A toddler's brain is like a sponge. Parents can teach their toddlers better by engaging their senses. Therefore, it is important for parents to provide fun and educational sensory activities for toddlers to maximize and ready their skills for the future.
"Children (and adults) learn best and retain the most information when they engage their senses," PBS shares. Engaging a toddler's senses can entertain them and help develop their fine and gross motor skills. Pop Sugar shared some of the best sensory activities for toddlers.
1. Finger painting
Could finger painting uncover a #tech genius in your #kindergarten kid? https://t.co/UgpWXeWxFa#ausbiz #education pic.twitter.com/KIrX14CxCB
— Financial Review (@FinancialReview) March 30, 2016
Finger painting is one of the most creative sensory activities for toddlers. It can help boost their art skills, appreciation for colors, creativity and imagination. Just make sure to prevent your toddler from putting the painting materials in her mouth and eyes.
2. Play dough
How to make @PEEPSBrand Play Dough on MM blog! Fun to do with the kids or big kids ;) https://t.co/XCSeRjeqMX pic.twitter.com/0btfZMFVzb — Marla Meridith (@MarlaMeridith) March 26, 2016
"Toddlers love squishing and molding play dough, which encourages fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination," Pop Sugar shares. "Instead of heading to the store, mix up your own batch." Squishing and molding play dough can also help toddlers understand the importance of using their hands to affect changes in their environment.
3. Goop
A few snaps of the Daisies having fun with goop! It's great making spiders & slimy monsters https://t.co/ZWCmHMiGZ5 pic.twitter.com/VoHR6tt5nV
— Birkwood Primary (@BirkwoodPrimary) January 7, 2016
Squishing and playing with a slimy goop will be greatly enjoyed by your toddlers. The ingredients needed for making slimy goop for your toddlers to play with are corn starch, glue, water and food coloring, according to Pop Sugar.
4. Collage
Last week of post-it art @LakelandSchool. Thanks Ms. Koterba & young artists for this amazing collage of sketches! pic.twitter.com/648tCiFiXb — MsWatsonSciClass (@WatsonSciClass) March 20, 2016
Creating a collage is an effective way to boost your toddler's creativity and imagination. All you need are glue, magazine pages and different colors of scrap paper to make a collage with your toddler.
The key to creating art with toddlers is to not be a perfectionist. Nothing is off limits, just let your toddler's imagination fly.
5. Colored Rice
Love this! Guangxi Zhuang food, five-colored sticky #rice colored by natural plant via Pin https://t.co/G0SuHDrQB3 pic.twitter.com/74ugrEez6S
— ChinaMemo (@ChinaMemo) March 22, 2016
Dying rice using different colors is a fun way to help kids develop their understanding about the different primary and secondary colors. You will need dried rice, food coloring, paper towels, plate and a plastic container with a lid for this sensory activity, according to Learning 4 Kids.
What other fun sensory activities for toddlers do you know about? Do not hesitate to share them in the comments section below.
