Sheila Ellison Read online

  Copyright © 2006 by Sheila Ellison

  Cover and internal design © 2006 by Sourcebooks, Inc.

  Cover photo © Photodisc, Digital Vision, Rubberball Productions, Comstock

  Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

  This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

  Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

  Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.

  P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410

  (630) 961-3900

  Fax: (630) 961-2168

  www.sourcebooks.com

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the previous edition as follows:

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Ellison, Sheila.

  365 games toddlers play / by Sheila Ellison.

  p. cm.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-0586-6

  1. Toddlers—Development. 2. Child development. 3. Play. 4. Parent and child. 5. Parenting. I. Title: Three hundred sixty five games toddlers play. II. Title.

  HQ774.5.E45 2003

  649’.55—dc21

  2003005851

  Printed and bound in the United States of America

  LB 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

  Acknowledgments

  To Alisa Ikeda, for the creative contribution of activities, ideas, and enthusiasm she poured into this book. Alisa is a writer, certified instructor of infant massage, wife, and proud mother of two, Sawyer and Sadie. She lives in Marin County, California. She’s an active member of Mothers and More as well as an advocate for public policies that are mother-, child-, and family-friendly. Alisa holds a BA in sociology and writes regularly about parenting, family, and social issues.

  Dedication

  To my children, Wesley, Brooke, Rhett, and Troy, for proving that my parenting theories—which began as experiments on them when they were toddlers—actually work!

  Introduction

  Life is a game for toddlers. Everything everywhere calls out to be touched, manipulated, jumped on, tasted, and examined. Being a young explorer is serious business—learning, testing, and pushing the limits to see just how much you can get away with before somebody notices—and it takes a lot of energy! Toddlers are thrilled when parents aren’t afraid to get down on the floor with them; plunge their hands into the mud, paint, or dough; dance wildly to homemade instruments; or put on a silly puppet show. Toddler time is full of wonder, interaction, explaining, setting limits, and teaching social skills. It is also a time for parents to learn a great deal about how exciting and new the world can be when experienced from a toddler’s perspective. So dive in. Use the activities on the following pages to have fun with your toddler. Don’t be afraid to wander off the beaten path into new territory; draw outside the lines, use your imagination, make up your own variation to an activity as you encourage self-expression. It is in the everyday moments that life happens—so make those moments special.

  Words of Wisdom

  The advice in the Words of Wisdom sections of this book was given to us by parents from across the country who wanted to pass on their tricks, tips, secrets, and wisdom to you. We would like to thank them for sharing their experiences with us. We’re always looking for good advice to be added to future editions, so write to us care of Sourcebooks or visit Sheila Ellison at www.CompleteMom.com.

