Pre-Crawling plays

• activities for tummy time,
• activities that encourage reaching,
• and activities for the baby in a sitting position.

Open Book Exploration

Get on the floor with your infant and explore books. Read one- or two-word stories or books. Simply follow the baby's lead and provide her words for the pictures she reacts to.

Balls in a Muffin Tin.

Let your baby practice spinning and grasping without worrying about the balls rolling away.

Paint with Baby

Lay the canvas on the floor, and squeeze some acrylic paint on it. Place plastic wrap on the top of the canvas. Secure the plastic wrap. After letting the baby tap at the paint from their tummy. For a similar effect, place paint inside the textured bag.

Egg carton.

Baby will love exploring the textures of an egg carton when it is filled with different items. The possibilities are endless!

Tummy Time Outside

Lay the baby on a blanket outside and let them explore the grass, rocks, and flowers. Keep an eye out for little items.

ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE REACHING

Object in Front

When a baby reaches for objects directly in front of them, they are building essential arm, back, and core muscles. This helps them balance their body and reach with one hand, which also helps their coordination. It is recommended to do these activities while the baby is sitting or on the stomach.

Toy Box Tip

Turn a toy box upside down and watch the baby stretch, reach, and transfer their weight as they investigate the contents.

Building Towers

Construct a block tower for your baby and watch them enjoy knocking it down. They'll keep reaching.

Mirror

The best thing to do is to put your baby in front of a mirror and watch them try to reach for their reflection. Try putting something in the mirror for the baby to reach for and pull off, like a toy. Place a small piece of cloth on their head or cheek and watch them try to get it off.

Shift their weight

Coordination also improves as they slowly shift their weight to balance their body to reach with one hand. These activities can be done while the baby is sitting or on their tummy; both are beneficial in different ways. When a baby is sitting place one toy out of the reach on his left side and another on the right side. Encourage baby to reach for the toys by saying, “Jenny, go grab your bunny on the left side and now go get the ball on your right side”

Peek-a-boo

During tummy time, place a baby on your chest. Then put a blanket or a piece of cloth over your face and watch them eagerly reach to remove it!

Reaching Forward

When baby reaches for objects directly in front of them, they are strengthening important arm, back and core muscles. Say “Alex, Reach for the toy!”

ACTIVITIES FOR BABY IN A SITTING POSITION

"Twist and Reach."

Placing baby's favorite toys just out of reach on either side can make them twist and shift their weight to play. This game can help your baby practice moving from a seated to a hands-and-knee position.

Tug of War.

The gentle tug of war improves the baby's sitting balance. Give baby a towel or a blankie and pull it away from him or her in a playful manner.

Sing Songs.

Singing songs with your baby is a great way to keep them busy while they are sitting. Songs that use hand gestures or make funny noises are always a good idea.

Play Catch.

Throw the ball to your baby while they are sitting. This makes them want to reach forward and get the ball. This leaning forward action is critical as your baby learns how to crawl on all fours because it helps them learn how to walk later.

Scarves in the Kleenex Box.

Putting soft things like scarves in an empty Kleenex box will keep your baby happy for a while.

Which Hand is it? (Learning new words).

Close your hand around a small, interesting object. Open your hand to show the baby the toy. Close your hand again. Ask the baby, “where is the toy (name of an object)?” Open your hand again to show the object to a baby. Repeat the game. Soon your baby will grab your hand to try to reach the object.

“Who do you see?” (asking questions)

Changing diapers is a wonderful opportunity to practice language skills. Hang a picture of the family members near the changing table, so she can look at them while you’re changing her diaper. Start with pictures of the family members. When she looks at them, ask her, “who do you see?” Always name a person in the picture. You can also hang pictures of animals. When she looks at the picture, names the animal and produces an animal sound.

What toy is it? (learning new words)

Sit your baby in a high chair. Pick out there of her favorite toys that have one-word names. For instance, a ball, a doll, and a block. Pick a ball and say “Ball”. Pick a doll and say “doll.” Repeat the same procedure for all of the toys. Ask your baby to pick up the ball. Next, the doll, and finally, the block. You may have to do it several times before the baby starts to associate the words with the objects.

Feels good (texture vocabulary)

Hold the baby in your arms and take a texture walk through the house. Let your baby to feel the objects as you name their texture. Find and describe objects that are rough, slick, smooth, soft, hard, prickly, silky, bumpy, and cool. Examples are Carpet - soft, refrigerator – cool, floor – hard, stuffed toy – smooth, scarf – silky. Prepare the same set vocabulary in your target language. If you don’t know some words, it is a good idea to look them up in advance. A similar game is a texture crawl. Place textured items on the floor and let your child explore them. Once the baby focuses on one texture – name the texture. Carpet – soft and fluffy, sponge is soft but bumpy. 

Old MacDonald (New vocabulary, animal sounds)

Get a set of animal toys. Hold up each animal for the baby to see, then say the animal’s name and make its characteristic sound. Give the baby each animal after you say its name and let her feel it. While the baby is holding the animal, repeat its name and the sound it makes. Repeat the same in your second language. Sing a song “old MacDonald Had a Farm.” As you sing each verse, pick up the animal that is named and move it around.

Name the clothes (new vocabulary)

Dressing the baby is a wonderful language development opportunity. Put her clothes on the bed. Hold her in your arms and as you pick up each item of clothing (such as socks, pants, a top and shoes) say its name. Say, “where is the shoe?” If the baby points to the shoe, praise her. If she doesn’t, pick the shoe up and tell her its name again. Put the shoe on the foot and say, “here is the shoe”

Telephone Talk (imitation)

It is a wonderful game to develop language skills. Get a toy telephone or unplug a real one. Sit the baby on your lap and hold the telephone to your ear as you pretend to talk. Say a short sentence, “Hello,_____(child’s name)” Hold the phone at the child’s ear and repeat the same sentence. After you have done this a few times, pretend to have a longer conversation (2-3 sentences) Use the baby’s name and other words that she understands like “daddy” and “bye-bye” in the conversation. Next put the phone to the baby’s ear and see whether she will talk into it. Repeat this game in all of your home and target languages, but this time separate the sessions.

Choo, Choo, Choo, Happy Game (learning new words).

When you repeat the same word many times and then say a new word, your baby will pay attention to the new word. This approach is called “shaping.” Hold your baby in your lap facing you. Say word “choo, choo, choo” as you bounce her up and down on your knees. Say the word several times and then say a different word. For example “choo, choo, choo, choo, HAPPY.” Do this several times so that the baby will become familiar with the new word. Now use the word “happy” in several sentences “ I am a happy mom” or “Here is a happy face” Your baby will become familiar with a new word and recognizes it when she hears it again. The more words your baby hear the more words they will understand.

