A to Z with Toddler Activities
These are activity ideas for toddlers from A to Z. A toddler learns through play. Play is a way to explore the environment and gain some kind of knowledge, whether it is social, physical, emotional, or intellectual. PLAY is good! Many of the activities provided can be simplified for use with toddlers. Gross and motor skills will be strengthened and social skills will provide a better means of communication. Tons of goals will be met with these “We Learn By Doing” activities. Follow through and be consistent day by day.
Here are a few ideas!
APPLE PASSING (like hot potato) – When the music stops and the child who is holding the apple, the child places it into the “applepot” found in the middle of the circle. When all the “apples” are in the pot, children make applesauce, stir, add sugar, add cinnamon, taste, etc. You can also use “apples” to play musical chairs. All the children sit in a circle and each child has an apple except for one child. When the music stops, the child without an apple is eliminated. You can also have pictures of different fruits and each child has a different fruit. The teacher has pictures of the fruits and when the teacher shuffles those picture cards and chooses the top card, then that child with that fruit is eliminated from the game.
Balloons Keep Up! – Give each child a balloon. Have the children practice blowing them up. (Older children only) See how long the children can keep their balloons up in the air without letting them touch the floor.
Egg Roll Exercise – Doing egg rolls on mats begins in a sitting position with knees up. Then the child rolls sideways down the mat holding their knees tightly with their arms.
Name It – Point to something and let the child name it. Let them describe it and give the color. Encourage children to point out objects for you to name.
Quick Race – As fast as the child can do 10 step-in place steps, while competing with another child.
Zipper Relay Race – Two teams line up with 6 each selected. 10 feet apart on a chair is a zipper. The first child must run to the chair and unzip the zipper and run back to the end of the line. The second child runs and zips up the zipper and runs to the end of the line. This continues until the 6thchild zips the zipper and runs to the end of the line to see the team winner.