It shouldn’t come as a surprise when your child suddenly gets bored with an activity or two that used to be his/her favorites – it just means that he/her needs to transition into activities that are now more appropriate for his/her age and will make him understand his actions, feelings and behaviour more.
If your child recently turned 2, here are some fun educational activities that you can try:
SIMON SAYS
Simon Says is a simple yet classic game enjoyed by children of all ages. In young toddlers, playing a game like such will help enhance his ability to follow directions and improve his gross motor skills and receptive language.
Start by being the leader, saying Simon Says followed by a simple direction like “touch your tummy” or “raise your hand”. After a while, make the directions a little more complex like “touch your right ear” or “jump 3 times”.
You can make the game a little more physical to keep your child energized by asking him to catch something, to hide or to go somewhere (to the fridge, by his bed, under the window). Don’t forget to give him his turn or being the leader!
BODY TRACING
All you need is a large piece of paper (big enough that your child can fit in it lying down) and a couple of crayons and you’ll have a fun activity for an afternoon. Basically, your child has to lie down on the paper while you trace his body. Once you have your child’s silhouette down, you can go ahead and fill in the face – drawing the eyes, ears, mouth, nose etc.
Making him lie down without moving while you trace helps him develop his sense of self and self-control. Drawing the parts of the body and showing him where the parts go further enhances his ability to identify body parts.
If your child is hesitant to lie down, don’t force him – start by tracing his hand or foot!
TOY HIDE AND SEEK
This is an activity that will help improve your kid’s listening, problem-solving, memory and social skills. Choose at least 3 of his favorite toys then hide it in various places inside his room. Start in easy places like under his pillow or behind a chair.
Ask him to find the toys, giving out clues and saying “warmer” or “colder” as a guide. Eventually, you can choose more difficult hiding places or move to a bigger room.
It’s time for your young toddler to change his activities – try these fun educational activities for 2 year olds.
Article by Angela Kidd