Mama, Papa, Dada (new words)

At this age, babies start to associate language with people and things. Arrange large photos of mommy and daddy and other relatives that baby may know in the crib, highchair, and changing areas. When the child starts making sounds like “dada” point at the picture of the father and says, “This is Daddy.” Point to the pictures at other times and use the person’s name in a sentence. “mommy loves you,” “grandma is coming today,” and so on.

What happens next? 

(cognitive development and functional vocabulary)

Babies aat this age begin to understand cause and effect. A classic example is turning light on and off. Turn on a switch and show your baby what when you turn on the switch, the light goes on. Take her hand and put it on the switch. Holding her hand, help her to turn the switch. Tell her what she did and what happened. “You turned on the switch and the light went on.” Keep the tone of your voice upbeat. Find another light switch and repeat the action.

Your baby's interests at 9-12 months may include

• Plays with toys for extended periods of time and enjoys banging, twisting, squeezing, shaking, dropping, and throwing them. Introduce different sensory materials, like water, kinetic sand, and play dough, and offer various objects with different surfaces.
• Shows interest in moving objects
• Remembers people, objects, and toy actions
• Likes many objects to explore
• Enjoys simple games like peek-a-boo and bye-bye
• They enjoy stacking, putting in and taking out, pouring out, opening and closing, and turning items
• Enjoys pressing levers and fitting 1 object into another
• Likes to empty cupboards, drawers, and containers
• May enjoy pushing balls and cars

Hat, Hats, Hats.

This play teaches language skills and body awareness. Collect three different hats. Set one hat on your head and say, “hello, silly willy”. Place the hat on your baby’s head and say the same thing. Repeat this game with each hat, changing your voice each time as you change the hat. Give your baby the hat and let her try to put it on his head. Looking into the mirror as you change hats makes it even more gun.

Drawing on the snow or sand.

It teaches about shapes and lines. You can draw lines and shapes on snow or sand with different tools like sticks, rocks, and leaves. Make a circle, say it in your target language(s), then draw another shape and name the shape. After showing how to draw on the snow let your baby try by himself. This is a highly creative game that babies love. You can also use a Montessori tray filled with rice or different beans. However, adult supervision is required so your child does not swallow small pieces.

Copy me

This activity helps with listening skills. Sit on the floor with your baby and gesture for her to copy. These are only ideas, what is really important is talking to your baby while you perform those actions. Tap the floor with your hands. Stick out your tongue and make silly sounds.

Put a hat on your head

Open and close your fists.

Wiggle your fingers

Shake your hands

Shake your head “yes” or “no”

Wave bye-bye

Make silly sounds with your mouth

Wiggle your index finger over your lips.

Open, Shut them.

Recite the poem and act out words with your fingers as the baby watches. Start at your waist when you creep to touch your chin. Slow the pace on “open your little mouth.” Wait for a second, then say very quickly, “But don’t let them in,” and hide your hands behind your back. The baby will soon try to imitate your actions. Youtube

Open, shut them, open, shut them,

Give a little clap, clap, clap.

Open, shut them, open, shut them,

Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Creep them, creep them,

Creep them, creep them,

Right up to your chin, chin, chin.

Open up your little mouth,

But do not put them in.

The Feely-Touchy Game.

(sense of touch and loads of vocabulary, also following one-step instructions).

• Sit on the floor with your baby. Put several things with different textures inside a large mixing bowl. If possible, use a metal bowl because metal will feel cool to your baby. Ideas of what to put inside: pieces of cloth with different textures, such as a smooth, rough, soft, furry, sticky piece of tape, or bumpy package wrap. Remove the smooth piece of fabric from the container and say, “This is smooth.” Give it to your baby and again say, “This is smooth” Ask your baby, “will you put the smooth cloth back?” Continue naming each item in the bowl and then give it to your child. You can also take the things and put them on different body parts to see how it feels.
• Another variation of this game is “m-m-m Nice!” Stuff your bowl or box with different materials, such as cloth, tissue paper, satin fabric, sticky tapes, etc. Set a box aside. Remove one piece of fur and pat the baby’s cheek with it. Rub it along his arms and legs to demonstrate stroking. As you stroke, the baby with the fur murmur softly, “m-m-m nice!”. Give him fur and encourage him to pet, stroke or rub against him. Also, you can say in all of your target languages, “It is soft and furry,” and asks your child to put it back in the box when he is done playing with fur.

PLAYS TO ENCOURAGE EARLY CRAWLING

As your baby gets better at reaching, balancing, and coordination, crawling is not too far away. Before crawling, babies must spend much time in the hands-and-knees position. Crawling starts when babies strongly prefer which hand to move first.

Roll Ball through an Open Box.

Open both ends of a box and roll the ball through. They will try to reach for the ball when it comes and want to crawl to get it. A look for the ball will also make them pivot while on their backs, which helps with coordination

Elevated Toys.

Putting a favorite toy on a floor mattress or couch cushions will help your child learn how to crawl on their hands and knees. In this way, their core, leg, and arm muscles will be strengthened. They will also get better at coordination.

Homemade Baby Roller.

Support your baby's hips and gently roll them forward to reach a toy. They will be able to shift weight between each arm more effectively.

OBSTACLES COURSES

Soft Obstacle Course for Hide and Seek.

The right motivation will get your baby moving when learning how to crawl. The best way to hide your baby's favorite soft toys is to put some of them out and hide them under different towels or blankets. The baby will enjoy the different textures.

Cushion Obstacle Course

The best way to let your baby explore the cushion mountain on their own is to hide toys in it. This is a fun way for baby to strengthen their arms and legs and improve their balance.

Ice Play.

Indoors or outside, spread a vinyl tablecloth. To play with the ice cubes, put them on the tablecloth and let the baby pick up and run after them.

Playing with Bubbles.

The baby will want to crawl and reach to pop the bubbles, and they will be very excited about it.

Crawl Tag.

Begin crawling away from your baby and look back to entice them to chase you. Also, you may start by tickling their toes and see if they run away so that you can start the chase!

Zig-Zag Obstacle Course

A miniature obstacle course can be made by putting colorful toys in a zig-zag shape. Help your baby from one end and watch them excitedly crawl and explore!

Texture Crawl.

Find safe textures for a baby and let them crawl and explore.

Tunnel Baby Game.

This is a fun game for babies because they can feel the leaves tickle as they pass through the tunnel—glue on feathers or yarn or paper snowflakes, or anything else that fits the time of year.

Baby Scavenger Hunt.

