It is common for parents to worry about how they can keep their 2-year-old entertained. If your little one is like most kids their age, they will be curious and energetic. Luckily for you, there are many activities for toddlers that you can do with your child at home or outdoor that won’t take too much time or effort on your part.
Outdoor Activities for 2-Year-Olds
Outdoor and physical activities are a great way to get your toddler active and moving. Their physical development will be enhanced while they have the opportunity to explore their environment through these fun games.
1. Pass a ball
Simply passing and tossing the ball will keep your 2-year-old entertained for hours. You can stand on opposite ends and have your child pass the ball to you. This simple activity is also a good way to work on their hand-eye coordination.
Skills learned: teamwork, motor planning, hand-eye coordination
2. Pouring water in cups
Kids love playing with water, and this activity is perfect for keeping them entertained and providing them with hours of fun. You need to prepare a bucket with water, spoon and empty cups. Let your child get water from the pail which is placed far from the cup using the spoon. They should fill the cups by repeatedly doing this process.
Skills learned: fine motor skills, balance, hand-eye coordination
3. Playing in the sandbox
This is a classic outdoor activity that toddlers love. Fill a sandbox with different materials like toys, small stones and let your child explore. Let them identify what is hidden in the sand.
Skills learned: sensory exploration, fine motor skills, self-awareness
4. Watering the plants
If you are fond of gardening, include your energetic toddler in this activity. Get them a small watering can and help them water the plants. They will love being part of the gardening process.
Skills learned: following instructions, motor planning, hand-eye coordination
5. Planting a seed
Just starting with your little garden? Allow your child to plant a seed and watch it sprout. This activity for toddlers will help them learn about nurturing something from its start to fruition.
Skills learned: sense of accomplishment, self-esteem, caregiving skill development
6. Sidewalk Chalk
This is a fun activity if your neighbourhood has children that’s almost the same age with your toddler. Draw hopscotch grids, racetracks and anything your child’s imagination can think of. Let the kids draw various pictures and characters using chalk on your driveway or front steps.
Skills learned: creative thinking, social interaction skills and fine motor skills
7. Taking them on a bush walk
Let your kids explore the surroundings and collect treasures like fallen leaves, pretty stones and feathers. This activity for kids allows them to observe wildlife and learn about their environment.
Skills learned: observational skills, appreciation for nature, eye-hand coordination
Indoor Activities for 2-Year-Olds
8. Trace the body
If your 2-year-old has a sibling, this is a fantastic activity for them to bond and learn. You will need cardboard box and a marker for this. Let the other child lay their back on the cardboard and your 2-year-old will draw the contours of their sibling’s body. Because the outlining process needs a lot of attention, it should inspire kids to practice self-control, which is needed for lengthy periods of sitting still. Once they are done tracing the body, they can draw the facial features and other details.
Skills learned: focus, self-control, fine and gross motor skills
9. Developmental blocks
Building blocks are probably the most common toy every toddler has. This is a classic game where you can keep kids busy for hours without fail. Let them create houses and towers using these blocks. If it’s an alphabet block, you can also use let them identify the letters.
Skills learned: fine motor skills, cognitive skills, self-awareness
10. Count everything
Let them count anything and everything they see. This can be done while cooking, grocery shopping or even outdoors.
Skills learned: counting skills, number recognition, focus and concentration
11. Sink or float
This can be an outdoor or indoor activity. In your bath tub, prepare different bath toys and materials. Let your child identify which ones will sink or float depending on the size and material before you put them in the tub.
Skills learned: observation skills, problem-solving, science learning
12. Colour sorting
This is a colourful activity that lets them master all colours by sorting different objects. This can be done with anything like fruits and vegetables, crayons, coloured paper, toy cars, flowers, paper dolls, leaves etc. This hands-on learning activity will prepare them for kindergarten when they have to sort things into boxes according to colour.
Skills learned: colour recognition and identification, fine motor skills
13. Matching Game
A lot of matching games are available on the internet and the app stores. This is an entertaining game with a learning aspect. There are different levels of matching games that can be played according to your child’s age and skill set. But make sure to control their screen time when playing these games.
To make matching games more interesting, you can print out cards with different shapes and let your toddler match them. This way they won’t have access to screens and will be more engaged in something constructive!
Skills learned: cognitive development, focus and concentration, memory skills.
With a focus on play-based learning, Okinja ELC provides the perfect environment for your child’s developmental needs and interests to ensure your child has tons of fun while learning new things. Check us out now!
Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds
14. Drawing songs
There are numerous drawing songs available on YouTube. This is a great way to introduce your toddler to the concept of writing and drawing at an early age. Let them follow along with the lyrics and draw pictures accordingly, while learning about shapes, colours etc.
Skills learned: creativity development, oral language development and language skills
15. Craft a collage
Whose child doesn’t love sticking things on paper and calling it art? This is a perfect activity for your little Picasso. Collect different pictures of flowers, animals, their family or anything they are interested in and let them go to town with glue.
Skills learned: creativity, fine motor skills, focus and concentration
16. Play Simon says
This game is a classic for 2-year-olds. Simon says certain things and if the child follows it, they get to take part in the game; but if not, then they are out of it. This is a great way to teach your toddler about boundaries and following instructions while having fun at the same time.
Skills learned: focus and concentration, following instructions
17. Decorate a crayon carrier or small pouch
You can use water colour, non-toxic paint or permanent markers and paint brushes for this activity. Let your child decorate a small pouch or crayon carrier with their favourite designs, using different shades and patterns. This is also great for developing their fine motor skills.
Skills learned: creativity, fine motor skills, focus and concentration
18. Sorting laundry
Bored by doing laundry on your own? Why not let your toddler help you? This is a great way to teach them about colours. You can either use clothes or socks for this activity.
Skills learned: colour recognition, sorting skills, fine motor skills
19. Dress Up
This is a well-loved game by all children. Let your child dress up as their favourite character or animal. It could be a superhero, a princess, a cat or dog. This is also great for developing their imagination skills.
Skills learned: creativity, imagination skills, self-awareness
Final Words
There you have it – the top 19 fun activities for 2-year-olds. These games for kids are a great way to introduce your child to different skills and concepts at an early age. Try these everyday activities now!
Okinja ELC philosophy places a strong emphasis on play-based learning, providing children with a foundation that guides their educational growth and forms the basis for lifelong learning.
Enrol your child today through admin@okinjaelc.com.au or by phone 07 5479 2222.