Educational games for 2 year olds at home
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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40+ Quick & Easy Activities for Two-Year-Olds
Our two-year-old kids *love* to BE BUSY with all sorts of activities. We have a two-year-old boy and girl and they are constantly doing and creating. I am sure my toddlers are not alone in the seemingly boundless energy. Below are some of the games that my 2-year-olds love to play.
Let’s play today!Fun Activities for Two Year Olds
1. Measuring Activity for 2-Year-olds
Help your child learn how to measure using kitchen stuff in this fun activity from Kids Activities Blog.
2. Letter Recognition Activity
Your 2-year-old will enjoy learning about letters when you make letters with playdough along with them!
3. Simple Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment
Awaken the scientist in your toddler as you both explore chemical reactions with baking soda and vinegar.
4. Fun Music Time with Toddlers
Jam to musical instruments with your 2-year-old in this fun musical activity!
5. Cool Color Game for Your Little One
Play with a muffin tin and toy balls as a color game for toddlers.
6. Colorful Playdough Hair Activity
Get wacky with your 2-year-old as you both decorate faces with playdough hair.
7. Fun Squishy Aquarium Project
Make Squishy bags into an aquarium for your kids to explore.
8. Healthy Snack Necklace
Make a fruit (or veggie) snack necklace for your little ones to make and eat.
9. Wondeful Toddler Birthday Party Ideas
Throw your child’s favorite toy, a birthday party.
10. Bubbles and Balls Bath Play
Play with bubbles and balls in a tub.
11. Awesome Music Tubes for 2-year-olds
Get some PVC pipes, add some seeds – tubes for toddlers!
12. Foam Plate Fun Activity
Stab at a foam plate with this toddler activity.
Help your Child Develop With these Fun Toddler Activities
13. Cut-Up Straw Bracelets
Make bracelets from cut-up straws. Great for fine motor development!
14. Pick-Up Items Game for 2-Year-Olds
Dig out the kitchen tongs and have fun picking up items.
15. Super Fun Pompom Game Idea
Play with pompoms! Let your kiddo try blowing them across the floor.
16. Fun Craft Stick Ideas For 2-Year-Olds
Build with craft sticks – just use Velcro dots to make them reusable.
17. Collage-Making Toddler Project
Make collages together – a fun two-year-old activity.
18. Basketful of Play Items for Toddlers
18. Create a basket of play items – great for the development of play!
19.
Plank Walk Balancing GamePractice balancing with a plank of wood (aka. Balance beam).
20. Yummy Edible Sand
Create an edible “sand” using cheerios and start the afternoon toddler fun!
Easy Toddler Crafts & Ways to Get creative with Play
21. Crafty Beads and Pipe Cleaners Project
Use beads and pipe cleaners to create sculptures.
22. Colorful Spray Bottle Paint
Watch your kids have fun and create with “spray bottle” paint.
23. Fun Outdoor Nature Activity
Go on a nature hunt around your neighborhood with your 2-year-old.
24. Lovely Halloween Luminary Project
Make a night light for your kids to interact with. This tutorial is for a Halloween luminary but you can easily make it with any shapes and characters your child loves.
25. Edible Jewels for 2-Year-Olds
Play with “edible jewels” and eat pomegranate seeds.
26. Toddler Finger Painting Activity
Finger paint while in the bath.
It is a great way to have less-mess art time.
27. Fun Chalkboard Games
Make chalkboard games with your kiddo, outside!
28. Clever Animal Tracks in Playdough
Let your little ones make tracks in playdough with their favorite toy animals.
29. Awesome Pouring Activity with 2-Year-Olds
Practice pouring with your child. Give them a pitcher and some cups.
30. Crafty Slime Recipes for Kiddos
Make different slime recipes with your kids to expose them to many weird and ooey-gooey textures.
More Toddler Fun for 2 Year Olds
31. Baby Shark in the Bathtub Game
Your 2-year-old will love playing with Baby Shark crayons in the bathtub.
32. Fine Motor Practice with Scissors
Give your child a pair of funky scissors and let them shred paper.
33. Lovely Floating Bouquet
Let your little ones play with petals in a floating bouquet.
34. Playdough and LEGO Activity
Make lego puzzles in playdough to teach your 2-year-old about shape matching.
35. Crafty Felt Binder Activity
For a quiet-time Kids Activity, have your kids play with a felt activity binder.
36. Floating Bouquet Project for Toddlers
Play with petals in a floating bouquet in this super fun activity!
37. Toddler-Friendly Edible Playdough
Make edible play dough, just in case.
38. Fun Crafts and Activities for Toddlers
Here are 32 *other* fun ideas of things to do with your kids.
39. Colorful Sensory Bags for Little Ones
Create sensory bags with your toddler and watch them get amazed!