Begin by pointing out and naming a soft toy. Invite a baby to help you find another one you may have hidden or simply moved. Your baby might start crawling with you in two ways: right away or with some help from you.

Hide and Seek. Music Edition.

Encourage baby to find and play with a range of musical toys in an open area.

Box Tunnel.

Make a tunnel of cardboard boxes.

Photo Crawl.

Tape old calendar or magazine photos to the floor for a baby to examine.

Bubble Wrap Run.

Step on the bubble wrap to make it pop. Baby can go on their own, or you can make them chase a bubble-popping brother or sister.

Cushion Obstacle Course

The best way to let your baby explore the cushion mountain on their own is to hide toys in it. This is a fun way for baby to strengthen their arms and legs and improve their balance.

Play with Water Bottles

Play with the Water Bottles and have fun. Putting a water bottle on the ground helps teach an infant to crawl. Make the water shine with pom-poms or pasta, and watch the baby happily "chase" the rolling bottle.

Flashlight Play.

Play with a flashlight and encourage the baby to catch the light.

Paint and crawl.

In this case, Bambini Travel is responsible for the trip. Crawling lessons are messy, so why not enjoy them? Squirt some paint on the paper, or put some in take-out containers and watch your baby play with them.

• It might look like toddlers are just having fun, but they are actually hard at work learning critical physical skills. They learn how to control their muscles, balance, and coordinate their body parts as they grow. Each new ability helps kids accomplish more complicated physical tasks like jumping rope, kicking a ball on the run, or turning a cartwheel.
• Toddlers always want to accomplish more, which might encourage them to persevere until they have mastered a new ability, no matter how difficult it is.
• Make the most of your toddler's natural drive to move about. Even at this young age, children establish activity patterns that will last throughout their childhood. As a result, an active child is more likely to be active later in life.
• Curious and open to new
• Play most of the time alone.

Some Meaningful Play Ideas:

• Figure It Out (Child act animals out, Kids on the stage board game, Monkey Around)
• Path Games
• Sensory Games: Likes to dump, turn, knock down, stack, empty and fill
• Household Chores: Begin to do things like housecleaning, caretaking, cooking, and so on, like adults do, and start to copy them.
• Gross Motor Activities: Likes to climb and can manage small indoor steps

Techniques to support language while playing

• Follow the attention of the child and use it as a teachable moment
• Imitate vocalizations
• Interpret:
• Expanding and recasting
• Commenting and describing,
• Balanced turn-taking:
• Label things:
• Parallel talk, self-talk, taking turns, waiting for a response

Get Bubbly!

• Babies can’t help but be attracted to the shimmering movement of a bevy of bubbles. They also love to see them pop.
• Age: 6 to 18 months
• Equipment: Soap bubbles - store-bought or homemade
• Benefits: Encourages baby to practice some of the earliest consonant sounds - P, B and M - and to breathe more deeply.

How to Play

• As you blow the bubbles, talk about what's happening by repeating the words “up,” “pop,” “bubbles” and “more” in short phrases. (“Bubbles go up, up, up! Let’s pop them. Pop, pop! Look - bubbles! Do you want more bubbles? Yes! More bubbles!”)
• This game also encourages your baby to point to the bubbles and reach up to touch them. That helps open up her rib cage and in turn encourages deeper breathing and increased vocalization.

Get on the Bus!

• Turn “The Wheels on the Bus” and “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” into language games.
• Age: 6 to 24 months
• Equipment: Just you - and the lyrics if you don't know them, or a recording to sing along to
• Benefits: Songs paired with simple hand movements help children learn the natural cadence and rhythm of language as well as how to imitate gestures.

How to Play

• Show your baby how to perform the song's gestures by sitting in front of her and taking her hands in yours as you move them along to the words.
• She won’t sing back at first, but the important thing is that she's watching your mouth move.
• Later, leave off a word of the song and let her to chime in with what she’s learned.

Phone a Friend!

• The power of make-believe fuels language development.
• Age: 6 to 24 months
• Equipment: A play telephone or any object that even vaguely resembles a phone
• Benefits: Having a pretend conversation might feel silly to you, but it’s the perfect chance for your baby to practice turn-taking—an essential conversational skill.

How to Play

• Pick up the "telephone" and greet the caller with an animated “Hello!” Continue the conversation, offering your child the phone (“Here, it’s for you—say hi to Grandma!”). If he hands it back to you, say “Oh, it’s for Mama? A call for Mama?” to help your baby start to identify you by name.

The Right Puff!

• A simple game translates into crucial skill development.
• Age: 16 to 18 months
• Equipment: Cotton balls or colorful pom-poms. (Remember never to leave a child unsupervised when these small objects are within reach.)
• Benefits: Coordinating lips and lungs to blow air is a vital skill for making sounds - and it can be tricky for a baby at first. This game is a fun way to practice.

How to Play

• Place the cotton balls or pompoms on a table or the floor and show your baby how they move when you blow on them. Seeing them dance away will captivate him, and he’ll want to try and do it himself. You can use your fingers to help push his lips into a rounded position.

Hide and Seek!

• Looking forward to the day you hear your baby say, "Hi, Mama"?
• Age: 16 to 18 months
• Equipment: A favorite stuffed toy
• Benefits: In time, a game like this will help your baby learn how to call someone’s name to get his or her attention. Plus, the repetition of words promotes imitation and labeling, and uncovering a toy introduces the concept of object permanence (that people and things still exist even when they can’t be seen, heard or touched).

How to Play

• Hide the toy and go on a hunt for it. Call out as if you expect the toy to respond: “Bear! Where are you, bear?” Keep the phrase simple and use the same words every time so that your baby will find it easy to imitate you.

Give a Turn to Speak!

Give your baby a chance to "talk" while you play together. By pausing to let her answer (even if she doesn’t have any words yet), you’re letting her know that your turn is over and it’s her turn to make some noise.

Child-Directed Play

Child-directed play (CDP) is a one-on-one play where your child directs and leads. With minor age or developmental changes, CDP can be utilized with children aged 2 to 10. This type of play with your child has been proven to:

• Develop your child's self-direction and confidence.
• Boost language and social development in children
• Allow your child to enjoy your undivided attention without misbehaving.
• Boost the parent-child relationship

How to do CDP:

Observe when your child is having fun. Watch him or her. Get on the floor with your child and move with them.

Be a sportscaster

Describe your child's play the same way a radio sports commentator would describe an exciting game. For instance, you may remark, "There goes the truck over the bridge." You do not have to recount every detail, and you will want to concentrate on appropriate child behavior.

Praise your kid

As he or she is playing, focusing on particular actions that you wish to foster. For example, instead of saying, "Good work," you may add, "You are really being cautious with those bricks." Try to remark on what your kid is doing and how he or she is doing it: "I notice you are building those blocks really carefully."

