We know that toddlers have boundless energy and sometimes, this energy can drive us up the wall. As mums, we also know that we don’t want to always give in to parking them in front of the telly when we need a breather. When you want to keep the peace (and your sanity) intact, here are some DIY activities you can quickly make and ask your child to do:
COLOR MATCHING ACTIVITY
Materials:
- Butcher paper or any big piece of paper
- Tape
- Markers
- Dot stickers
Instructions:
Tape the butcher paper to a wall and draw 4 big hearts in a row using different colored markers. You can draw a red heart, a blue heart, a yellow heart, and a green heart. Give your toddler a few sheets of dot stickers in the same colors then ask him to match his stickers to the hearts based on color – “Can you stick the green stickers on the green heart?” Your child will then remove the dot stickers from the sheet one by one, and stick them around, on, or inside the heart, depending on how he wants to do it. You can also give specific instructions like, “Can you try to fill up the whole red heart with your red stickers?” This activity will give you at least 10-15 minutes of quiet time.
POST-IT HUNT
Materials:
- Butcher paper or any big piece of paper
- Markers
- Post-its
Instructions:
Tape the butcher paper to a wall and draw simple everyday drawings on the paper – for example, a house, a tree, a dog, a cat, and a car. You can draw whatever picture you want. Draw the same images on post-its, one drawing per post-it. Next, take a few minutes to hide the post-its around the room. Make sure the hiding places you choose are easy enough to find without your assistance. Then direct your toddler to look for the post-its around the house and when he finds them, he needs to match each post-it to the same drawing on the wall. You can start with 5 to 6 drawings and increase the number if you think your child can handle it. You’ll definitely enjoy watching your child look for the post-its and he’ll love looking for them!
BLOCK HUNT
Materials:
- Kraft paper
- Wooden blocks (different shapes)
- Pencil
- Marker
Instructions:
This activity takes a few minutes to prepare but it’s well worth the time! Lay out your kraft paper on the floor. Tape the sides of the paper to prevent the paper from sliding around. Take a variety of wooden blocks and trace them on the paper using a pencil. Leave spaces between each shape so each drawing is distinct from each other. Then trace the pencil with your marker. After you’re done tracing them, give the blocks to your child and instruct him to match the blocks with the drawings on the paper – for example, the cube block goes on top of the square outline. Think of it as a giant tactile puzzle. Not only can you leave them independently to do this, you’re also teaching them about shapes, honing their hand-eye coordination, and working on their fine motor skills as well. Winner!
FIND THE SHAPE
Materials:
- Butcher paper or any big piece of paper
- Markers
- Crayons
Instructions:
Again, tape up your butcher paper to the wall. Use a black marker to draw different shapes on the paper – circles, triangles, squares. Which shapes you draw, and how many, will depend on how familiar your child is already with his shapes. Lay out crayons in different colors within reach of your child. Next, sit back, give instructions, and enjoy the show! Tell your child to color a specific shape with a specific color. For example, “Color all the squares using your purple crayon.” Your child will then look for a purple crayon and color in all the squares he can find. Kids love this activity as it allows them to actually color on the wall with your permission.
These activities not only allow you to steal a few minutes of quiet time to catch up on chores or emails, but they also develop skills your child needs – grasping blocks, holding crayons, matching images, following directions, and more. For more activities like this, follow @busytoddler on Instagram. All materials are readily available on Amazon. Enjoy!
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