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This Reading Mama

10+ Activities for Toddlers: Before the Small Manipulatives

By thisreadingmama 4 Comments

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10+ Activities for Toddlers: Before Small Manipulatives | This Reading Mama

MBug has always wanted to be in the middle of her brothers’ business while they do their schoolwork, creating a bit of a problem at times.  She is a social butterfly and absolutely adores her brothers, so why wouldn’t she want to “help” them with their work?  It’s been a challenge to figure out how to balance her need for “helping” with giving her something on her level.

Only in the last 2 weeks (at 17.5 months) have I begun to let her explore more with the smaller manipulatives, like those in the teaching trays.  She wasn’t ready before this time because everything went in the mouth, and most of these manipulatives are a choking hazard.

So, I thought I’d post about the things I did with MBug …before the small manipulatives.  I pray that it may be an encouragement to another mom who is ready to pull out her hair, as I was!

As I was struggling to figure out what to do with this curious little girl, God gave me the answer I was looking for.  I was observing her one day as she played in our playroom, and I started keeping a mental list of the things she naturally gravitated to.  I began “rotating” those things and activities into the schoolroom to give her something to do at her level.  Many of these things are activities she still very much enjoys.

Stacking Activities
 

Stacking rings

Stacking pegs

Stacking shapes

Nesting Activities

While I couldn’t find any pictures capturing her in action, we have the ABC stacking boxes and these plastic stack and roll cups.  She would go to town stacking them, then un-stacking them.  If you like wooden toys, Grimm makes some amazing wooden stacking and nesting toys for toddlers.

Rotated Toys

I also rotated out books and toys in the schoolroom (I still do) and if I sat on the floor with her, she would play with them for a while.

One of her favorites is still this ball toy (We have the older version and she uses it sans the hammer).

Putting money in her piggy bank

No Mess Writing Products

Writing on our Doodle products–the GloDoodle was and still is her favorite.  We also have the large & small MagnaDoodle and the AquaDoodle floor mat. I simply love these products because they’re NO MESS…a plus when you have a little one!

Dumping and Transferring Activities

From container to container or hand to hand; making sure I only gave her bigger objects, like these connecting people I found in the $1 bin at Target.

Twisting and Screwing Activities

My most recent discovery was watching her screwing the lids on from these old Juice Plus+ bottles (empty inside, of course).  I have a plastic set of large screws and bolts from, but these wooden ones also look pretty cool!

Reading

Reading book after book after book.

Our Little Touch LeapPad Reader is still one of her favorites.  She can barely keep her hands off the thing.  She also likes NJoy’s Tag Jr. when he’s willing to share it.

Music

I rotated out the Leapfrog Fridge Set that plays the ABC’s, the LeapFrog Fridge DJ & an “MP3 player” that ALuv received 5 years ago!  She carried these around and danced to the music.  (And yes, that’s a black eye she was gifted from her older brother who hit her with his foot while doing a somersault.  It took weeks for it to go away!)

 

A Few More Toy Suggestions for Babies and Toddlers

  • Spinning Bees Top
  • Bigger Beads they Can Snap and Pop Together
  • Alphabet Squeeze Blocks
  • Jumbo Lacing Beads
  • Plush Rainbow Stacker
  • Wooden Blocks {these are SO cute!}

 

I’d love to say that doing this solved everything.  But there were times when she just wanted what the boys had and I had to redirect or tell her “no”.  Such is life. If all else failed, I’d pull her high chair into the schoolroom and it was snack time-even if she had just eaten! 🙂 So, there you have it: the desperate attempts of this mama to keep my little one preoccupied before she was ready for small manipulatives.

 

More Ideas for Tots from This Reading Mama:

  • Teaching Toddlers the Alphabet
  • Make Your Own Puzzles with Playdough
  • Modifying Schoolwork for the Eager Toddler

 

 

~Becky

 

 

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Filed Under: Parenting

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Comments

  1. Kelly says

    September 25, 2012 at 11:41 pm

    Looks so much like my 15month old’s play, love it!

    Reply
  2. stephanie says

    December 20, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    This is my everyday !!!! bahahah Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only mom wooing this.

    Reply
  3. Jaimi says

    August 16, 2013 at 9:42 am

    I do find that my toddler wants to try exactly what her big brother is doing, but if I make her special activities it seems to keep her occupied and learning so I can be one-on-one with him. I have tons of activities for toddlers listed on my blog. All in one place: http://www.thestay-at-home-momsurvivalguide.com/p/toddler-activities.html They can be a tricky age, but it’s amazing how much they learn!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Activities for 1 Year Old says:
    September 20, 2012 at 4:16 pm

    […] for a way to keep your toddler occupied?  This Reading Mama, has a collection of teaching trays that are perfect for the highchair.  Contain and engage your […]

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Becky, a homeschooling mama with 4 blessings who keep me on my toes {and knees}. Before homeschooling, I was a classroom teacher (M.Ed.) and reading tutor. Read more about me here.

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