On the look-out for great ideas to keep your toddler engaged that allows you to also relax and have some fun?
Early Childhood Development innovator, Meg Faure, who is a best-selling author and co-founder of Play Sense, reminds us parents that play is the intense work that toddlers do. ‘It’s through their daily play that they are moving forward to tick those developmental milestones such as the gross and fine motor skills, and attaining language, while also making progress in developing vital ‘super sensory’ capacities such as creativity and imagination, problem-solving, emotional intelligence and collaboration, amongst others.’.
Activities and games that ignite these ‘super senses’ are deeply absorbing for 2 to 4-year olds, and Meg recommends four fun, money-free ways that parents can keep their little ones not just occupied over the holidays, but actively developing and learning in the best ways:
- Get outdoors into nature – the summer holiday is the ideal time for being outdoors and physically active every day. Playing in gardens, walking on beaches, in mountains and forests, at your child’s comfortable pace, allows plenty of stimulating time to stop, look, discover and explore
- Build and construct activities – from playing with blocks to putting up tents and creating forts, these sorts of projects engage little ones in solving problems and collaborating in a team or partnership
- Make-believe games – a box of pretend play items such as feeding bottles, spoons and sippy cups, as well as clothing items such as hats and socks or old handbags, phones and glasses can be a treasure trove that enables your child to test out their understanding of roles, interactions and life through play
- Join the four-week online Play Sense Playcation– access a wide range of easy-to-use, fun activities across four different themes. Registration is free and the program, which runs from 10 December 2020 to 11 January 2021, has been developed by occupational therapists to nurture essential skills in 2 to 4-year olds. You’ll be part of a holiday community with opportunities to upload videos of your activities to the website and chances to win prizes.
Sign up for the Playcation here. Registration is free and closes on 22 December.
