Great Tools At Your Fingertips!
The bi-weekly Refresh! e-zine has hints and suggestions for play ideas with everyday household items, helping you make "Memory Moments" with your children.
I have included a few here to give you some ideas for those days when the toys are just not enough.
Cardboard Capers
The day before recycling day, cut the interesting pictures off your recycling grocery boxes before squashing them.
Instantly you have lots of new games. You can play shop, get a plastic plate out and make dinner with the food pictures, match pictures that are the same, play memory games when the pictures are turned face down, or just cut a slot into another box and post them all into the "mailbox".
Best of all, when you have finished playing, you can re-cycle the pieces of cardboard.
Clothes hangers and used giftbags
Something as simple as finding something that hangs up, and finding many places in your home to hang it can keep a toddler amused for a while. Try using your child's t-shirt on a small hanger, or re-use a small gift bag.
Here's a great little trick
Whisper to your toddler ... and they will most likely whisper back.
I discovered this one day when I had a bad cough and no voice, but I have re-used it on those days when my toddler has enormous amounts of energy and needs a bit of calming down.
Create a picture diary
Give those you love a picture diary to help them be involved with the daily excitement of things you have done today.
Get out your kiddies sketch pad and crayons, and while chatting with your child you can both enjoy drawing your memories of today.
Even the little things like chasing the squirrels around the garden, or finding the biggest acorn are wonderful memories that you may not even remember to share once the busyness of the evening rolls around. You and your toddler can draw together and share these memories with daddy or other special people in your lives when you see them next.
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So much information yet so little time ..
Here are some direct links to resources on the web that I love:
Treasure Basket Play
This wonderful e-book Saves you time with the ready made lists of objects and ideas to build on. Provides developmentally appropriate play activities for your baby that are educationally sound and engage the imagination. Gives your child rich learning experiences with planned creative play activities. Encourages imaginative play opportunities as they get older by using the same object naturally in many different ways. Ample opportunities for independent decision making.
Baby Centre - Games for Toddlers
This web site has so much wonderful information, but it may also take 2 hours to wade through it. Here is a direct link to a page on this site with Play and activity ideas for toddlers based on age (13 - 36 months )
Baby Centre - Games & Play
I have mentioned this website before, and it does have lots of fabulous information. Here is a direct link to lots of down to earth great articles on toddler development.
30 Day Gourmet
This website is a lifesaver when it comes to inspiration for dinner. The 30 Day Gourmet has many great recipe ideas that you can enjoy. Cook 30 days worth of food, or prepare one at time.
The recipes have enough for two or three extra meals to put in your freezer. Use them for those nights when you really want to eat something healthy but, after running around behind your tots all day, you just don’t have the energy or inspiration to be creative.
365 Games Smart Toddler Play
This great simple book is full of fun, practical ways to create and enhance those special memory moments with your child, using everyday household items.
