Activities
 Activities for a 12 - 18 month old Your toddler is curious about everything. The playful stage begins. Some toddlers are now comfortable with walking and running (although at 12 months many won’t be walking and certainly not running). He can also push and pull his toys and can even start sorting them according to sizes. One skill he should have mastered is categorizing objects. He may begin to recognize which toys are similar and even group them together in play. He might also love to sort them by color, shape and type. By the end of the year, your toddler has a sense of self. She calls herself by her own name. She recognizes herself in the mirror or in a picture. She imitates your actions. She will often play by herself. She believes everything belongs to her. Activities 1. Your toddler is beginning to pick up words. Say the words for objects in your home and outdoors. Look at her as you pronounce words so she can see how you pronounce them. She is a great imitator. Encourage her to use words. 2. Read to her every day. Begin reading some predictable books so that she can "read" them to herself. Good examples of predictable books are: Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear. Also look for simple books about families and grandparents. 3. Play "Hide and Seek" games. 4. Give her stacking toys and play with them beside her. 5. With you at her side, let her use the computer mouse with the games and activities. This will help her coordination skills and it is a good opportunity for you to notice her abilities. 6. Use the mirror to make faces and to name body parts. 7. Play simple chase games with her. You will be building muscles and laughing together at the same time. 8. Go on walks and talk about the neighborhood. 9. Let her choose her clothes from among two or three choices.
10. Share toys, books and snacks with her. Hold out your hand for her to share with you.

Activities for an 18 month - 2 year old Your toddler has now mastered quite a number of skills. You may see him scribbling with his crayons. Some toddlers may even know how to brush their teeth at this stage. She may now start to put on her own clothes, wash and dry her hands and brush her hair. She will be very interested in the people around her. She will be imitating the actions of older children and interested in joining in their play. Reading to a child can be a calming experience. If you have not started reading a book together, this is the best time to do it. Point to the animals, things and persons to help build her vocabulary. Your toddler may now literally be up and about. She may love climbing the stairs while you supervise and insist on not getting help. Unstructured play is the best way to stimulate her mind. Allow your child to take the lead in creative play. Activities 1. Encourage her to help put on her clothes (boots, jacket). 2. Tidy up the house together. 3. Set up an obstacle course in your home with cushions for climbing. 4. Play music and encourage dancing. 5. While sitting on the floor, watch her and follow her lead. Imitate her play, don’t correct it. 6. Bath time is a good place for pouring and stirring. A good way to develop muscles of the hand. 7. Encourage the beginning use of large crayons. 8. All children need to be comforted when they are upset. Hold your child and speak calmly. 9. Talk about your feeling happy and sad. Begin to label feelings. 10. As you pass her an object, say what it is very simply. Repeat the word often.

Activities for an 2 - 3 year old Your two-year-old likes to watch other children play and may join briefly in their play, then withdraw to watch again. This is all very normal. She is learning about the world around her and the social skills she'll need to be a part of it. This is also a great time to begin to teach your child to use her words to solve conflicts rather than hitting, or throwing a tantrum. Children at this age can be easily distracted. Do not force her to keep on doing an activity when you can tell she has lost interest. Choose games that can be completed quickly with a beginning, middle and end. Soon your two-year-old, who once considered you her favorite playmate, is now beginning to enjoy playing near other children. She is watching and learning from them. She will sing and dance with others. She jealously guards her possessions. She is beginning to engage in very simple dramatic play involving the home. She has learned to imitate her mother's behavior. She loves the word "no" and uses it often. She is confident in her actions and she can complete tasks. She dominates her world and when those around her don't do as she likes, she can be very stubborn. Avoid power struggles. They will leave both of you exhausted and unhappy. Offer choices instead. The choices you offer can be controlled by you. Set some common sense limits. Once you have set limits, be consistent in enforcing them.

Activities 1. Encourage her to talk about her family. Answer any questions she may have. 2. Do things together as a family. Make your family life warm and nurturing. 3. Play on the floor and let her take the lead in the play. 4. Play "choosing" games where your child chooses her favorite picture from a group and tells you a story about it. 5. Play games where you both imitate the pose or actions on a card or the computer screen. 6. Encourage your child to try again when she makes mistakes. Let her see you make mistakes too. 7. Go on an outing to the park where she can watch other children and interact when she is ready. 8. Provide some materials like play dough or water play that she can use to work out her frustrations when she is really upset. 9. Read simple picture books with repetition. Soon she will begin to "read" those favourite books to you. 10. Play pretend games with her. Children this age like to use dolls and play house. She will change roles often during her play. You will notice that she acts just like you when she plays your role!