Mimic your child's play

Try to mimic your child's play activities. For example, if your kid was constructing a tower out of blocks, you may comment, "Great idea. "I am going to construct a tower as well!"

Expand Their Words.

Repeat what your kid has just stated in more detail. For example, if your youngster says, "There is the bus," you may respond, "Oh, the long, yellow bus is coming up the hill." This is a fantastic approach to assist a young kid to learn additional words without having to teach them directly. Make an effort to reiterate what you have said without turning it into a question

Let Them Play

Allow your child to play with toys in any non-harmful manner. Remember that there is no one correct method to play with a toy.

Things to avoid when a child directs the play

• Giving play or toy-related directions, such as "Do not pull out the blocks yet."
• Micromanaging your child's play. Stop offering the youngster your play ideas and let him or her take the lead.
• Quiz your youngster (for example, "What color is that?") "Do you know where I can get a blue car?").
• Asking Questions. "Do you not want to construct a tower?" This might be a subtly powerful or instructive tactic.
• Playing competitive games at this moment. These may become tangled up in competition, rule-following, and power battles.

Tips for Success

• Try this form of play with your kid at least once a week for no more than 10 to 15 minutes each time.
• Choose a convenient time for your kid that does not conflict with other activities.
• Choose a quiet spot with no TV, other children, or other distractions.
• Explain to your kid that this is his or her "special time when I will just play with you."
• Tell your child how long you'll be playing with them and give them a heads-up when just a minute or two remain. It might be helpful to set a timer so that your kid knows when the time is up.
• Stop CDP if the game gets abusive or hazardous. "This is not safe. Therefore we are going to stop playing immediately," you may say. We will give it another go tomorrow." Then be sure to try the following day again. This is an opportunity for your child to learn.
• Ignore minor issues (arguing, complaining, or bossy play) by halting your game and looking away. Restart only once the undesired activity has stopped. The main point is to disregard minor misconduct (as long as it is safe).
• Reward positive conduct as soon as it returns. The objective is to catch your kid doing something positive!
• If you wait two or three minutes or overlook undesirable conduct and your kid does not stop, you should discontinue CDP. Simply try the following day again!

The cat in a bag

Put various items in a bag or an empty tissue box and allow your toddler to reach in and feel them identify what they are or find "something bumpy."

Make Bookmarks

Make bookmarks with your child using strips of construction paper and a selection of stickers.

“I spy” Senses

Play games like “I spy” that involve her senses. Give her objects to smell and words to describe them. “Sweet orange smell.”

Encourage Physical Play·

Encourage her to crawl, hop, jump, and run like a bug, cricket, squirrel, or dog. “Let's crawl slowly like a turtle,” you say.

Toddler's Blueprint

Trace the outline of your toddler's body on a large sheet of paper (you can use a brown paper bag to do this). Color the face, hair, and garments all at the same time.

Paint the Sidewalk

Use sponges, paintbrushes, and roller brushes to "paint" the sidewalk, driveway, and other areas with water. Play with water and sidewalk chalk to see what you can come up with.

Sensory Stimuli

Provide a variety of sensory stimuli by using feathers, huge shells, pinecones, and items with different colors or lights. Make a list of sounds you hear while walking, such as the wind in the trees, a cat's meows, rain dropping into a puddle, or a bird singing.

ART SKILLS

Toddler's Creative Expression

The creative expression relates to your child's capacity to express themselves through dance, singing, music, theatre, and painting. Children who are allowed to express themselves via art develop their imagination and inventiveness. Creative expression helps your child learn problem-solving skills and better understand the world. She will like discussing her artwork and naming her favorite pictures and music. Your child will learn from others' art. She will be able to see how others express themselves via art.

Explore Materials

Your child may play with art materials as she grows and learns new skills. Ensure the materials and resources used are safe for your toddler. She will enjoy combining simple materials to create new art. Describe the shapes, colors, and textures in her work.

Explore Colors

Children as young as two use their senses to explore the world, so why not help them learn about colors while having fun with foam? Spray shaving cream on a cookie sheet. Place food coloring in various areas, describing the colors as you go. Then let your child color and design in the foam. Cleanup is simple!

Bring Music and Dance

This age group enjoys pretending and moving. Playing music with varying rhythms, beats, and instruments helps your child distinguish distinct musical types. Dance together to various music and discuss how it makes you feel. This will help her learn music.

Paint with Sponges

Cover your work surface with newspaper or a vinyl tablecloth before painting (and your child in an old T-shirt). Cut a clean sponge into shapes. Dab the sponge with paint on paper or cardboard. Encourage your child to experiment with different angles and pressures.

Fun and useful Activities

For gross motor skills

• Playing catch with a large ball. (Start by handing the ball to your child. Progress to gentle tosses from 2 to 5 feet away. Your child will likely catch the ball by trapping it against his or her body. If your child has trouble, use a beach ball or a balloon, since these move more slowly.)
• Throwing a ball from a short distance.
• Playing “soccer,” which helps your child learn to kick a ball.
• Standing on one foot “like a flamingo.”
• Playing “red light, green light” and other running games that require fast stops or changes in direction.
• Jumping like a frog or bunny, jumping over small objects, or jumping off the bottom stair or a curb. (Hold your child’s hand until he or she is comfortable and safe while jumping.)
• Climbing on small, safe furniture or play equipment. You might make a “fort” and let your child practice climbing in it.
• Pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying to build your child’s strength. Place favorite items in a backpack for your child to wear. Or load up a child’s grocery cart for the child to push around.
• Riding a trike (tricycle). Your child may start by pushing forward with his or her feet. By 30 months, help your child start using the pedals.
• Go on a neighborhood walk. Let your child stop to check out what’s interesting to her.
• Play “island hop.” Line up pieces of paper on the floor and help your child jump from one to the next.

Fine motor

Fine motor activities for children between the ages of 24 and 30 months include stacking small objects that can fit in the palm of one hand (cubes, little Tupperware, blocks of any shape), coloring at least three times daily as part of the routine, coloring with your children and getting them to imitate what you do, picking up small objects like cheerios.

• Copying lines and circles.
• Coloring with broken crayons on an easel (or another upright surface).
• Stringing beads or stacking Cheerios on a straw.
• Playing with puzzle boards. Start with puzzle pieces that don’t interlock, then progress to pieces that do.
• Playing with building blocks, Duplos and other toys that require the use of your child’s hands.

