5 Brain-Boosting Activities to Do With Your Toddler

Published on Oct 5, 2021 at 3:00 AM

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The amazing thing about playing with your toddler is that pretty much everything you do contributes toward their development in one way or another. Whether enhancing their vocabulary through reading, nurturing fine and gross motor skills through targeted play, or practicing social skills with friends, it all plays a part in your child's learning and growth. Here, we break down five productive ways to enjoy time with your tot, none of which will feel like "work" in the least.

Read With Them

As you probably know, there are numerous benefits to reading with children (of all ages). For toddlers, an age-appropriate book teaches rhyme and rhythm, two of the building blocks to learning to read. It also introduces them to new vocabulary and improves a child's focus and attention span.

Encourage Imaginative Play

The benefits of imaginative play extend beyond encouraging creativity. It also encourages language development and complex communication, builds relationships when done with friends, and is even a good way to approach challenging situations. For instance, if your toddler is nervous about heading off to day care or preschool, you can pretend to be the teacher and offer words of encouragement and comfort.

Head Out on a Walk-About

New sights and sounds encourage conversation. Taking your little one out to explore is a great way to strike up some chatter about their surroundings. Rather than drilling them with introductory flash cards or baby books, the National Association for Education of Young Children recommends using new, interesting language to describe familiar things. A stroll around the neighborhood offers plenty of opportunity for this.

Instead of saying, "The sky is blue today," try, "The sky is crystal clear, and the clouds are so fluffy and light, aren't they?"

Sensory Play

Combining the sense of touch with vision, hearing, taste, and smell through sensory play is an excellent way to boost a toddler's cognitive development. If you're the crafty type, you can DIY your own sensory bin, and if not, that's OK, too. These fun, themed sensory bins can all be purchased. Or just set your toddler loose in the garden or in a bathtub filled with bubbles and cups. Sensory play existed long before Pinterest!

Play With Things That Go

For many a tot, the obsession with vehicles is real. But there's more to it than meets the eye. Toys with wheels encourage the use of both gross and fine motor skills. They learn how to make their trucks and cars move slowly, then quickly, depending on the force of their push. They learn cause and effect when the vehicle crashes into a pile of blocks. Check out PlayTape for hours of entertainment (it won't ruin your floors — we've tested it!).