Babybug Magazine - www.BabybugMagKids.com

When you notice your child’s interest in an art experience or any other activity is beginning to wane, you can keep her going a while longer by varying it slightly. For example, if she’s drawing with crayons, offer fresh paper of another shape, color, or texture.  Or tape a large sheet of paper on the kitchen floor, turn on some music, and have your crayons dance all over the paper.

Keep in mind that toddlers aren’t yet able to create representations. They’ll sometimes even quit an art activity shortly after adults show them how to draw something or ask “What is it?”   Instead, try describing aloud what your child is doing.  When you describe her actions aloud, it focuses her interest, helps her feel competent, and encourages her to continue. You might say:

•    “You’re making your brush go around and around and around.”
•    “I can see what a long line you’re making.”
•    “Wow. You’ve covered this whole big sheet of paper with red paint.”
•    “Every time you pound, the playdough gets flatter and flatter.”

In addition to the art activities you are already doing, here are some time-tested toddler play activities that we think your daughter might enjoy:

•    Have your daughter and her friends jump, dance, or ride a tricycle on sheets of bubble wrap taped on the ground.
•    Give her a “play bath” in the middle of the day. Water is always interesting to young children. A warm bath, a few toys, and a non-hurried atmosphere can make all the difference in your child’s mood. Since you have to stay nearby anyway, settle in with a magazine or book and enjoy a few moments to yourself while your child plays.
•    Save big boxes for your child to build with, ride in, color or paint on, or use as pretend houses. Or, open the ends and tape several boxes together to form a tunnel. Boxes can be easily flattened for storage and reassembled with a few strips of duct tape.
•    Blow bubbles outdoors and watch for rainbows in them.
•    With a pan of water and a wide paint brush or old paint roller, your child can “paint” the sidewalk, fence, house, and more.
•    Play games together in front of a mirror. Put on some music and dance with your toddler. Make silly faces together. Try on dress-up hats. Play peek-a-boo.
•    Sprinkle water on sand in a sandbox. Make sand combs for your child out of sturdy pieces of cardboard. Cut large “teeth” along one edge and show your toddler how to run the comb over flat, damp sand. Make different kinds – some with pointed teeth, some with wide ones, others with narrow ones.
•    Tell stories. Tell old fairy tales, stories of when each child joined the family, made-up adventures of your dog or cat, or tales that your parents or grandparents told you.
•    Playing with water is one of the most fascinating activities available for young children. A plastic dishpan of water, some cups and plastic funnels, and plenty of towels on the floor are all you need.
o    Freeze some colored water in small plastic containers and keep it on hand to add to the water on warm days.
o    Give your child some of his socks to wash in soapy water and a place to hang them up to dry outdoors. Amazing! No clothes dryer needed.
o    Put two tubs of water side-by-side outdoors.  Add red food coloring to one and yellow to the other.  Give your child plastic containers to play with and watch the colors change.
•    Roll up a few pairs of socks and make a game of tossing them into an empty carton.
•    Fill a sturdy zip-close plastic bag part-way with hair styling gel and squeeze out the air. Tape it shut firmly.  Gel bags are relaxing to squeeze, poke and smooth out.  Add a few drops of food coloring for variety.