Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
Craft glitter
Sprinkle a bit of glitter onto your child’s hands. Explain that these glitter specks are like germs, which can make them sick. The germs are very small and they stick to you and get passed along.
Have your child touch different surfaces and shake hands with other people. Show him how the germs (glitter) spread.
Have your child wash his hands and see how the germs are washed away.
Brush the Tooth
It is never too early to teach your child about the importance of good dental hygiene.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
Scissors
1 sheet yellow construction paper
An old toothbrush
White tempera paint
Cut a tooth shape from the construction paper.
Talk with your child about teeth and how when they are not brushed, they can develop decay and turn yellow.
Let him use the toothbrush to paint the tooth with pretend toothpaste (white paint).
CHAPTER 13
For Special Needs Toddlers
All children have the capacity to learn, grow and have fun! Each child is unique and part of your challenge is to find activities that meet their individual needs. When caring for a child with special needs, you may find that you can adapt many activities to suit the child.
For Children with Sensory Disabilities
These activities are especially beneficial for children with sensory integration disorders. They will help stimulate your child’s tactile awareness and body and space perception.
Handprint Octopus
Your child may enjoy creating an entire underwater scene around the handprint octopus, so have her do this on a large sheet of paper where she can color in a background scene.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Tempera paint
Shallow pie tin
Large sheet of blue construction paper or poster board
Markers or crayons
Pour the paint into the tin. Help your child dip her hand into the paint and then press it firmly onto the paper. Have her repeat this process with her other hand. Be sure that her hand prints overlap, with the fingers spread out in opposite directions.
Once the paint is dry, she can use the markers to add facial features and details.
Silhouette
Once you create your child’s silhouette picture, you may wish to do one for the entire family. You may also wish to create a traditional silhouette by cutting the outline from black construction paper.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 25 minutes
Masking tape
Large sheet of white paper
Chair
Bright light (a clip-on office lamp works well)
Dark-colored marker
Crayons
Tape the paper onto a flat wall.
Seat your child sideways on the chair with the lamp behind her. Put the chair far enough from the wall that your child’s shadow fills the paper.
Trace around your child’s silhouette using the marker.
Remove the paper and allow your child to decorate her profile.
Paint a Song
This activity will help your child with emotional expression and creativity.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Large sheet poster board
Tempera paint
Pie tins
Paintbrushes
Variety of music recordings
.
Set up the paper and paints for your child to create.
Play music of differing tempos and moods. Ask your child to listen to the music and let the music guide the way she paints. For example, when listening to a waltz, she may paint with slow, sweeping strokes.
For Children with Autism
Children that are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder need experiences and encouragement interacting with other people. These activities encourage both social and verbal skills.
Little Mouse
This is a tickle and cuddle activity. Be aware that some children do not like to be tickled!
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Recite the following poem while using your fingers to trace the path described.
Hurry hurry little mouse
Starts down at your toes.
Hurry hurry little mouse
Past your knees he goes.
Hurry hurry little mouse
Past where your tummy is.
Hurry hurry little mouse
Gives you a mousy kiss.
(blow raspberry on child’s stomach)
Mouth Music
Your young child loves to imitate, and this is a great way for him to learn!
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–30 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
Lose your own inhibitions and demonstrate many sounds that you can make. Encourage your child to join in. Suggested actions include kissing the air, making raspberries with your tongue, humming, cooing, blowing through your lips, clicking your tongue, squeaking, and growling.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
This is an easy rhyme for your child to learn. Don’t be afraid to make up verses of your own.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Teach this rhyme and corresponding movements to your child:
Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around.
Teddy bear teddy bear touch the ground.
Teddy bear teddy bear hug me tight.
Teddy bear teddy bear say goodnight.
For Children with Mobility Disabilities
Remember to adapt activities to meet your child’s needs or challenges. These activities can be done in different ways and don’t require a child to be ambulatory.
Roll Over
Your child will need a lot of room for this activity. A grassy spot in the yard would work well.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–30 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
Have your child lie down with her arms at her sides. Teach her the following rhyme. Encourage her to roll over when the movement is called for in the song:
There were five in a bed and the little one said,
“Roll over, roll over.”
So they all rolled over, and one fell out.
There were four in the bed and the little one said,
“Roll over, roll over.”
So they all rolled over, and one fell out.
(Continue to one)
Only the little one was left in the bed he said,
“Good night, sleep tight.”
Row the Boat
Young children learn that they must take turns for this activity to work. Provide them a soft surface so that they can get exuberant without getting hurt. Younger children can work with a more mature partner.
Activity for two children
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Seat children on the floor facing each other, with legs outstretched.
Have one child rest her legs over the other’s. Once they are positioned, have the children hold hands.
Show them how to make a see-saw motion. One child slowly leans back, while the other child is pulled forward. Then the forward child leans back, pulling her partner forward. Encour
age them to go slow and smoothly and not to jerk each other.
Encourage the children to row back and forth while singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
Blowing Games
Children enjoy seeing the cause and effect of their breath.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 24–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Table or accessible flat surface
Ping-Pong balls or cotton balls
Straws (optional)
Set your child in front of a table or an accessible flat surface.
Place cotton balls or Ping-Pong balls near the edge of the surface.
Demonstrate how to blow the items across the surface. The child may use a straw or blow directly.