Emotional development

Developmental expectations include having a wider range of emotions (affection, pleasure, anger, fear, nervousness, anxiety, jealousy) and having good and appropriate emotional expressions (emotions match what is happening). 24- to 30-month-olds can make different faces to show their emotions. They can read stories about feelings and emotions, name their own emotions when they have them, and let their kids play with other kids their age. They should not be afraid to show their emotions.

Cognitive development.

Cut out pictures of favorite or familiar things. Put them into categories, like things to ride on, things to eat, and things to play with. Make silly pictures by mixing and matching pictures. Glue a picture of a dog behind the wheel of a car. Talk about what is wrong with the picture and ways to "fix" it.

Social development

The developmental expectations include the ability to engage in cooperative play with children their age, grasp how to take turns, and accomplish most tasks independently (dressing, using a spoon, using a cup, answering, and asking questions). To foster social skills at this age, you can do things like go to library storytime, playgroups, or have play dates with other kids their age. You can also play cooperatively with your child, use words like "sharing," "please," "thank you," "more," and "help," and give them age-appropriate chores to do every day.

For sensory development

• Playing with Play-Doh, sandboxes and finger paints.
• Walking barefoot through grass or on a sandy beach.
• Swimming and playing in water.
• Doing “heavy work” such as climbing, jumping, lifting, pushing, animals crawls and crab walks.
• Give your child verbal or visual warnings before moving on to a new activity.

For self-help skills

Children are often ready

• For toilet training at this age.
• Help put on his or her clothes.
• Feed him- or herself with a spoon and fork.
• Try drinking from an open cup.
• Help with bathing and teeth brushing.

Make a book

Have your child pick out the stuffed animals that he or she likes the best, then. Make a book with images of the animals. Let your child "read" you the story from the book.

Make face paint.

Mix half a cup of cold cream with two Tbsp. of cornstarch and stir until it's smooth. Fill empty egg cartons with the mixture, and then add food coloring to them. It is a good idea to make your child look like his or her favorite animal or character. Get your hands dirty!

Fun Together

Make a storybook

Have your child pick out the stuffed animals that he or she likes the best, then. Make a book with images of the animals. Let your child "read" you the story from the book.

Fire Safety

Tell your child about fire safety and how to avoid matches, lighters, candles and stoves. A fire can happen anytime, so talk about what to do and try it out with your child.

Washing a Baby.

Let your child wash a baby doll in a plastic tub, or bring a baby doll into his bath. Name the doll’s body parts as he washes the baby: “You’re washing the baby’s hands.” Let your child know what a good job he is doing taking care of the baby.

I Spy.

Play it in the car, bus, or while walking. Say, “I spy with my little eye a yellow bus.”

Your kid attempts to figure out what you saw. His turn to spy comes next. Remember to spy on things your kid can see. You can also add, "I hear with my little ear..." Listen for motorcycle, vehicle horn, bird, dog, or radio sounds.

When You Were Little.

Tell your child stories about when he was little: “When you were first born…” or “When you were a little baby…” Your child will love to hear these stories again and again.

What’s that Sound?

Turn off the television and other electronics, and listen with your child to sounds around your home. Listen to the refrigerator motor, wind chimes, a clock ticking, or people talking. Ask your child to tell you what she hears. Try this at night. Listen for the night sounds of crickets, frogs, or cars beeping. Whisper to each other about what you hear.

Dinner Report.

At the end of a busy day, let everyone talk about his or her day. Ask your child to tell the family what she did during the day. Let her take her time. You might remind her if she forgets some events. Soon she will learn to tell what happened in the right order. Say, “Thanks for telling us about your day!”

ART SKILLS

• Make Art Part of Playtime
• Keep a box of crayons and spare paper handy. Tape the paper to the table so it doesn't move while they draw. Play a variety of music and observe your child's reactions. Move outside with a chubby sidewalk chalk box!

Read Wordless Picture Books

Wordless picture books teach that pictures mean something. Ask your library for ideas or build your own using magazine images. Take turns telling stories!

Splatter Painting

This is a great activity for all ages! Lay down an old white sheet, butcher paper, or poster board. If it's windy, weigh the covers with rocks. Then all you need is watered-down tempera paint or liquid watercolors in plastic containers and a brush collection. Dip a brush in paint and dribble it across the sheet, or flick it across the surface to send it splattering.

Paint with Feet

Toddlers explore and create with their whole body. Cover the floor with large overlapping paper (you can even get rolls of paper at a crafts store). Then fill a shallow pan with washable paint and let your child paint with his feet!

Make Your Own Bathtub Paint

Art can happen in the tub!

Color shaving cream with food coloring and put to muffin pans or recyclable plastic containers. Let your kid paint the tile with a brush or his hands.

Blow Painting with Straws

Cut a straw in half and insert a pin into the center (so your child can blow out but will be unlikely to suck in). Then put the heavy paper on a baking dish or another surface with sides. Fill tiny dishes with water and food coloring. Transfer a color to the paper with a spoon or a dropper. Then blow into the paint drops, producing patterns and color mixtures. Add more colors till your child is pleased!

Explore Colors

Children as young as two use their senses to explore the world, so why not help them learn about colors while having fun with foam? Spray shaving cream on a cookie sheet. Place food coloring in various areas, describing the colors as you go. Then let your child color and design in the foam. Cleanup is simple!

Paint with Sponges

Cover your work surface with newspaper or a vinyl tablecloth before painting (and your child in an old T-shirt). Cut a clean sponge into shapes. Dab the sponge with paint on paper or cardboard. Encourage your child to experiment with different angles and pressures.

Dressing up

Pretending to be someone else is a fantastic way to have fun and speak. Dressing up your child for enjoyment can help them learn how to dress themselves. It is simple to sneak in some training with the hard-to-reach zippers, armholes, and buttons.

Play games with math

You and your child can play these games together to work on math skills and build your child's confidence. Most kids love playing games, and it is a simple way to help them learn.

Use toys that mimic real world

Playing with toys that mimic real activities (farm sets, kitchen sets, dollhouses, play tools). Talk to your child while you play together. Start with simple, two-word sentences like “Cow walking” or “Cooking pizza.”

Use pretend play in challenging situations

Use pretend to play to help your child handle challenging situations. You might act out a story together about meeting a new babysitter.

Teach new words

Keep teaching your child new words so that they can speak them. Say a new word and explain what it means or use it in a way that makes sense to him. For example, instead of "car," you may say "vehicle." You can tell, "I think I will drive the vehicle to the store. I'm too exhausted to walk." Name body parts and describe their functions in your home or target language. "These are my hands. I can clap with them."