  Table of Contents

  Section One: Day-to-Day Life

  Chapter 1: Toddler Survival Tips

  Parent-to-Parent Bonding

  Stay Safe

  Just the Two of You

  Time for Self

  Balancing Work with Home

  Coping with a Toddler's Energy

  Clutter Cutters

  Stop-the-Whining Tips

  Taming the Tantrum

  Choosing a Daycare or Preschool

  Baby-Sitter Tips

  Getting Things Done

  Saying No

  Chapter 2: Daily Routines

  Daily Routine

  Hand-Washing Games

  Good Morning

  Special Breaks

  Our Day

  Dressing Fun

  Manners

  Potty Training Tips for Boys

  Potty Training Tips for Girls

  Phone Fun

  TV- and Computer-Time Tips

  Naptime Tricks

  Exercise Fun

  Chapter 3: Early Learning Games

  Reading Tips

  Blowing Know-How

  Hard and Soft

  Writing Practice

  Counting Songs

  Texture Mat

  Silly Book

  Texture Box

  Word Play

  Recording Fun

  My Picture Flash Cards

  Color Search

  Shape Dance

  Letter Book

  Chapter 4: Food-Time Fun

  Kitchen Helpers

  Tea-Party Dough

  Creative Mealtimes

  Pudding Paint

  Rice Fun

  Sorting Pasta

  Homemade Butter

  Homemade Ice Cream

  Playing the Food Manners Game

  Egg in a Bun

  Baked-Bread Sandwiches

  Honey Lover's Chicken

  Yummy Parfaits

  Ice-Cream-Cone Cakes

  Butterfly Sandwiches

  Designer Pancakes

  Chapter 5: Bath and Water Play

  Playing the Water Game

  Bubbles Away

  Rock Waves

  Fun with Ice

  Tub-Time Games

  Water Band

  Wading-Pool Basketball

  Rainbow Surprise

  Rain Games

  Sponge Tag

  Squirt Away

  Wiggle Slide

  Bottled Fun

  Chapter 6: Bedtime

  Bedtime Safari

  Sleep Mobile

  Bedtime Chart

  Flashlight Fun

  Dream Time

  I Am Thankful

  Monster Hunt

  Dream Catcher

  It's Up to You

  Feelings Today

  Story Inventions

  Pillow Pals

  Chapter 7: Room Decor

  Canvas Growth Chart

  Colored Light

  Learning Mat

  Felt Garden

  Playroom Design Tips

  Display Treasures

  Stained Glass

  You've Got Mail

  Room within a Room

  Mini-Size It

  Lamp Shades

  Felt Chains

  Bed Headboards

  Section Two: Playtime

  Chapter 8: Let's Get Physical

  Scarf Play

  Rope Shapes

  Racing Game

  Construction Zone

  Animal Pla
y

  Mirror Dancing

  Indoor Baseball

  Dance Fun

  Mattress Trampoline

  Freeze and Melt

  Chalk Town

  Masking Tape Work-Out

  Follow the Leader

  Chapter 9: Ball Play

  Balls a Rollin'

  Parachute Ball

  Tube Roll

  Balloon Tennis

  Bumper Ball

  Bedroom Basketball

  Big Ball Rolling

  Frisbee Ball

  Ball Pit

  Soccer

  Bouncy-Ball Book

  Tunnel Fun

  Croquet

  Chapter 10: Art and Sculpture

  Cleaning Arsenal

  Moving Masterpiece

  Flour Prints

  Bag Painting

  Print Magic

  Clay Works

  Super-Stretch Dough

  Wallpaper Drawing

  Spin Painting

  Foil with Oil

  Painter's Paradise

  Event Wreath

  Antique Vase

  Fashion Design

  Pot Painting

  Chapter 11: Game Time

  Container Magic

  Magnet Mystery

  Penny Waterfall Game

  Paper Pull

  Object Outline

  Go Get It

  Channel Surfing

  Sensory Guess What

  What's Missing

  Letter Fishing

  Bead Catcher

  Puzzle Hunt

  Go Fish

  Hand Measurer

  Memory Games

  Where's It Hiding?

  Chapter 12: Music and Songs

  Silly Sing-Along

  Parade

  World Music

  Rubber-Band Harp

  Ribbon Dancing

  Musical Fingers

  Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

  Homemade Instruments

  Clapping Rhythms

  Kitchen Band

  Guess the Noise

  Sound Count

  Story Soundtrack

  Chapter 13: Imaginative Play

  Puppet Play

  Balloon Friends

  My One Block

  Everyday Play Dough

  Dress-Up Box

  Mail Play

  Felt Characters

  Disguises

  Masking-Tape Madness

  A Rose by Any Other Color

  Voice Lessons

  Character Spin

  Finish the Story

  Introducing Humor

  Chapter 14: Nature Connection

  Mud Prints

  Nature Collecting

  Sand Play

  Dry Aquarium

  Feed the Birds

  Bug Trap

  Tree and Leaf Rubbings

  Egg Head

  Nature Museum Display

  Magnify It

  Blossoming Bulbs

  Wind Sock

  Moon Watch

  Snail Farm

  Chapter 15: Floor Time Adventures

  Bicycling

  Partner Exercises

  Planting Garden Massage

  Jar Play

  Magic-Carpet Rides

  Antigravity Machine

  Obstacle Course

  Parachutes

  Seesaw

  Follow That Noise

  Mini-Golf

  Sound Walk

  Wheel Hunting

  Chapter 16: Around the House

  Toy Spinner

  Cabinet Play

  Put In, Take Out

  Sock Duster Games

  Oops! Day

  Place Mats

  Grocery Shopping

  Bath Book

  Getting It Done

  Reading Nook

  Help Wanted

  Tent Fun

  Window Art

  How Does Your Garden Grow?

  Section Three: Out and About

  Chapter 17: Traveling with Toddlers

  Count Together

  Activity Bag

  Toddler-Proofing Kit

  Games to Play in a Restaurant

  Games to Play in the Car

  Games to Play on a Plane

  Games to Play While Standing in Line . .226

  What Do They Have in Common?

  Coloring on the Go

  Postcards Home

  Cheap Thrills

  Guess What Game

  Travel Stationery

  Backseat Drivers

  Chapter 18: Friends and Playgroups

  Why Start a Playgroup?

