It's a rainy day, but have no fear! There are many rainy day projects for you to engage your toddler with indoors. It's important to have a wide variety of ideas and projects, some active, some quiet, to meet the changing moods and short attention span of your young child. There are many games, crafts and vocabulary activities that will amuse young children and develop their gross and fine motor skills when outdoor play is not feasible.
Hide the Music Game
Toddlers use their senses to learn about the world. Wind up or turn on a musical toy and hide it somewhere in the room. Have the toddler come into the room and try to find the toy, just by listening. When the child finds the toy, praise him, have him step out of the room and hide the toy again. As a variation, let the toddler hide the toy for you to find.
Cut a sheet of clear adhesive paper at least 2 feet long. Remove the backing and tape the paper on the floor, sticky side up. Invite the toddler to walk, jump and dance on the paper. Not only will her feet stick to the paper, but lifting them also makes an entertaining sound. As a variation, this activity can be done with air bubble packing material.
Tubes and Balls
Collect a variety of balls that are big enough not to present a choking hazard, like golf balls and tennis balls. Place cardboard tubes of various widths, from wrapping paper or mailer cartons, into a box or laundry basket. Let the toddler have fun dropping the balls through the tubes.
Gift Wrap Collage
Save scraps of gift wrap from all holidays. Let the toddler tear pieces and paste them onto construction paper with a glue stick. You may need to spread the glue, but the toddler can place the paper and tap, tap, tap for the paper to stick. Hang the masterpiece for everyone to admire.
Engage in Frozen Fun
Keep a tray of these special ice cubes in your freezer at all times. Place small plastic figures into ice cube tray sections. Fill with water and freeze. Fill a plastic bin with water and drop the filled ice cubes into the water. Let the toddler explore the properties of ice in the water and help him try to figure out what happens as the ice melts.
- "The Toddler's Busy Book"; Trish Kuffner; 1999
- "Baby Play & Learn"; Penny Warner; 1999
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