Creating a Story

These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the brain pathways to make new connections.

Activities for Toddlers
Creating a Story
This game will help develop vocabulary.

You will need a variety of small objects to put into a paper bag. For example, a set of keys, book, a small toy, or a spoon.

Remove each item from the bag one at a time, and create a story by adding one sentence for each item as it removed.

For example: Once upon a time there were some keys on the floor – Key
When I picked up the keys, I laid them on a book. – Book

Continue on making new sentences with each word.

Ideas for taking this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – Use the same words again in a little story.
For developing the idea - Put two new objects in the paper bag. Take them out and use the words in your story.

For moving forward – Draw a picture with your toddler about the story.

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Can you Name?
Ask the children if they can tell you what is in their house…tables, chairs, lamps, tv, etc. 

Sing this song to the tune of "London Bridge" and leave out the last word for the child to fill in.

Tell us please, what’s in your house
In your house
In your house
Tell us please, what’s in your house
Tell us …..(Lakeesha)
(Lakeesha names something in her house)

Continue singing this song about trees, animals, flowers, food, and more.

Ideas for taking this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – Can you name some of the things at your house?
For developing the idea - What do you like to do in your house at a table?
For moving forward – What does your mother do at a table? What does your grandpa do at a table?

Bumpin' Along

These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the brain pathways to make new connections.

Music Activities

Bumpin' Along  Singing and moving together with a young child develops fun and bonding. We all have good memories that involved music.

Sit on the floor with your child on your lap.
Sing this popular folk song to the tune of "Ten Little Indians" as you bounce your child up and down.

Bumpin along in my little red wagon
Bumpin along in my little red wagon
Bumpin along in my little red wagon
Look out, here comes a bump!
(swing your child over to one side)
You can make up additional verses such as:
Oh, oh, the wheel is broken
Oh, oh, the axle's broken
I'm gonna get my hammer and fix it
Always end the song with the same words…look out here comes a bump!

Ideas for taking this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – Sing the song and use the child’s name in the song. For example, “Betsy is riding in her little red wagon.”
For developing the idea - “Let’s pretend to ride in something different. Maybe a car or a tricycle.”
Let’s go riding in a pretty red car…etc.

For moving forward – Let’s pretend to ride on a train, or an airplane.(make up new words for the song)

Products from Discount School Supply® that I recommend:
Pull Along Zoo Animals (PULLZOO)
Toddler Movement Scarves - Set of 6 (MOOVIT)
Basic Rhythms™ Bongos (DESI)

Movement Fun and Watching!

These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the brain pathways to make new connections.

Activities for Infants
The newest brain research says that early movement experiences are essential to the neural stimulation of an infant.. For healthy brain development, infants need to have many movement experiences.

Movement Fun
Sit on the floor with your baby sitting opposite you.
Play this game as you sing to the tune of “London Bridges Falling Down.”
Hold your baby’s hands as you follow the directions in the song.

Put your hands up in the air
In the air, in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Clap, clap, clap – clap your baby’s hands together.
Put your hands down to the ground
To the ground, to the ground
Put your hands down to the ground
Clap, clap, clap

Continue using different motor activities. Always end the song with “clap, clap, clap.”

When you feel that your little one understands the activity, add movement with another part of the body.

For example you can:

• Kick your leg into the air
• Move your arm from side to side
• Take your legs and shake, shake, shake

Ideas for taking this activity to the next level:

For building confidence – Play the game and encourage and praise your little one.

For developing the idea - Ask questions using the words of the song. “Can you put your hands in the air?” “Can you clap your hands?”
For moving forward – Give your child a toy that has arms and legs. Show her how to move the toy’s arms and legs as you sing the song.

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Watching
Loving care provides a baby’s brain with positive emotional stimulation.

Think of all the different places that are good for watching.

When babies can watch things move, they are happy.

A front-loading washing machine or dryer is fun for babies to watch.

Windows that are near trees are wonderful watching places.

Sit outside with your infant for an amazing amount of stimulation. You can:

• Watch birds fly from one place to another.
• Watch cars moving down the street.
• Watch the branches of a tree blow in the wind.

Take time to sit with your infant and watch together. Having you next to him will give him the comfort and security that he needs to enjoy the wonders of the world.

 

Ideas for taking this activity to the next level:

For building confidence – As you watch things together, speak words of praise in a gentle voice. “The wind feels so nice.” “What a lovely flower this is.”

 

For developing the idea - Encourage your baby to move his head back and forth. Hold a small toy in your hand and when he is looking at it, move it back and forth.

 

For moving forward – Hold your infant and walk around the room or outside and talk about all the different things you are looking at.