Keeping your child busy with all sorts of activities can help them spend all that boundless energy that 2 year olds seem to have. Toddles might appear to be able to conquer the world at this age, but they are actually still developing their motor skills. Everyday activities for 2 year olds can be the best way to exercise their bodies and brains, while leaving them tired enough to actually fall asleep at night!
Benefits for Your Baby Through Playing
Your baby can reap many benefits through fun play. The more you engage your child in suitable activities for 2 year olds, the more likely you are helping foster his or her development.
1. Play is Crucial for Physical Development
Your baby is developing like mad right now, and physical development can always use a helping hand. The more they use their bodies, the more likely they will be able to control them. Many things can help them achieve this such as games that require them to push or pull, kick and throw, use movements like punching a ball, and playing in certain mediums, like sand or clay.
2. Play Can Help Children to Development Fine Motor Skills
Your child needs to be able to control the fine motor skills as well. This can be achieved by helping your child with certain play patterns such as grasping small objects, pouring water out of cups, squeezing things like sponges, and doing other activities that force a child to use their hands in creative ways.
3. Play Encourages Toddlers’ Emotional Development
When a child plays with you, he or she is able to express themselves. This is especially important because they can’t talk yet, and so they can’t convey what they are thinking or feeling. Play allows them an outlet for this. It also leads to more bonding with you as you play with them. Eye contact, a playful voice, and happy encouragement can make a child feel secure and loved.
4. Play Stimulates Language Development
Babies are starting to learn how to make words and noises, and string them together into something coherent. This communication can be enhanced by reading to your child, singing to them, saying nursery rhymes and other means of play that encourage your child to babble, talk and listen to you as you communicate. Imitation and eye contact is something that can help your child even more.
Great Indoor and Outdoor Activities for 2 Year Olds
1. Indoor Activities for 2 Year Olds
Here are just a few of the great activities for 2 year olds that you can do anytime, anywhere.
|
Activity |
How to Play |
Skills Developed |
|---|---|---|
|
Odd man out |
Ask your toddler to point out which object doesn’t fit. For instance, two apples and an orange: Which one doesn’t belong? |
This helps your toddler understand the concept of things that are the “same” or “different.” |
|
Where does this go? |
Cut pictures out of magazines that are of household things, like pictures, couches, plates, and more. Then ask your toddler to figure out where they go to create a scene that looks like home. |
This helps give your child a sense of space and also fosters the ability to talk and communicate with him or her. |
|
Don't fall in the sea! |
The carpet is the sea, and those pillows, blankets, or magazines on the floor are the islands. Encourage your child to come across the islands and not get his or her feet wet before they get there. |
This encourages more control of his or her body, helps with spatial awareness, and increases the sense of balance. |
|
One for you, one for me |
This is a basic counting game. Choose something interesting, like Cheerios, blocks, or other toys, and ask your toddler to count them out. One for you, one for me. |
This gives your child a sense of counting and numbers. |
|
Indoor basketball |
Just like you might play in the cubicle at work, indoor basketball is just what it sounds like. Ball up paper into “balls” and toss them at a wastebasket. |
This greatly improves hand-eye coordination, gets them moving a bit, and can show them the feeling of victory. |
Watch this video and learn a few other ways you can play with your toddler:
2. Outdoor Activities for 2 Year Olds
Want to step outside into the sunshine? Here are a few activities for 2 years olds that are perfect for the great outdoors.
|
Activity |
How to Play |
Skills Developed |
|---|---|---|
|
Bubbles |
Blowing bubbles is fun for children of all ages, including you! Take your child outside with homemade bubble soap and wands of various sizes. |
It’s a physical skill, but it also teaches children a bit about science. |
|
Leaves |
Take a walk with your child and collect leaves, or other interesting trinkets you find along the way. Ask questions about the leaves such as how the colors and sizes are different. |
This engages your toddler by encouraging him or her to talk with you, explore nature, find the differences in things, and learn that things might look different, but they are really the same. |
|
Rainbows |
Using glass or prisms, create rainbows in the room, and ask your toddler to chase them while you move them around. Draw pictures of the rainbows and talk to your child about the colors. |
You can introduce the basic concept of colors with rainbows, as well as some basic science concepts. |
|
Animal chase |
Choose the different animals you want to be. Maybe your toddler is a mouse running for cheese, and you are the cat who wants to catch the mouse. Chase him or her around the room and act as though you are those animals, complete with squeaks and meows. |
This aids in physical development, including running and stamina. It also helps your child remember what certain animals look, sound and act like. |
|
Shadow tag |
Go outside on a sunny day and try to ‘tag’ each other’s shadow by stepping on it. Move around to make your child see the effects of the shadows. Then try chasing the shadows to see if you can “catch” them. |
This helps your child understand a bit more about how nature works, as well as spatial awareness. And of course, jumping and running are fun! |
Tips on When Having Activities with 2 Year Olds
These other tips can help you learn how to play with your baby, no matter what the game might be.
1. Follow Your Child’s Lead
A child is exploring the world through play. Where do they want to go? Following your child’s lead can tell you what they want to do, and can show you new ways to play with the same old toy.
2. Follow Their Pace
Let your child handle most things on their own, but step in when frustration begins to set in. For example, let your child stack those blocks. But when they start to get upset with their inability to stack them any higher, help them do so–then let them be the one to knock the blocks down.
3. Understand Their Signals
Pay close attention to his or her excitement, what they really like, and what makes them cranky. Some kids even this young will be able to tell you through their signals what games bore them and which ones they want to do more than others.
4. Play All Over Again
Just once is never enough! They want to do it over and over again until they master it. While this might be frustrating for parents, it is crucial for a child, so let him or her do the game over and over again.
Need even more ideas for great activities for 2 year olds? This video can help:
