Stimulating and Educational Toys and Activities for Infants and Children from 0-2 Years
© Lucy Appadoo
Children need stimulating activities to enhance motor/physical skills and cognitive skills.
Ken Adams, author of Bring Out the Genius in Your Child, suggests a range of activities for the infant to toddler stage of development.
Suggested Toys and Activities for Infants Under 1 Year
Suggested Activities for 1-2 Year Olds
Recommended Toys for 1-2 Year Olds
The above activities and toys cater to the needs of children of those ages, and allow for the pre-teaching phase of reading (shapes, letters) as well as logic and reasoning skills for mathematics (objects of different sizes and counting).
Ken Adams, author of Bring Out the Genius in Your Child, suggests a range of activities for the infant to toddler stage of development.
Suggested Toys and Activities for Infants Under 1 Year
- Balls consisting of different patterns, colours and sizes;
- A range of plastic and wooden bricks of various colours, shapes and sizes;
- Picture cards for language and exposure to colour;
- Wooden spoons and saucepans to create noise;
- A toy xylophone for musical appreciation;
- Boxes to put objects in and take objects out.
Suggested Activities for 1-2 Year Olds
- Naming cards (3-4 with well-known objects or pictures on them: categories including body parts, face, clothing, house, food, street, action words displaying pictures of action;
- Fitting objects into space where there are shape outlines via holes (toy shape objects);
- Water play: in the bath, sink or bowl, children can use plastic cups of varying sizes. Show children how to fill up a big container using several small ones;
- A sand tray: children can use plastic cups or glasses. They can hide objects or build things while the sand is wet. You can teach them words such as 'empty, full, wet, dry;'
- Plasticine and play-dough teach children properties of solid that can be pushed and pulled into different shapes. Children can use words such as 'soft, squishy, smooth' etc. This enhances creativity and artistry;
- Using crayons to create squiggly lines with a variety of colours;
- Finger painting is also useful for creativity;
- Sticky paper shapes: children can stick small shapes on to a large sheet of white card. The glue must be non-toxic for the 2 year old; and
- Role playing with the use of dolls.
Recommended Toys for 1-2 Year Olds
- Soft Alphabet blocks;
- Activity centres to build motor skills;
- Solid letters to use in the bath and for floor play;
- Brightly-coloured large balls to roll along the floor;
- Rings for stacking;
- Musical toys or objects;
- Toy phones;
- Duplo (large bricks for the ages of 6 to 24 months).
The above activities and toys cater to the needs of children of those ages, and allow for the pre-teaching phase of reading (shapes, letters) as well as logic and reasoning skills for mathematics (objects of different sizes and counting).
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