Sing counting songs

Singing helps kids learn to speak, listen, and enjoy words. Songs like "1, 2, 3, 4, 5... I once caught a live fish" can help your child learn numbers. Some songs, like "Ten Green Bottles" and "Three Little Frogs," are reversed, which helps young children learn about addition and subtraction. Using your fingers as counters might help you connect numbers and quantity

Cook together

You can start talking about arithmetic by counting eggs in a cake recipe or adding or subtracting toppings on a pizza. Allow children to pour liquids or flour to improve eye-hand coordination. Plus, you both get a sweet surprise at the end!

Other Ideas

• Since a child can use one object to stand in for another. A shoebox may become a bed for my stuffed hippo. Let your child lead the play. Ask: Whom should I be? What will happen next?
• Sometimes they get scared. they are getting better at using their imagination but are often not sure what’s real and what’s pretend. Respond sensitively to your child’s fears. Explain what is real and pretend. This builds trust and security.
• Assist your child in recovering from a temper tantrum. Some toddlers are soothed when they are hugged. Others appreciate having some time alone in a safe, peaceful environment.
• Recognize emotions while also teaching social skills: I know the doll stroller is your favorite toy, but Peter would want to take a turn pushing it.
• Ask about your child’s ideas: What part of the book did you like?
• Singing simple songs such as “Old MacDonald” and the “Wheels on the Bus.” Urge your child to sing with you and follow the hand and body movements.

ART SKILLS

Make Art Part of Playtime

Keep a box of crayons and spare paper handy. Tape the paper to the table so it doesn't move while they draw. Play a variety of music and observe your child's reactions. Move outside with a chubby sidewalk chalk box!

Read Wordless Picture Books

Wordless picture books teach that pictures mean something. Ask your library for ideas or build your own using magazine images. Take turns telling stories!

Splatter Painting

This is a great activity for all ages! Lay down an old white sheet, butcher paper, or poster board. If it's windy, weigh the covers with rocks. Then all you need is watered-down tempera paint or liquid watercolors in plastic containers and a brush collection. Dip a brush in paint and dribble it across the sheet, or flick it across the surface to send it splattering.

Paint with Feet

Toddlers explore and create with their whole body. Cover the floor with large overlapping paper (you can even get rolls of paper at a crafts store). Then fill a shallow pan with washable paint and let your child paint with his feet!

Make Your Own Bathtub Paint

Art can happen in the tub! Color shaving cream with food coloring and put to muffin pans or recyclable plastic containers. Let your kid paint the tile with a brush or his hands.

Blow Painting with Straws

Cut a straw in half and insert a pin into the center (so your child can blow out but will be unlikely to suck in). Then put the heavy paper on a baking dish or another surface with sides. Fill tiny dishes with water and food coloring. Transfer a color to the paper with a spoon or a dropper. Then blow into the paint drops, producing patterns and color mixtures. Add more colors till your child is pleased! 

Memory games

• Make fun of "Kim's game." Place objects, letters, pictures, and words (alternatively, a crayon, an apple, a building brick, a toy car) on a tray, show them to the child, cover them up, and have them name the items. You can also remove one, two, three, and so on. The kid must guess what has been taken away.
• Talk about, take photos of, or write down some "events" that you and your child did together. Can your child remember the correct order?
• Make a list before you go shopping and try to keep it together (next time without looking)

Listening games

• Play "Simon Says" and other similar games. Party games are an excellent method to practice speaking, listening, and memory skills without drilling your child.
• Listen to some music and discuss the instruments that are used. Look for images of instruments together on the internet.

Sing counting songs

• Singing helps kids learn to speak, listen, and enjoy words. Songs like "1, 2, 3, 4, 5... Once I caught a fish live" can help your child learn numbers. Some songs, like "Ten Green Bottles" and "Three Little Frogs," are reversed, which helps young children learn about addition and subtraction. Using your fingers as counters might help you connect numbers and quantity.

Rhyming games.

• Rhyming stories, such as Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo, are fun to listen to and participate in. Sing an action rhyme or play rhyming games.
• Make silly jokes that rhyme. It could be like this: What do you call a stench-y elephant? A stinkyphant! An elephant that is watching TV is called a tellyphant! Play similar games in your home languages.

Action games

• Home theater. Make a stage with cardboard boxes or a towel over a chair. Ask your child to make up or tell a story and show it to you or other family members.
• Dress up with clothes and props. Let your child recreate and act out their favorite character from a book or show by dressing up. Charity shops have a lot of cheap things you can use to dress up.
• You can play games like "What is the time, Mr. Wolf?" but instead of saying the times, write them down so they can read them. The players should chant to play the game, "What is the time, Mr. Wolf?" and the wolf responds with a time. On the hopscotch court, participants hop that many spaces forward. If "Mr. Wolf" replies, "It's dinner time," the players try to escape back to the start of the hopscotch court before being captured.

Properties and Names.

• Fill a box with recognizable items. Take one out and ask your child to tell you its name and how to use it. "It's my ball. It bounces back to me. I have fun with it."

Tactile games

• Use magnetic letters of your minority language to spell names and simple words on a fridge or heater.
• You can use modeling clay or Play-Doh to spell your child's name or simple words like "mom."
• Board Game Scrabble Junior is a lot of fun!

Car games for the road

• Play a noisy version of the vehicle game "Who can spot what?" Before you begin, make sure you talk with the driver first. It is a fun game! Make a noise, or say anything, when you see the things you are looking for. "Bang!" would be the name of a yellow car, and "Buzzz" would be the name of a bus. "Wow!" would be the name of a bird.
• Play "I spy." A guessing game in which one player (the spy or it) picks an object within sight and says to the other participants, "I spy with my little eye, something yellow, big, beginning with..." specifying the object's first letter, or color and size. Other players try to figure out what this thing is.
• Listen to an audiobook.

Out-and-about activities

• When shopping, ask your child to help you find the items you need by reading product labels together.
• Look for special activities or groups at your local library or community center if you live near one.
• If you have the opportunity, go on a field trip and plan the trip together by gathering the information.

Play pretend plays with your child, like "House."

• Allow her to play the parent while you play the child.
• Talk about the rooms and furniture in the house.

Describe Photos.

• Kids enjoy looking at images of friends, familiar places, and memorable experiences. Share stories and memories while browsing images on your phone or in an album! Then talk about who they are and what happened to them. Make up new stories.
• Make a “My Family Traditions” Book.

Have fun with Reading 

At the age of four, many children still like picture books, but they also can enjoy readings that challenge and broaden their minds. Some kids are ready for chapter books due to their increased attention span and focus. Make the most of this developmental opportunity to introduce children to chapter books.

Develop the habit of reading.

