When I was growing up, I encountered many activities for parents and toddlers. I was lucky to have a stay-home mom who carefully curated my everyday life. My time as a toddler was filled with unique toys, stimulating intellectual exercises, and fun things to read or watch. Whenever my father came home from work, he would spend as much time as he could playing with me and teaching me alongside my mother. Their practices taught me what best worked for toddlers and what other activities to look out for to enrich a toddler’s life. Here are 6 of the best fun activities for parents and toddlers.
Colouring books
Toddlers are often fascinated by colours, so getting them to do some colouring books is very effective. This is where children can learn how to create beautiful pictures while working within the boundaries of the image. You can also teach them how to mix colours, shading techniques, and what colours match best on the picture. Such activities for parents and toddlers provide a controlled environment for kids to express their creativity and experiment with colour without getting too messy. Kids also love to colour whatever topic they are currently interested in, so colouring becomes a fantastic method of engaging them.
Exercising
Activities for parents and toddlers that set a good foundation for your kids will let them reap the benefits in the far future. One of these foundations is a healthy body, one that you can help establish by inculcating healthy exercise habits. You can usually do this through play, such as bringing your toddler to the playground or playing simple sports with them. Staying fit starts young, and getting them into the cadence and habit of exercising early in a fun way will be hugely beneficial for your child.
Playing games
Games are a fun and interactive way to connect with your toddler and present a great learning opportunity for your toddler. Throughout their games, your toddler will learn to deal with failure, how to lose gracefully, and how to overcome obstacles. These are life lessons that will shape their mindsets and attitude towards future endeavours and are thus essential to nail down early. Additionally, you can educate your children on responsible screen time habits in an increasingly digitized world. I’ve previously written about the pros and cons of online gaming, which parents should inform their children about before they grow older.
Doing arts and crafts
As cheap and easy activities for parents and toddlers, arts and crafts are outlets for both parent and child to flex their creative muscles. You could consider buying pre-ready arts and crafts kits for your child to fiddle around with. Still, a fun and eco-friendly alternative is to use recycled materials. You might be amazed to see what exciting projects and creations your toddler can come up with. Many learning opportunities are available, from tool handling to hand-eye coordination and even simple decorations.
Watching a movie
None of the ways to teach your toddlers about values is quite as effective as watching a movie. Many children’s movies carry timeless morals to learn about, carefully woven into the awe-inspiring narratives of wonderfully animated sequences. Movies are a fun and effective way of teaching toddlers language and oratory skills. They can also give the parents a much-needed break from hovering around their children all the time. Making time for yourself while also giving children essential life lessons is a win-win situation, making it one of the best activities for parents and toddlers.
Reading storybooks
I grew up on storybooks, even when I didn’t like reading. I was practically allergic to words on paper. Still, my parents compromised by purchasing picture books and reading them to me. The stories on the page came to life with them by my side, fueled by the colourful illustrations as they took me on a journey to many worlds. It was through their efforts that I developed a genuine interest in stories. It allowed me to graduate from not reading to an avid interest in audiobooks, and eventually, reading by myself. Reading with your little one is a great way to inject joy into their life while equipping them with a vital skill for the future.
We recommend reading the book, The Secret Garden of N, with your child. It’s an enchanting story about two children who embark on an adventure to another country and learn about friendship, nobility, and culture.
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