Playing with your toddler...I need suggestions

Melissa - posted on 02/24/2011

I like productiveparenting.com and I just borrowed a copy "The Ultimate Preschool Playbook" by Dorothy Einon. It has a lot of very cool activities :)

Lisa - posted on 02/24/2011

Sarh Snarski has mentioned playing music with ABC 123. I am a Kindermusik Teacher and from experience with music and young children I can honestly say they will be engaged and entertained if you make up a few simple games to go along with the music. get some old baby rattles and a pot and spoon, start a little band they can dance too. You will tire them out and be stimulating their creative brain. It works. Good luck.

Stifler's - posted on 02/22/2011

I just get a fun book with stuff to touch and read it and touch the things in it with him. Or help him put the shapes in the right holes in the Singing snail pail or pick up one of his 50 phones and go "hello... oh you want to talk to Logan.. here he is".. and he grabs the phone and jabbers into it for a while.

Good Day! - posted on 02/22/2011

We like books, puzzles, bubbles, blocks, baby dolls, coloring, swinging and sliding, dancing to music, walking around the neighborhood, cooking, the zoo, and watching Sesame Street.

I make it my goal to do one structured "learning" activity a day. My favorite resource for ideas for this is http://icanteachmychild.com/

Heather - posted on 02/22/2011

to add to all the other great posts here... don't forget that for a 2 and 3 year old almost anything is play coz they are with you. My sons used to love to play Get the Washing Out of the Washing Machine and Clean the Bathtub as well as 'real' games. It helps get things done and they loved all the praise they got for helping Mummy. Helping out habit can't start too early. :)

Tasha - posted on 02/22/2011

Well first thing in the morning we play with puzzles, legos, my lil ponies, baby dolls and stuff while watching Caillou, then after lunch, we go for long walks in the neighborhood. We have to stop at every leaf, rock, or bug that is on the ground, but I don't mind because she loves to explore and by the time we make it home, she's ready for a nap. After her big sissy comes home and they eat dinner they play outside. Then it's bath time, teeth time, and off to bed.

Kim - posted on 02/22/2011

You do not need to entertain him or play with him all the time. It would be good for him to learn to play on his own for a bit here and there. But there are a lot of things you can do with him- color, paint, puzzles, play with his toys with him, playdoh, read books, dance, make a matching game with stickers on some sort of lids or paper, take walks. My kids loved our wooden trainset, blocks, farm set when they were 2.

Katherine - posted on 02/22/2011

Go to meetup.com they have plenty of play groups in your area.

Sarh - posted on 02/21/2011

Just sit on the floor with him and his toys, let him guide you through. Ask him "Can mommy play with your toys?" He may bring you one to play with.
Put him in his highchair or at the kitchen table and give him a piece of construction paper and a mashed up banana and show him how to finger paint with it. You can also use apple sauce, peas, beets, etc. This way if he tries to eat it there will definitely be no harm done!
Get a cd with ABC and 123s on it and dance around while singing along, get him to join in. When doing the counting song, count on your fingers for him to see.
Are there any community centers near you? Find a play group... if the community center does have a play group talk to a worker there and see if you can start one with them...