When reading is consistent, it brings the most substantial results for vocabulary and knowledge development. The most important thing to remember is that you should not abandon your reading habit just because school is starting. It is still one of the most enjoyable activities you can share with your child.

Repetition is key.

Your kid probably has a few favorite books that they request often. It is expected, so do not be upset if they ask you to "read again." They also enjoy making assumptions and asking questions. Try to come up with fresh questions to ask about the old story. "What would Anna do if she had not met Christoph?" is one example.

Take turns reading aloud.

Allow your child to participate in the reading process or even take it over. You can ask to spell individual letters, letter combinations, and words. Do not interrupt them if they start reading the text on a page before you do. Allow them to decide when to stop.

Talk about stories.

Stories can be a great way to start a great conversation with your child. When you have finished the book, ask your child what they liked and did not like, and if they seem interested, broaden the discussion to include other themes. Discuss the moon and stars and why they appear at night if you have read a narrative about space. Discuss where you could discover animals in the world if you have read about them. Connect reading with the craft, drawing, scientific activities, and possibly a themed field trip. Some of the topics or questions from the books may lead to scientific explorations.

Look for matching books in your languages.

Some books are cultural and available in one language only. They may represent culturally specific stories and traditional values (usual folktales from different cultures), and most likely, they have no translation into other languages. However, many books were translated into almost every language (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, etc.). Many topics are common, and you can find literature about them in all languages (science-related books about space, earth, animals, and geography, for example, include similar information). Using the same books in different languages allows your child to balance home and community language vocabulary. Read dialogically the story in your strongest language first, ask questions, and discuss the main idea and characters. Then read the same book in a weaker home language. Because the plot is already familiar to your child, they will inevitably focus on new words.

Make it a practice to read literature about the same subject in several languages.

• It primarily serves one purpose: to reconcile your child's vocabulary in each language. Furthermore, regardless of whether you decide to immerse your child in one language at a time or use translanguage, which involves multiple languages simultaneously, the benefits of reading the same topic in other languages will appear soon. Match topics they study at school in your target language. Read similar information in your home language. Luckily lots of books are available online now and if you do not find literature, read a Wikipedia article about the topic of interest. It improves both conceptual understanding and minority language development.

Introduce Chapter Books

At this age, children are ready and benefit from longer stories. Although books should still include pictures, it is also helpful to introduce chapter books with more extended text portions and fewer pictures. It helps children improve their memory and imagination while preparing them for independent reading. It may be challenging to begin introducing chapter books right away. Another challenge with chapter books is that the plot has a complex structure, and the storyline does not end until you finish reading the book. As a result, children must retain the storyline for a while. Begin by taking baby steps.

• Begin reading one passage at a time first. If you see that your child can focus longer, progressively increase the number of passages read per session until you reach one page or chapter.
• When reading a piece, though, try to keep logic in mind. Do not come to a complete stop in the middle of an act or a dialogue. Recalling the previous reading would be considerably more complicated if the scene or action was incomplete the last time.
• Always begin your reading with a quick review of what you have already read. I recommend reading every day to keep the plot fresh in the child's head.
• Because chapter books for kids have more advanced language, feel free to pause and ask your child what the word means if they do not know. Although children frequently deduce meaning from text, it is always a good idea to double-check comprehension.
• Allow your children to do something else while they are listening to you. Sitting still and listening is boring and against a child's nature, allow them to walk around, play, draw, or do anything they want.
• Always make reading a pleasurable experience rather than a chore.
• Choose age-appropriate literature that will catch their attention. If the book appears to be boring, move on to another one.

Include more science, relationship-related books, and quality comic books.

• Most kids struggle with making friends at this age, and it would be beneficial for them to read stories that reflect their internal struggles.
• Science-related comic books are good because they visually introduce complex scientific topics, leading to further investigations and exploration. We discovered science comics when my daughter was at the age of four. They initiated the transition from short stories for preschoolers to chapter books and more serious science articles. Of course, each child is individual, but if you see your kid is interested and can sit longer listening, give the chapter books a try.

Free Online Libraries

• A Collection of Concise Folktale Plots for Student Retelling by Heather Forest
• Folktales From the world
• World of Tales
• Free Online stories

Five-year-olds are fun to be with. They have excellent language abilities and like sharing their thoughts and tales. They are problem solvers who want to know “how” and “why” things work. Their reading, writing, math, and social and emotional skills are improving. They are forming the behaviors they will need to succeed in school and beyond with the help of loving adults.

Language acquisition is nearly complete, with the majority of 5-year-olds becoming native speakers of at least one language. In the case of balanced multilinguals, we will notice a solid command of all languages, with a dominant one that may or may not be the language of the environment. This year, the majority of 5-year-olds will attend school, making literacy a crucial issue. It is also a time when many parents start losing their control

Gross motor skills

• Develop ball skills with a smaller ball
• Improve hopscotch and jump rope skills
• Bike on two wheels
• Run up and down the stairs.
• Swimming, roller skating, ice skating, and other activities will be available to children in middle childhood.
• Activities like kickball and team relay races are fun.

Fine motor skills

• Use one hand for fine motor skills.
• Learn to print letters, then numbers, and words.
• Keep printing neatly within the lines by 7 years.
• Cut art projects on the lines
• Color within the lines
• Draw identifiable pictures
• Start opening packages by herself
• Get dressed by himself, including most fasteners (shoelaces may still be hard)
• Cut soft foods with a fork and knife.

Cognitive skills

• Develop foundational skills in reading, writing, and basic mathematics.
• Answer who, what, when, where, and why questions
• Know her entire name, age, and address
• Follow 2-3 step instructions (e.g., go to the kitchen, look in the cupboard by the stove, and get me a trash bag)
• Focus on one aspect of a situation. Like believing a tall, narrow soda bottle holds more than a short, wide one.

How much physical activity do they need?

The National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) recommends that children from 12 to 36 months undertake the following daily:

• 30 minutes of organized physical exercise (adult-led) and 60 minutes of free workout (free play)
• They should not stay motionless for more than an hour at a time unless they are sleeping. This is a lot of effort for parents and caregivers but getting enough movement play for toddlers is crucial.
• Remember that your toddler is constantly learning as they move.

