When you bring a new baby home, you are overcome with love, joy, and other nice feelings that thrill you inside. But then you are reminded that the task at hand—dividing your time and attention between the infant, toddler, and other children—is indeed a task. Therefore, most parents want to know the best baby and toddler play ideas. This is particularly true when it is time to amuse all the kids. Besides, finding activities that both a baby and a toddler can participate in is not always simple. Most of the time, babies and toddlers do not share the same interests or ability levels. When that happens, life necessitates a little imagination.
Baby and Toddler Play Ideas for Assisting Your Child Learn and Play
Giving your child various opportunities to play does not have to be challenging or expensive. For instance, you can use items that are already lying around the house, look at books and sing songs and nursery rhymes with your child – it is fun and will help them develop language and communication skills and get involved– your child will learn more from you than from any toy.
Baby and Toddler Play Ideas for Games for Any Age
Using Water to Play
Babies, toddlers, and young kids enjoy playing with water in the bathtub, a wading pool, or a plastic bowl or sink. Use plastic bottles, plastic tubing, a sponge, a colander, straws, a funnel, spoons, and anything else that is unbreakable to pour and splash each other. Besides, never let a young child play alone in the water or bathtub. More than 5 centimeters (2 inches) of water is needed for a baby or young child to drown.
Reading to a Young Child
You should read to your child early because it will benefit their future education. Reading to your child together strengthens your relationship with them and is healthy for their emotional welfare. Baby will like hearing you read to them even before they can speak. They will get a sense of the language’s sounds, rhythms, and rhymes by listening to you. Even young infants like browsing through image books.
In addition, children’s books are typically available in significant numbers at local libraries. Books are one of the best baby and toddler play ideas. For small children, some people conduct storytimes. Looking at books with your child will help them develop vital skills and spark their interest in reading, even if it is just for ten minutes a day. Every kid receives a free Bookstart book pack from Booktrust at two important ages before entering school. The goal is to encourage families to read aloud to one another daily and start their child outright.
Further, in the first year of your baby’s life, you will receive a Bookstart Baby kit, typically from your health visitor or another healthcare provider. When they are 3 or 4, your child will also get a Bookstart Treasure pack from their nursery, playgroup, or other early years setting. For interactive storybooks, activities, and information about events at your neighborhood library, visit the Bookstart website. There are a ton of other books that are recommended as well.
Four-Month-Old’s Play Suggestions
While holding your infant, sing and speak to them with joy; toys can also be placed close to your infant so they can grab them. Together, read and examine baby books.
Ideas for Games from 18 Months
Painting and Drawing
Use powder paint, felt tips, or crayons. First, demonstrate proper crayons or paintbrush grip for your child. Use the interior of cereal boxes or old, torn-open envelopes if you do not have any paper.
Walking
As soon as they are able, encourage your youngster to walk with you (you might wish to use reins for safety). Although it could make you go more slowly, it is a terrific way for the two of you to work out.
Sock Puppets
Make hand puppets out of socks and envelopes. Create your characters by drawing faces on them or adding objects. Encourage the puppets to communicate with one another or with you and your child.
Ideas for Games from 24 Months
Getting Ready
Gather used tea towels, curtains, bags, gloves, scarves, nightgowns, and lengths of fabric. Ask your friends and family, or look into jumble sales. Babies’ clothes should be chosen carefully.
Make sure there are no dangling strings, cords, or ribbons that could entangle your child’s neck or trip you (or them). Masks can be made from cut-up cereal boxes or paper plates. Make apertures for the eyes, and then sew or elasticize them to your face.
TV and Other Screen Time
Limiting your child’s daily screen usage is recommended. Know what your youngster is watching at all times. So that you and your child can discuss what you’re watching, watch with them.
30-Month-Old Play Suggestions
Sloppy Modeling
Gather cardboard cartons, boxes, yogurt containers, milk bottle tops, and whatever else comes to mind. Purchase some kid-friendly glue (the kind that comes with a brush is the easiest to use) and assist them in creating anything they choose.
Toy Security
To ensure a toy is safe, seek the British Standard kitemark, the lion mark, or the CE mark when purchasing it. Be cautious when purchasing used toys or toys from market booths because they might not exceed safety regulations and might even be harmful.
Further, age restrictions are typically printed on toys. Do not give a toy that says “Not suited for children under 36 months” to a youngster under 3. Examine toys for sharp edges or tiny pieces your youngster could ingest.
Battery-Button Warning
Some electrical toys use button batteries, which are tiny, oblong batteries. In addition to being a choking hazard, they can severely burn your child’s insides if swallowed or stuck in their ears or nose.
Additionally, button batteries should be kept away from children, and toy compartments should be securely fastened with a screw. Take your child to A&E immediately or dial 999 if you believe they have ingested a button battery.
Toys for Kids with Disabilities
Toys for kids with special needs should be appropriate for their age and stage of development. Make sure the toy is sturdy and will not break if your child is using one made for a lower age group. Special kinds of toys are good baby and toddler play ideas.
Moreover, toys with various textures are necessary for visually impaired children to explore with their hands and mouths. Toys that inspire exploration and the discovery of connections between language and the world are needed for children with hearing impairment to stimulate language.
