activities to keep children interested

[toddlers896]

Morning,

What activities to do you do at home that keeps your toddlers interested and that helps them to move on

Happy wednesday - pouring of rain here:eek:

[Mouse]

I love treasure baskets for helping children get really interested in something.

I have a big treasure basket that is out all the time. It's got wooden things in it, metal bits, fabrics, all sorts. The children will sit for ages exploring what's in there. Babies tend to chew everything, but then they start to rattle things, bang things together, feel textures etc. As the children get older they learn to share & take turns, they try fitting things together & taking things apart. Then their imagination kicks in & they use the bits to make up games etc.
While they're exploring you can introduce lots of language & communication, talk about numbers, colours, size, weight, how things feel etc.

I also make up smaller baskets where I'll be more specific about what I put in. Eg. to help with colours I will make up colour related baskets. This week we have a red basket out with various red things in it - fabric, shiny paper, ribbon, wooden shapes & blocks, big wooden beads, buttons etc. Next week we'll do a different colour.

My mindees also like play dough. Again, they'll play for ages and you can introduce all sorts of learning - colour, shapes, physical development etc.

[VeggieSausage]

We have got a load of packaging stuff (junk), boxes etc out on the table and some paints and they are happily slopping paint about and making a mess!

[eddie]

My LOs love the treasure basket as well. I also find they love the set of silky scarves and spend ages pulling them out of things like tissue boxes, bags etc and wrapping things up in and even covering each other with!