6 Ideas to Try Right Now
Family Art Gallery
- 1Everyone in the family makes one piece of art (drawing, painting, collage).
- 2Tape all artworks to a wall or hallway to create a 'gallery'.
- 3Take turns being the 'tour guide' explaining each artwork.
Dance Party
- 1Play your child's favorite upbeat song.
- 2Dance together in the living room.
- 3Pause the music randomly and yell 'Freeze!'
Pillow Mountain Climber
- 1Pile sofa cushions and pillows on a soft carpeted floor.
- 2Let your child climb over, jump on, or burrow into the pile.
- 3Encourage crawling and balancing.
Tupperware Tower
- 1Stack plastic containers from biggest to smallest.
- 2Let your toddler knock them over — they love it!
- 3Help them rebuild and try stacking themselves.
The 'knock down' phase is just as developmental as the building phase.
Cardboard Box Tunnel
- 1Open both ends of a large cardboard box.
- 2Place it on the floor as a tunnel.
- 3Hide a toy at the other end and encourage them to crawl through.
Balloon Tapping
- 1Hang a balloon from a doorway at your toddler's head height.
- 2Show them how to tap it with their hand or a paper tube.
- 3Encourage them to reach and jump.
