Fun filled activities for 2-year-olds

I was taking a break and was browsing at one of the local news papers i.e. Borneo Post when a particular article caught my eyes. The article was entitled "Activities for Two-Year-Olds" (Borneo Post, Nature & Health, pp8-9, 4 July 2009). According to the author and I supposed many other child experts, at the age of 2, the hand-eye co-ordination, motor movements and speech are in developing stages. Hence, activities that will help the child's motor skills, linguistic skills and overall development would certainly benefit the child in the long run. And read this, kids at this age LOVE TO BE MESSY!! Oh no...there goes your nice furniture and walls!! ;p

Anyway, the author had highlighted 8 fun activities for such purposes and they include:

1. Kitchen activities
Get a tiny table and chair set for your child. Provide large plastic bowls, spoons, plates along with real food like bananas, cornflakes and milk. You could show your child how to peel a banana and let him/her peel it on her own - am fine with the bananas and cornflakes idea but milk?? I can imagine the mess on the table, floor, everywhere and I doubt if I could handle that hehehe...but I guess I'll just have to learn to let go and loosen up a bit ;p

2. Play dough activities
You could either buy playing dough from the shop or DIY at home. Playing dough is very simple to make and all it needs is some flour, water and food colouring. Making a DIY dough will not make you apprehensive about the health and safety of your child - this sounds fun :)

3. Gluing activities
You could put bits and pieces of different wrapping papers into a cardboard box and ask your child to glue them onto a large sheet of paper.Tip: Tape the sheet of paper on the table/floor so that it doesn't interfere with the pasting. Glue sticks are less messier - you can also make a DIY glue at home by using corn flour and a lil' bit of water..

4. Colouring & painting activities
Prepare large thick uncovered non-toxic crayons and a perhaps a few pieces of papers that you tape them together to make one big piece on the floor. You could draw different shapes and figures for your child to colour in. Hand painting can be done too. Just prepare a bowl of child friendly paint for them to dip in and get their hand impressions on the paper - fun but not sure if I would allow this knowing Ethan may decides to "paint" our wall instead ;p

5. Bath-tub activities
Fill the bath-tub with some water and provide containers, plastic bottles and other bath-tub toys to keep your child entertained. You could also provide your child with his/her doll to give a bath in the bath-tub. You could even let him/her wash some of the doll's clothes - hmmmm...the clothes washing will be a good training eh hehehe...perhaps can let them play bubbles too :)

6. Throwing activities
This will help to develop your child's motor skills. Just crumple some newspapers or papers into medium-sized balls and ask your child to throw the balls into a waste bin. Adjust the distance of the waste bin according to your child's throwing ability. Alternatively you could use colourful balls or have a small tower of blocks at one end of the room and have your child roll a ball to break the tower - bowling games can be introduced too ;p

7. Sorting activities
Sorting coloured blocks and balls. Place all the blocks on the floor and ask your child to sort them according to the colours. You could provide boxes to sort the four colours. Alternatively you could use blocks in different shapes - sounds interesting

8. Tea parties
Organize tea parties. Invite her toy friends too. Dress her up for the party and let your child make sure each toy is seated has a drink. Some snacks can be prepared too. A photograph session would be good where you can ask your child to pose with her toys - more suitable for the girls ;p

Talking about activities..here are some pictures showing busy lil' E doing his 'thang'! ;p