By Sarah Godil
As a parent of a little one/s, we want to ensure your toddler is involved with boredom-busting activities. Therefore, we have compiled a list of four ideas that you and your toddler can try this summer.
1) Play Dates:
Children love meeting and playing with other children. Hence, by arranging play dates, mothers can meet, chat and enjoy a cup of tea while the kids play with one another.
Benefits: Improves social skills, ability to make new friends, sharing, and independence.
2) Painting:
Every child has a creative side. The easiest way to unleash their creative potential whilst keeping them engaged is by providing them with a set of brushes, canvas, and paints. Below are ideas you can use to build memorable paintings for your kids. For example, painting animals using hands; like the image below.
To make it even more meaningful, both parents can enjoy a family painting session with their little ones. All you will need are cardboard boxes, watercolors or acrylic paints, brushes, and preferably an outdoor area.
Note: it will get messy but it shall be worthwhile at the same time.
Benefits: Fosters creativity, ability to learn different colors, art appreciation, more expression, boosts their self-confidence
3) Cooking/ Baking
Toddlers love to imitate their mothers. They also love it when they can help in simple daily household tasks. Allow them to do the simpler tasks such as getting things from the fridge, washing fruits, or for example at breakfast time before scrambling eggs, allow your toddler to break the egg in a bowl.
Parents can also bake cookies of distinctive shapes and sizes allowing toddlers to get creative in designing it. They can even assist in other clear-cut tasks such as stirring, or adding sugar to the mixture and undoubtedly munching on the delicious treats once they’re ready.
Benefits: Spend quality time together; learn how to follow instructions step by step, wait patiently, understand measurements, and improve their cooking skills.
4) Building Blocks
Give a toddler plentiful blocks and see what he/she can construct with it. Understand your toddler’s aspiration through what he builds whether it is a tower of blocks, a rocket, or even a castle.
Benefits: improves creative thinking skills, problem-solving skills, spatial skills, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.