10 Ideas for Fun, Learning
Toddler Activities

Here are several ideas we've incorporated into our days to keep the TV time to a minimum and the fun discoveries to a maximum.

1. Get Musical.

   

   There are lots of ways to get music in your life. If you don't have an extensive collection of MP3 tunes or CDs you can check out some from the library.

   My daughter and I are attending Kindermusik together and we love the program. We sing, dance, move, play with instruments, balls and even hula hoop. The children also practice listening, lying still and other social skills. Another perk is a take home CD and a packet of toddler activities to keep us busy for weeks to come.

   Another popular program with an emphasis on music, art and movement is Gymboree. The company also has a series of books with toddler activities for at home play.

   You might also consider making or buying some non-toxic musical instruments. After all the best music, is the music your baby makes, right?

2. Read Your Heart Out.

   The library is also a wonderful resource for adding variety to your reading time; and if the weather is conducive, get a blanket and read outdoors.

   If your local library has a free or inexpensive story time program, get in on it. In addition to reading stories our library features puppet shows and storytelling guests. Recently we've learned about dinosaurs, folklore music and reinforced our teeth brushing skills with a dentist disguised as a tooth fairy (Farrah Floss It).

   The library also offers an incentive package for reading a certain number of books during the summer. The package includes lots of freebies at restaurants and recreational places in our city; giving us access to even more toddler activities.

3. Get Wild and Exotic.

   Does your child enjoy making animal sounds? Take him to visit some animals. However, don't limit yourself to the local zoo. You can save some money and avoid large crowds.

   We've discovered some great outlets for getting familiar with some exotic animals in our area such as the Heard Museum, which includes hiking and a slew of prairie animals native to our area.

   We also had mega fun at the Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch, a safari park/farm in Texas. We got up close and personal with kangaroos, camels, zebras and even a zedonk (that's what happens when a zebra and donkey mate - who knew?).

   We received some real butterfly kisses Butterfly House in St. Louis, Missouri. The organization houses thousands of butterflies and plants in a tropically heated green house.

   And by the way we are not science and nature museum snobs, we will also be visiting Sea World this summer.

4. Discover How Plants Grow.

   We started a garden this summer. Our tomatoes died, but at least we tried. We also joined a Community Supported Agriculture Farm and as a result are learning about more vegetables than we knew existed. We also hope to visit our farm soon to discover more about the growth process.

   You can also try to grow some herbs or plants indoors and actively involve your child in watering them. For more ideas for gardening toddler activities, check out this post, 5 Books for Babies About Gardening.

5. Dive In.

   Toddler hood is the perfect time to get your baby comfortable with the water. This is critical if you live near a pool or beach.

   In addition to taking mommy and baby swimming classes or survival skill swimming lessons try to plan some regular time in the water during months when the weather is conducive. In the summer, we enjoy making play dates at the pool.

6. Go Hollywood.

   If your baby is quiet in the movies, you are blessed. While the list of truly child-appropriate movies is slim, read the reviews and enjoy the escape and adventure that can come with seeing a film in the theaters.

   We are excited about attending a Dive-In Movie at our local recreation center's pool this summer. We get to watch Madagascar 2 while floating. Now that's different.

   If you're lucky you might also find a drive-in theater or local park that shows family-friendly movies in the spring or summer.

7. Bring Out Your Child's Inner Picasso.

   Coloring, painting, drawing can be lots of fun, but who wants their living room walls to be a canvas?

   

   Instead designate a place in the garage or backyard for your child's art studio and let the toddler fun begin. Just remember to put on old clothes and line surfaces you don't want soiled with a protective covering.

   Remember to choose non-toxic art supplies for a safe and messy experience. One example is these Eco-Finger Paints and Eco-Dough are made by Eco-Kids.

   I plan to get lots of ideas for toddler crafts from Lisa at Chubbas n' Boop. She and her friends have Weekly Art Group and she posts about them on her blog.

8. Get Sand Time.

   Do you live by the beach? You lucky duck :) Go to the beach as often as you can and wiggle your toes in the sand as you think of us who live in drier sections of the world.

   For now, we pretend we're at the beach in our backyard with CDs and my daughter's Sand And Water Table. Another idea is to put a small sandbox in your back yard.

   Remember to always supervise your child's time in the sand and have specific toys and toddler activities in mind to distract them from any desire to eat the sand.

9. Get Physical.

   We love the song Shake Your Sillies Out" and are always trying to find toddler activities to accomplish this feat. We visit parks, kick balls around, turn on music and dance and sometimes my daughter is happy to follow along with my Wii workouts.

   If you desire more structure and social interaction, you can find a local gym that offers toddler learning time such as Little Gym. They offer parent and child classes and more advanced gymnastics programs.

10. Pretend You Make the Rules in the World.

    Does your girl like walking around in your shoes and wearing your jewelry? Don't fight it, give in and play along with some old or inexpensive, toddler-friendly items.

    

    In addition to playing dress up, tea parties, puppet theater, magic shows, camping and safari adventures, and visits to secret castles are a few other pretend toddler activities that can be lots of fun.

    If you're looking for some eco-friendly tools to support your child's imagination, check out this lemonade stand and rocket ship by Cardboard Designs.

I hope these suggestions for toddler activities spark some ideas for adding fun and creativity in the world of you and your toddler. Regardless of your location or budget, fun is in your reach with a little online or word of mouth research from other parents. Also if an activity is not established in your area, don't be afraid to initiate it in your community.

If you have some favorite toddler activities that are not mentioned, please share them here. Whether simple or complex, your ideas can create a bonding opportunity or lasting memory for another parent and child.

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