40. Clever Invitation Ideas
Create an invitation to playtime – in a bag! Every kid will love to get one.
Toddler Early Learning Fun
Have you tried the ABC Mouse app? Our toddlers learned how to count and learned the alphabet from playing games on it! Check it out and get a 30-day FREE trial here!
So many fun things to do…More Fun Activities For Kids from Kids Activities Blog
What 2-year-old activities are your toddler’s favorite play ideas?
Educational games for 2-year-olds with their parents at home
A game for a 2-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.
Develop 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 leg up, 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.
Learning Numbers
✅ Animal Treats
Use 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". No one knows your baby and his preferences better than you.
Conclusions
Sometimes organizing outdoor or educational games for a child at home is more difficult than it seems. But lack of time or teaching skills should not be a problem. The Baby Club specialists will come to the rescue.
Our network of kindergartens and centers is designed for the harmonious all-round development of children from 8 months. Here, each child is perceived as he is, revealing his individuality through classes.
Educational games for children from 2 years old
Reviewer Kovtun Tatiana Anatolievna
17402 views
October 21, 2021
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At the age of two, the child enters a phase of active development.
He becomes more mobile, begins to more actively and comprehensively learn the world and develop. It is during this period that classes related to the development of fine motor skills, sensory and logic are important. And the most interesting thing to do is in the format of the game.
Until the age of three, the child develops visual-effective thinking. It is important for the baby to see and do, so he puts everything in his mouth, grabs, tears and throws. Thus, the baby learns about the properties of objects: paper is torn, pillow is soft, water is cold. The more such experiments (of course, under the supervision of parents who ensure the safety of the baby's actions) a child has, the better he will understand the world.
Recommendations:
- The child must study the surrounding objects under the supervision and with the participation of adults, so that the knowledge of the world around him is as useful and safe as possible.
For example, touch grass, stones, various fabrics and surfaces. - Watch out for security. It is better to remove all dangerous and sharp objects from the fidget.
- Show how to play and what sound improvised objects or musical instruments make.
- Try visiting clubs close to home.
Educational activities for children 2-3 years old
Motor and sensory skills
Fine motor skills are the performance of small movements with the hands, fingers and toes. The centers of the nervous system that regulate motor skills and speech are interconnected; therefore, the development of finger movements prepares the ground for the subsequent formation of speech. In addition to the development of speech, fine motor skills affect thinking, memory, and imagination.
Sensorics is a representation of objects, phenomena and objects of the surrounding world. Sensory development occurs by recognizing the size, shape, smell, color of an object.
To understand what an object is, the child needs to touch it or taste it. Sensory affects intellectual development, attention, imagination, memory [1].
Games for shape, color, size, tactility will help in the development of fine and gross motor skills and sensory skills:
- Button and bead games. Mix buttons and beads in one bowl. It is necessary that the child put them in different containers. (The process of playing with small objects should always be under the strict supervision of adults!!!)
- Dice games. You can put together a tower, a house, a car from cubes.
- Drawing with a finger on a semolina. You can scatter semolina on a table or plate and invite the child to alternately draw geometric shapes with all fingers or any other pattern that he wishes.
With these games, it is not necessary to achieve indispensable compliance with the model - the process is more important than the result.
Classes for the development of knowledge of the world
At home, on the street, in a store, in nature, you need to show the child objects and say their names, as well as explain their purpose in simple language.
So the baby will learn to speak faster. You can spend developing weeks, connecting all kinds of feelings. For example, spend a week studying birds, looking at pictures, listening to their singing and doing crafts.
Speech development classes
Reading and learning short poems together will help your child expand their vocabulary and strengthen their bond with their parents. It is better to use simple verses familiar from childhood, for example, Agnes Barto.
Physical development classes
At two years old, the child improves motor skills, so he likes to run, jump, climb wherever possible. Thus, he learns to coordinate movements and better maintain balance. The following games are suitable for fidgets:
- Game "Forest Animals". A child can be offered to jump on two legs like a bunny. Then walk on the outer surface of the foot, like a bear, squat down like a frog, or walk around, raising your knees high, like a heron.
- Jump-jump game. You can teach your child to overcome small obstacles. Try to jump with him over a stick in the park or over a pillow at home.
- Big-small game. When the parent says "big", the child should stretch his arms up, and if he says "small", lower his arms and squat down. You can also swing left and right, or increase the pace a little when the baby gets used to it.
Frequency and duration of activities with the baby
At the age of two years, the child is not able to keep his attention on one thing for a long time, so the duration of classes can be several minutes. Games are best played at the same time, the baby should be full, cheerful and in a good mood. A bad mood or illness is a reason to postpone classes in order to avoid bad associations.
What to do if the child is not interested
The attention of a two-year-old child is fickle and absent-minded. He can only focus on the activities that really captivate him.
