Our daughter is already nearing two years old and I cannot even begin to figure out where the time went. I swear I was just writing in her baby book that she rolled over and videoing her first laugh for my family to hear. Now she’s running around like the Energizer Bunny and constantly asking me for food. I hope that’s normal.
Our daughter is a go-getter and sitting still is never an option. She sometimes enjoys sitting to listen to me read her books but her favorite activities pertain to the outdoors. In fact, her favorite phrase is, “Mama, outside?” Naturally, as she’s saying this she has her shoes on wrong, her hat backwards, and she’s halfway out the door.
I’m always watching her to see where she thrives the most and what keeps her attention longest. These 6 activities are ones that are lifesavers on days when she seems to have just had enough with being inside.
1. Water Table
This one seems obvious because kids + water = mess and mess = fun. Our daughter will play with her water table, dumping water, splashing in her new puddles, trying to climb inside (she’s wild), for at least 30 minutes. And mamas of toddlers, 30 minutes with one activity is almost unheard of. This is one of my top choices when she’s fussy with most every other activity as long as it’s warm enough and I don’t mind getting wet. Because I definitely will get wet.
2. Gardening
As silly as this sounds, my daughter loves to help me in the garden. This doesn’t go without incident, as in she most definitely steps on things and throws the shovel at times, but when I go out to weed she adores “helping.” Usually helping means picking up mulch or sticks and putting them in my weed pile but it’s not the point of the activity. She absolutely loves to water plants with her watering can as well and she’s very good at eating strawberries when we pick them together. All of them. Even the ones I told her we were saving for Dad. This activity is great for teaching her responsibility and, quite literally, the fruits of her labor. Growing and eating food is such a rewarding task even as an adult. Let’s hope it helps with her picky eating stage she’s currently going through.
3. Tricycle
I tried to move right to a balance bike and avoid the trike but I realized that she wasn’t big enough, strong enough, or balanced enough to hold a balance bike at only a year old. We went with the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll ‘n Trike because it grew as she did. At first we pushed her but now she can almost reach the pedals by herself and she enjoys buckling the straps. She can’t move the bike by herself but I think the busy work of putting on her helmet, climbing into the seat, and strapping herself in is what she enjoys most. I love watching her little brain work.
4. Walks
If our daughter is particularly sassy and nothing seems to appease her, walks are our best bet. She is strapped into her stroller, she can relax, and she can watch as we pass by all her favorite things. Which is everything. She loves to point out everything she sees, check to see if I’m still there (because, naturally, I could disappear and the stroller would keep pushing itself), and she usually brings a stuffed animal that she will play with. These times are mostly quiet and it’s great to be active while also having time to think and spend together. I always hope being out on walks encourages a healthy lifestyle for her later in life.
5. Swimming
This one was tougher for me because I felt it’d be hard to hold her up in the pool constantly but, honestly, it is a fun activity to do together. A girlfriend and I bring our girls to a toddler swim class once a week and they learn swim safety and to be comfortable in a pool. Not only is this a lifelong skill I’ll be glad she has, but it’s a great way to cool down and an activity we can work on together.
6. Playground/Play Set
Our daughter talks more and more each day and her vocabulary has expanded to include the words “slide” and “swing.” Learning to climb up those steps took her awhile (I even had to help in the beginning). Now she takes off and climbs up herself, then sits and slides down herself as well. She is very independent and I enjoy playground time because I can sit back and monitor her but not have to be involved completely. Though I enjoy spending time with her, we both need a break from one another and this is a great opportunity to do just that. Her gross motor skill has greatly improved since we’ve been to the park often and her swing fears have subsided as well. Falling occurs frequently but that never seems to deter her from trying again. Her perseverance is admirable.
I do a lot of research on how to nurture young minds and it’s a lot of work! It really is. I spend a lot of time watching our daughter to see what activities draw her in and, for us, being outside is great for her. She learns many useful skills I hope carry into adulthood and I enjoy being able to work alongside her, and sometimes from a distance, to nurture these skills. At almost two-years-old, her brain is growing rapidly and she learns so much each day. I hope these activities benefit her in her life and I hope my writing them down helps you with your young child make the everyday seem less ordinary.
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