(This article is a continuation to the earlier article – How to engage your toddler at home )
Spoons, container lids, clothes pins – how can you use these in an interesting way with your toddler. To find out, read on…
In my previous article, we worked with strengthening the hand-eye coordination of the child – starting with transferring walnuts, moving onto beans and finally pouring. Now, once the baby is able to perform these activities easily, we can move onto slightly more difficult tasks.
- You can teach the child to mop up spilt water using a sponge. The child learns to press the sponge to mop up the water, and then squeeze to release it. This is a great activity for strengthening the hand muscles. And since water play is something that all children enjoy, I am sure your toddler would love to do it.
- Next up, take two containers that have press-down lids. Display how to fit the lids onto the containers, and press down to close. Then open them, and let the child try. Once the child understands how to push the lid onto the correct container, then you can teach him to pull the lid off as well. This will help in the development of his mind apart from teaching him coordination and muscle strengthening.
- A simple yet very important activity is to teach a child how to use a spoon. So take two bowls containing 6-8 pieces of beans and one short-handled spoon. Demonstrate how to hold a spoon and use it to transfer the beans from one side to the other.
- Lastly, take 3 clothes pins and a plastic basket. Show the child how to open and close a clothes pin and clip it onto the basket. But, also tell him that you will not put a finger inside the clothes pin as it will hurt you. A great activity for development of the pincer grip.
We are sure you will enjoy doing these tasks with your child and it will be a learning experience for both of you. Please post photographs and do write in to us. In our next article, we will work with still more home items in an interesting and innovative way.