For Children with Cognitive Disabilities
Cognitive disabilities are caused by impairment in intellectual processing and functioning; your child may be delayed in any number of areas. These activities will help her develop important problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Mirror Mirror
Remember, all children learn through imitation. You can increase the complexity of
your gestures and actions according to the child’s ability.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 12–40 months
Duration of activity: 5 minutes
Place your child directly in front of you.
Encourage your child to mimic your facial expressions and motions.
Add complexity by having your child complete the motions with you simultaneously.
Your Turn, My Turn
This activity will help your child tune into you and learn reciprocity as well.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 24–40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
A musical instrument (keyboard or drums work well)
Get your child’s attention, say, “My turn,” then play 1 or 2 notes or beats on the instrument.
Hand the instrument to your child and say, “Your turn,” and prompt her to play as you did.
You may wish to expand this activity by asking the child to mimic what you are playing.
Find the Squeaker
Here is an activity that will help promote problem-solving skills.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–24 months
Duration of activity: 5 minutes
A small squeaky toy
When the child is not looking, hold the toy under or behind something and squeeze it.
For Children with Language Disabilities
Children learn language skills by using language. It is important that they have many opportunities to interact with others as they start to use language to communicate.
Microphone Craft
Bring out the star in your young child. Once he has a microphone,
put on some music and let him ham it up.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
Tin foil
Toilet paper tube
Black marker
Small craft foam ball
Help your child mold the tin foil over the paper tube so that both the bottom and sides are covered.
Have your child use the marker to color the craft ball.
Wedge the ball a third of the way into the tube.
Walking Finger Puppets
You can make an endless cast of puppet characters this way.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Scissors
Cardboard or poster board
Crayons or markers
Discuss with your child what characters he would like to make.
Cut out an outline of the character 4 tall. The outline should include the head, neck, arms, and torso, but not the legs.
Cut 2 holes ¼ from the edge of the bottom of the torso. These holes should be wide enough for your child’s fingers to fit through and approximately 1 apart.
Let your child decorate the puppet with crayons or markers.
Have your child stick his fingers through the holes. Show him how to use his fingers for the puppet’s legs and move them to make the puppet walk.
Guessing Bag
This activity will encourage the child to use his sense of touch and to make inferences.
Age group: 24–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
A variety of small household objects
Brown lunch bag
Place 3–6 objects in the bag. Be sure the objects do not have any sharp points or loose pieces.
Ask child to put his hand in the bag and feel one object at a time.
Encourage your child to describe what the object feels like and then guess what it is.
Sign Language
Learning sign language will help your toddler lessen frustration before she can communicate verbally. Even children without any disabilities can benefit from learning sign language.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 12–40 months
Duration of activity: 5 minutes
Sit near the child so that she is facing you and can see you clearly.
Demonstrate the sign while you say the word and act out or gesture the meaning.
Practice the signs with your child.
More: Close both hands together with thumb and middle finger touching and tap hands together.
Yes: Make a hand into a fist, holding it at about shoulder height and make fist bob back and forth.
No: Take index finger together with your middle finger and tap them together with your thumb.
Sleep: Fold hands palms together and place along cheek.
Happy: Take an extended hand and brush it in little circles up on the chest a couple of times.
Hungry: Take hand and make it into a c-shape with the palm facing the body. Start with a hand around your neck and move it down.
CHAPTER 14
Exploring Themes
When your child was an infant, his knowledge of the world around him was very limited. He only knew what was part of his daily, direct experience. Now, as he is growing, he is becoming more aware and more curious. He is meeting and interacting with more people and has the chance to explore beyond his own front door. Here are some ideas to help spark your child’s interest as his experiences and knowledge expands.
Animal Activities
Many young children are fascinated by animals. Your child may enjoy watching videos of animals on television as well as seeing them at the zoo. Your child may begin her exploration of animals at home, with the family pet. Here are some activities for learning about more exotic animals.
Animal Safari
Engage your child’s imagination as you take her on a pretend safari.
You may wish to add ambiance by playing a recording of jungle sounds in the background.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
Assorted stuffed animals
When your child is out of the room, hide a variety of stuffed animals.
Have your child return and search for the “wild” animals. Encourage her to name the animals that she finds.
Animal Reunion
Your toddler will learn more about animals as well as develop problem-solving skills with this activity.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 30 minutes
Pictures of animals
White craft glue
Index cards
Enlist your child’s help in finding pictures of animals as adults and as babies. Old National Geographic magazines are a great source for animal pictures.
Glue one animal picture to each index card.
Have your child match up the babies with their parents.
Stuffed Snake
Here is a cute craft for your child. When she is done, she will have a new stuffed animal to play with.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
1 knee-high nylon stocking
Cotton fiber fill or wadded-up newspaper
Scissors
Felt pieces
White craft glue
Help your child stuff the stocking with the cotton or newspaper. Leave a few inches empty at the end, and tie a secure knot for the tail.
Cut out eyes and a mouth from the felt pieces. Let your child attach the features with glue. If your child is still putting things in her mouth, consider using a permanent marker to draw on facial features instead.
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Like toddlers, monkeys are known for their ability and desire to imitate. Here is a silly game that you can play with your child. This is basically a version of Follow the Leader. Consider reading the book Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina, before you play this game.