the children. Restrain yourself if the kid is wrong. You can gently guide him in the right direction, but you should not correct him.
Developing speech
✅ Rhymes
At the age of two, children already begin to actively talk. Passive vocabulary is also expanding. This must be used. Long poems are not yet subject to the baby, and short and sonorous rhymes are remembered well. Read the lines to the baby, repeat aloud with him, accompany with active gestures.
For example:
- The kids came running - ra-ra;
- A foot higher, a step bolder - lei-lei.
If you can't remember the line, have the child repeat the last syllable. The louder and clearer the sound, the better.
✅ Yes or no
In this game you will be asking questions. Warn your child in advance that you can make mistakes so that he obviously does not agree with you, but listens carefully. Ask:
- Are chamomile and cornflower flowers?
- are oak and birch trees?
- fox and hare are birds?
- Is a car and a bus transport?
Have the child answer what the objects really are if you make a mistake. Such a game is useful for the development of not only speech, but also hearing, attention, logical thinking.
✅ Articulation exercises
At two years old, many sounds are still unclear. This is not a problem now, but it may be difficult in the future. Game exercises will help to cope with sound pronunciation. You can start with simple actions - blow out a candle, blow on water, blow into liquid through a straw. Then you can connect other exercises for the articulatory apparatus.
- Watch. We move the outstretched tongue from side to side.
- Hide and Seek. Pull out the tongue and hide it back.
- Delicious jam. We lick our lips as if we are trying to reach the drops of sweetness.
- Horse. We click, imitating the sound of hooves.
- Fence. We show closed teeth as wide as possible.
To make the exercises feel like a game, do all the activities together with your child. Compete who does better.
Read also: speech development in children by age
Developing attention
✅ What is missing
All you need is your favorite children's toys. Take 4-5 pieces and lay them out on the table. Let the child look carefully, and then turn away. You remove one item. The task of the baby is to understand what has disappeared. You can complicate the game by adding a number of items, or do not remove the toys, but simply swap them or put new ones.
✅ Thimbles
Feel like a magician. Take three glasses, turn them over, and hide a candy under one. Move the glasses across the table. Let the baby follow where you hid the treat. Guessed the first time - deserved a sweet prize.
✅Clap
This simple game develops attention, reaction speed, coordination and hearing. Discuss the rules ahead of time. Come up with a code word. As soon as it sounds, the child should clap his hands loudly. Make sure he remembers it, and then start listing other words. Name any until you get to the right one.
Read also: how to develop a child's attention
Educational games
Two years is the age when you can connect learning elements to play activities. The child is already ready for basic knowledge. If you take the time to learn now, in the future it will be easier for the baby to cope with large amounts of information.
Learn Numbers
✅ Treat the Animals
Take advantage of the plush toys you probably have in abundance. Place the animals at a makeshift table by counting them. Call the numbers loudly, clearly, slowly. So it will be easier for the baby to repeat and remember. Next, put a plate in front of each toy. Treat the animals with sweets, not forgetting to count.
✅ One - many
Need balls. Put them in the basket and ask the child how many there are. At two years old, children already operate with the concept of "a lot." Then distribute the balls one by one to the toys. Take it for yourself, give it to the baby. Ask how many items you currently have in your hands. Return the balls to the basket and ask how many there are. No balls? No problem. Count apples, tangerines, sweets.
✅ Butterflies
It is easier to memorize numbers if there is a good example in front of your eyes. Prepare five cardboard daisies and the same number of butterflies. Place the flowers in front of you and count them with your child. Plant a butterfly on each daisy and count the insects. Come up with different combinations. Plant two or three butterflies per flower. Speak out loud as the numbers change.
Learning colors
✅Ball game
Take colorful balls. Show them one at a time to your child and name the color. Let the two-year-old repeat after you. Sort the balls into groups together. Find other objects of the studied colors in the room. Do not rush to learn the whole spectrum at once. Start with 2-3 shades - the most juicy and brightest.
✅ Find a pair
For this game you need to prepare in advance. Cut out several houses of different colors from colored cardboard. Separately make roofs for them. Lay out the details and invite the child to assemble entire buildings by shades. Another option is to assemble the houses yourself, but with errors. Let the kid correct the inaccuracies.
✅ Hens and Eggs
Cut out chickens in different colors from cardboard. From paper of the same shades, make circles - eggs. The child will match the shades. Start with 3-4 colors. Wait until they are mastered and expand the palette. The more colors, the more difficult and interesting.
Tips for parents
Every child is different and develops at their own pace. Some will like these games even in a year or a year and a half, others will be interested a little later. Keep track of achievements, but do not compare the baby with other children.
Listen to the recommendations of psychologists and teachers on early development:
- Focus on the response of the child. Do not insist on continuing the game if the baby is already tired. Do not start training if he is not ready, naughty, wants to spend time differently.
- Remember the time. A two-year-old child holds attention for an average of 15 minutes. Then interest disappears, so it is better to change the type of activity.
- Do not exercise your baby during illness. Change plans if you feel unwell, wait until you get better. Do not worry. You will be able to make up for everything.
- Show your imagination. Ready-made templates and game scenarios are convenient. But it is not a fact that the proposed options, without exception, will please your child. Do not be afraid to deviate from the rules, come up with your own "chips".
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