Games to enjoy with your Toddler

There are many expensive toys you can buy for your little one and many that claim to have great educational benefits. Although there are some fantastic resources on the market you don’t actually need the latest and priciest plaything available. Simple objects can be just as effective to engage and educate little minds.

At Tots Play we know that it’s the way that you play with your child, and the way your child choses to play that is inevitably more important than what you play with, so we love to use simple, inexpensive, hand held equipment in our classes that our Tots can explore, use and play with in lots of different ways.

Here are just 3 of the items that we use in class and some starting points for how they might be used for play that you can also have a go at at home. We love it the most when we see little imaginations at work, and our Tots coming up with their very own ways to play. This is when the most learning takes place too.

So grab one or more of the items below, start with some of the ideas below then get creative with your play times and see where they take you both!

Scarves

Scarves can come in a variety of colours, materials and textures. Children love to explore with their senses and when we play with scarves with our little ones we are stimulating so many of them including:

• Sense of sight through tracking the bright colours with the eyes

• Auditory sense when we introduce music into our playing

• Sense of touch from the feel of the scarf on the skin

We can also help your little one understand concepts like object permanence – just because mummy or daddy has hidden behind a scarf, it doesn’t mean they have disappeared!

Here are a few games to try with your scarf:

• Peek-a-boo games

• Take it in turns to cover your head and let the other one pull it off

• Wave the scarf in the air to make different shapes

• Throw upwards and try to catch or watch float down

• Sort into colours

• Explore texture

Quoits

Quoits are simply small rings that were originally designed to throw over a stick. They are so simple and versatile and are in many toy boxes including Tots Play’s. They are cheap and easy to buy and can provide hours of fun for you and your little one. Try some of these games:

• Take it in turns to balance the quoit on the top of the head and other parts of the body.

• Extend the above activity by walking, spinning and balancing on one leg with the quoit balanced on your head, older babies can play this too.

• Show your child how to thread the quoit on to their arms and legs.

• Spin the quoit on its side.

• Roll the quoit to each other.

• Stack the quoits and knock them down together.

Hoops

Hoops are definitely another one of those simple “must have” toys that your children will get use of throughout the different age ranges. As children grow and develop, how they use a hoop will change but the object itself remains constant. Try some of these with your toddler or preschooler.

• Spin the hoop on its edge and watch it with your child

• Roll it towards or away from your child

• Pretend to drive with the hoop as a steering wheel, let your baby try. You could sing "Wheels on the Bus" when doing this activity.

• Encourage your little one to work in partnership with you and hold either side of a hoop and move forwards and back as if rowing. Row Row Your Boat is an ideal song for this game.

• Demonstrate to your child how you can crawl through a hoop held up vertically; encourage them to do the same. You could pretend it is a tunnel on a race track.

• Stand inside a hoop holding it at waist height and move around in different directions pretending you are a horse or a car. You can walk, run, gallop or hop. Talk about what you’re doing for example the speed you’re going or how high you’re jumping.

• Lay several hoops in a line and jump between each one, count as you jump.

• Lay out hoops in hopscotch pattern and jump from two feet to one foot or from feet apart to feet together.

• Lay the hoop on the ground and jump or step in and out

• Turn around inside the hoop,

• Jump so one foot is either side of the hoop and then again so that both feet are inside

• Lift the hoop up over their head

All of these objects are inexpensive and easy to buy. The Tots Play Shop has lots of resources available to enhance playtime for you and little one including a variety of balls, sensory items, instruments and hand held equipment.

When attending a Tots Play class you will be introduced to and have chance to practice many more fun activities in an engaging, relaxing and joyful environment. We have classes all over the country, to find one near you click HERE.

Don’t let anything stop you from making the most of your time with the little one, if there isn’t a class near you check out one of our online courses.

We are committed to helping you develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to aid your child's development and most importantly to have fun together. So what are you waiting for - come and enjoy some play time fun today!

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