Social-Emotional Development

As they grow socially and emotionally, school-age children need an environment where:

• Values their individuality.
• Rules and home guidelines are well defined (e.g., when you speak each language, free play time, homework and chores time, screen time, etc.). They're old enough to participate in planning and making decisions about how they want to spend their time. Make a poster with the guidelines and place it in a high-visibility place (like a fridge). Make sure to identify consequences and rewards for non/following them.
• Let kids express themselves and be heard. Your kids frequently address social issues at this age. Become a reliable adult from whom your kid can get advice.
• Show care and acceptance for your child's ups and downs. Display their works and achievements.
• School-aged kids can help younger kids in both language and skills transfer.
• Have a zero-tolerance policy on bullying. Remember that bullying affects both victims and perpetrators. Some children and adolescents suffer from bullying. It might happen in school or on social media. Keep yourself informed about local resources for children and families dealing with addiction. You may be aware of incidents causing concern among school-aged kids. Never disregard a child's fears of being bullied. Learn more about bullying prevention and response at stopbullying.gov.
• Compare his performance to others.
• Feel more comfortable going to other places without you, like a relative's or a friend's house.
• Develop their social skills by playing with other kids in different contexts.
• Ability to converse without your help
• Want to be around you more at 5 than 4. By age 8, he will enjoy being around his classmates.
• Start caring about how other kids perceive him
• Wants to please his friends
• wants to be like his friends
• Is more prone to follow rules
• Enjoys singing, dancing, and acting.
• Is aware of gender
• Can tell what is real and what is made up
• Becomes more independent
• Is both demanding and cooperative at times.
• Although school-aged children appear to be more socially and emotionally mature than younger children, they nonetheless make mistakes in communication with others and mastery of the languages. To be able to talk about them, you should work on creating bonds with your child and a secure, emotional environment.

Activities for the development of social skills

Empathy.

Empathy is a skill that may be developed and strengthened through practice. Empathy refers to imagining what another person is thinking or feeling and then responding with compassion. Three-year-olds are beginning to recognize that other people have different thoughts, feelings, likes, and dislikes than they do. They are also starting to realize that their actions have an impact on others' feelings (e.g., "If I grab a friend's toy, she will get upset or sad.")

How to strengthen your child's empathy skills

Model empathy

by paying attention to your children's feelings and responding with kindness. For instance, you could say, "When you heard thunder, you panicked. When thunder sounds, it can make you feel afraid. You can sit on my lap for a while."

Read Stories.

According to studies, reading fiction increases empathy. Picture books are a great way to show kids different cultures and talk to them about the problems people have both at home and around the world. While reading, pause to ask questions such as, "How do you think she feels right now?" or "What do you think he needs?"

Engage in Pretend Play.

When children take on different imaginative roles ― from parent to superhero to a favorite story character ― they quite literally practice putting themselves in someone else's shoes. Dress-up clothes, dolls and stuffed animals can be tools kids use to engage in this type of play.

Talk About Your Thoughts and Feelings.

According to research, when parents talk about how they are thinking and feeling, it helps their children's "theory of mind" development. In other words, it shows them that you have distinct feelings that may be different than theirs in a given moment. During the course of a day, try saying, "Right now I feel happy because . . ." or "I feel frustrated because . . ." or "Right now I am thinking about . . . and that makes me feel . . ."

Friendship

Good friends provide us with support from childhood through adulthood. It takes practice to learn how to be a good friend ― practice being kind, supportive, trustworthy, and a good listener. These are skills kids begin to learn at an early age. For a three-year-old, a friend is usually someone in close proximity who is engaging in a similar activity. They can begin to understand the concept of taking turns with toys or playground equipment and responding to the feelings of others. These are building blocks for future friendships!

Talk About Friendship.

Help children draw the connection between their kind, cooperative behavior, and friendship. For young children, this might sound like, "Can you share your blocks with your friends? It's nice to share with friends"; "You gave your friend a hug when she was crying! That helped her feel better"; or “Let's help our friends clean up before we go home ― it's nice to help our friends." As the Daniel Tiger song reminds us, "Friends help each other. Yes, they do, it's true."

Be Sensitive to Temperament.

A child's basic temperament is hard-wired. Some children are more cautious than others, eager to observe before diving in. Some children are more naturally comfortable with big groups and new social settings. If your child is on the introverted side of the scale, they might need support in learning how to interject themselves into a group at the park, and they may prefer smaller playdates to big group activities. If your child is on the extroverted side of the scale, they may need reminders about reaching out and listening to the ideas of children who are less bold about speaking up. And all children need alone time sometimes to wind down and enjoy their own thoughts.

Social Problem Solving.

At age three, social conflict can arise when one child takes a toy from another or makes a startling noise. In other words, conflict emerges as kids physically and emotionally "bump into each other" in confusing ways.

Talk About Your Thoughts and Feelings.

Role Play. Using stuffed animals, act out short scenarios together. For example, one animal could grab a toy away from another animal. Show and talk about how that made the animals feel. Then show them sharing with each other. Use this technique to talk about healthy ways to express their feelings and interact with others. 

“Tell a Grown-Up.”

From an early age, remind children that there are times they can solve problems on their own, but there are also times when it's very important to get help from a parent, teacher or trusted adult. If they feel unsafe, if someone is hurting them physically or emotionally, if they see someone else being hurt or if they have tried to solve a situation independently but it didn't work, they should "tell an adult."

Talk About Cause and Effect.

Help very young children draw a connection between their actions, their feelings, and the feelings of others. "You were mad at your brother. He took your toy! Then you hit your brother. Now you are both mad and sad." Then help them imagine how better choices will change those feelings. "Let's play puzzles together. We all love puzzles and feel better when we share."

ART SKILLS

Make Art Part of Playtime

Keep a box of crayons and spare paper handy. Tape the paper to the table so it doesn't move while they draw. Play a variety of music and observe your child's reactions. Move outside with a chubby sidewalk chalk box!

The stained glass window exercise

• Take a color or black and white picture, and a thick black felt pen. Use the transparent sheet, stained glass, or tracing paper and place it on top of the picture. Outline the main shapes with the pen.
• You want to get down to a few shapes. Try to combine shapes by not paying attention to small things.
• This exercise will help your kid become more aware of different shapes (size, orientation) and how they work together.

Object transformation

• Cut an ordinary object from a picture.
• Stick it on some paper.
• Draw or paint something with the object as a starting point, then add other things to it.
• Objects can't be used to show what they are, like when you use a cup to show someone holding it. In this case, it would be too simple and boring to do.

Charcoal fun

• For this project, you will need a piece of smooth drawing paper, one charcoal stick, an eraser, and a fixative (if desired).
• When you take the piece of paper, use charcoal to make it dark and thick.
• Use an eraser to get rid of the charcoal so that the light areas show up. Then you can draw a landscape, a figure, or a picture.

3 strikes and you are done

• Use a blank comic book or sheets with empty squares. You can only make three lines (or circles or points) for each square or three points in each square. It doesn't matter where you start. When you put your pen down, that's the end of your line.
• Stop when you touch a side of the square.
• Repeat this process for each of the 15 squares. All of the squares should be unique.