1 – 2 years
What kind of play can you do with a child this age?
Now that your toddler is on the move, encourage him to explore the world through his new-found mobility. Your child will enjoy:
- playtime that includes running and climbing
- spending time outside at the playground
- making indoor forts he can navigate
- playing with blocks
- filling up containers, buckets, and pails only to dump out the contents over and over again
- reading board books
- sorting things by color and shape, singing songs
- repeating rhyming chants
- making music with simple instruments
- pushing buttons, turning pages and opening boxes
- finger painting
- working with playdough
How does this play help your child develop at this age?
Toddler play teaches problem solving skills and builds coordination. Physical play encourages body awareness and the development of large motor skills while sorting smaller objects and filling and dumping boosts hand-eye coordination and fine motor skill development. As your toddler masters new skills, it builds his self-confidence, which is key to encouraging ongoing exploration. As you talk about colors and shapes with your toddler, he’s learning about them too, expanding his cognitive development.
Click here to learn how to play with a 2 – 4 year old.
