Once your child hits a year or two, you can expect them to experience significant physical, emotional, social, and intellectual changes that will be helpful for them to gain a much better understanding of the world. This makes it necessary for you to have an abundant supply of ideas for the best learning activities for 1- to 2-year-olds.
Being one to two years old is also significant in your child’s life as this is the time when their language starts to develop. At this stage, your toddler may also begin to recognize their ability to be independent, so expect them to begin to explore the world actively. With that, you really need to provide them with the right learning activities.
Learning Activities for One to Two-year-Olds
The best learning activities for kids around the age of two are those that help activate all their senses. These include gross motor and fine motor activities, as well as arts and crafts. If you are searching for such activities, then here are your options:
#1 – Color sorting
This is a great learning activity for your toddler as it promotes color recognition and improves fine motor skills. Your toddler will also learn and understand shapes while doing this activity. Start the color sorting activity by gathering the items needed for it, like construction paper in various colors, paint or markers, and crayons.
Cut various shapes from every color of the construction paper. Let your toddler sort the shapes while you also discuss each color with them. It is also a great idea to let them use paint, markers, or crayons so they can trace each shape.
#2 – Imitating animals
Most, if not all, toddlers are fond of doing pretend play and you can do that with the help of an activity that involves imitating animals. In this particular activity, you are allowed to use toy animals, animal cards, or any recorded sound of the animal. Assist your child in thinking of the unique movement of each animal.
You should then watch them while they are trying to mimic or imitate such movements. Your toddler can make this activity more fun and entertaining by imitating the animal sound, too.
This specific activity has plenty of benefits for your child’s development – among which are better focus and concentration, improved core strength, and better gross motor skills.
#3 – Building blocks
Playing with building blocks is a classic activity for toddlers with plenty of benefits. Just spread plenty of blocks on your child’s play area and watch them start to build and create. Note that at around one to two, your child will already be capable of building towers composed of four to seven blocks.
Make this activity more fun by adding more interesting elements, like animals, wood planks, and cars. By doing that, you can see your toddler playing with blocks in more imaginative and creative ways. It is also a great activity for them as it improves their early math and problem-solving skills as well as their overall imagination.
#4 – Reading and showing picture books
You should also present picture books to your child as these are vital for their development, especially as they are still in the stage of making their language skills emerge.
What’s great about reading picture books to your toddler often is that it can help foster a connection between the two of you while helping them develop a love and fondness for reading. It is also beneficial for your child’s learning development as it will help them connect the pictures to their corresponding names/words.
With that, they can better understand the words and their actual meanings. Picture books can also hone your child’s listening skills and make their visual thinking skills stronger. In addition, reading these books to them often can stimulate the start of conversations, which is a huge help in developing their language ability.
#5 – Crayon carrier decorating
This specific activity for one to two-year-olds can make your toddler artsy and crafty. It is a great activity to try if you want to hone their creativity, ability to plan, and motor skills.
To begin this activity, get a newspaper that you can use to cover a table. After that, gather the other required materials for this activity, like a glue stick, some crayons and pompoms, and resealable zipper storage bags.
Allow your toddler to use the glue stick so they can coat the storage bag with it on their own. You can then offer your help in sticking the pompoms of different colors on the bag coated with glue. Wait for the bag to dry – after which, your toddler can fill it with their crayons.
#6 – Stop-and-Go game
Playing a game that requires your toddler to stop and go, like the freeze dance or the green light, red light, is also good for their overall development. It helps them develop their discipline, self-control, and ability to negotiate and compromise.
If you play this game with your toddler regularly, you will also notice a major improvement in their ability to work out conflicts. They can do that without making them lose their temper.
#7 – Pillow roller coasters
For this activity, you will be required to make a pillow roller coaster with the help of some blankets and pillows. You will also need plenty of floor space. Expect your toddler to enjoy moving up and down once you have finished making the pillow roller coaster.
Once you notice them improving in this activity, ask them to either go slow or fast. It is also a good idea to make a smaller road made of pillows for their toy cars and vehicles. They can use this road to hold a car race.
This activity may look and sound simple but it actually offers several benefits to your child. For one, it can enhance their gross motor skills. You will also notice your toddler learning about ramps plus the specific amount of energy they need as they move upwards and downwards.
It gives them basic experiential learning that will be valuable once they take their physics classes in the future.
#8 – Simon Says
At around one to two years old, you will notice your child starting to follow instructions and imitate the behaviors of those around them. With that, you can let them play the simple and fun “Simon Says” game.
During this phase of your toddler’s life, they are also starting to gain awareness of their own self. This also makes the game a fun means of teaching them their body parts. It would be a great idea to use each body part’s anatomical name as you introduce them one by one to your toddler.
Note that it is extremely important for them to learn the real and actual names of these parts, so they will become more fully aware of their bodies and their own self. Through this game, they can harness their body awareness, learn to follow instructions and improve their sequencing skills.
#9 – Treasure hunting
You may also want your toddler to experience a treasure-hunting activity, which can be described as a flexible learning experience that you are allowed to use in a repetitive manner. One example is a color-hunting activity requiring your little one to search for household items based on a certain color.
Alternatively, you can cut out shapes and then stick them in various parts of your home. You can then ask your toddler to look for such items and sort them out afterward. If you want your child to have a more diverse sensory experience that will expose them to various textures, then you can choose to do this activity outdoors.
With this treasure-hunting activity, you will notice your child honing their ability to identify and sort colors. You can also assist them in boosting their problem-solving skills.
Conclusion
As your child hits one, it is all the more important to teach them a lot of things through active play. Play-based learning opportunities and activities for 1- to 2-year-olds are vital in engaging your toddler and making them feel excited about the things around them.
Such activities are also essential as they can introduce your child to complex concepts even if the games and activities are just simple. Note that it is magical and amazing to see your child engaging with the world surrounding them. Make that easier for them by getting on their level and spending time playing with them.