  Setting Up a Playgroup

  Bag of Tricks

  Parade Time

  Beanbag Group Games

  Toddler Safari

  Presto Pizza

  Group Dance Games

  Sharing

  Field Trips

  Playgroup Plus

  The Parent Squad

  Toddler Friendships

  Co-op Baby-Sitting

  Chapter 19: Outdoor Play: Parks and Recreation

  Mud Play

  Pavement Painting

  Sand Play

  Water-Balloon Games

  Sheet Design

  Do the Hula

  Hill Games

  Shadow Fun

  Sprinkler and Hose Games

  High Kites

  Flowering Names

  Outdoor Obstacle Course

  Pipe Forts

  Backyard Beasts

  Chapter 20: Parties and Celebrations

  Party Tips

  Party Fare

  Decorative Ice Bucket

  Thank-You Notes

  Group Games

  Sibling Party

  Car and Truck Party

  Tea Party

  Bubble Party

  Fishy Party

  Spring Is Here

  Garden Party

  Moving Party

  Father's Day Fashion Show

  Section Four: Family Time

  Chapter 21: Family Fun

  New Traditions

  Memory Lane

  Play Hooky

  Create Family Stationery

  Vacation Memories

  Play Silly Games

  Make Mealtime Special

  Hands of Time

  Between Us

  The Family That Cooks Together

  Backyard Camping

  Topsy Turvy

  Game Night

  Here, Fido

  Concrete Stepping Stone

  Chapter 22: Sibling Games

  Tips to Facilitate Sibling Play

  Family Puppets

  Ready, Set, Go

  Peekaboo Faces

  Food Projects

  Group Outings

  Camping In

  Preparing for a New Baby

  Random Kindness

  Sibling Theme Days

  Potpourri Shapes

  Bag Skits

  Special Parent Day

  Kitchen Table Landscape

  Silly Manners

  Chapter 23: Grandparenting

  Food for Thought

  Your Pace

  Establish a Play Area

  Special Books

  Stay in Touch

  Craft Projects

  Share Memories

  Start a Notebook

  Do the Unexpected

  Spoiling

  Family Totem Pole

  Childproofing Grandma's House

  Dream Supporter

  Chapter 24: Seasonal Fun

  Flowers in Bloom

  Tissue-Paper Egg

  Bouncy Bunnies

  Leaf Play

  Seasonal Treats

  Pumpkin Head

  Snow Fun

  Seasonal Journals

  Ice Melt

  Kiddy Pool Games

  Sugar Cube Igloo

  Weather Board

  Homemade Cards

  Section Five: Growing and Learning

  Chapter 25: Recording Y
our Thoughts

  Art Storage Ideas

  Books on Tape

  Birthday Memories

  Everyday Things

  Guest Book

  Say Cheese!

  Through the Years

  Jolly St. Nick

  Silhouettes

  Storybook

  Scrapbook Flare

  Your Child's Journal

  Chapter 26: Twelve Games Parents Play

  New Twist to Reward Charts

  Separation Anxiety

  Aggression

  Boredom Busters

  Potty Training Readiness

  Tooth-Brushing Basics

  Picky Eaters

  Positive Naptime

  Kicking the Pacifier

  Transfer to the Big-Kid Bed

  Thumb-Be-Gone

  Dawdler Toddler

  Chapter 27: Development

  Fifteen to Eighteen Months: Do and Feel

  Fifteen to Eighteen Months: Express and Think

  Eighteen to Twenty-One Months: Do and Feel

  Eighteen to Twenty-One Months: Express and Think

  Twenty-One to Twenty-Four Months: Do and Feel

  Twenty-One to Twenty-Four Months: Express and Think

  Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Do and Feel

  Twenty-Four to Thirty Months: Express and Think

  Thirty to Thirty-Six Months: Do and Feel

  Thirty to Thirty-Six Months: Express and Think

  Section One:

  Day-to-Day Life

  Toddler Survival Tips

  1

  Parent-to-Parent Bonding

  Having kids might distance you from friends without kids. But it can automatically connect you to all the other parents out there. You’ve joined a club, so take advantage of membership benefits: swap tips on child-rearing, kid-friendly hot spots, shopping deals, movies and restaurants for twosome time, and even baby-sitter referrals. Laugh and cry with other moms and dads as bleary-eyed and deliriously happy as yourselves. So next time you see another parent with young children in the local bookstore, use your easy ice-breakers—your charming children—to strike up a conversation. It may well lead to a lasting friendship. Making an effort to connect with other parents will help you along this journey of raising great kids.

  2

  Stay Safe

  Brush up on your CPR, especially if you only took infant CPR—the procedures change when Baby turns one! Post first-aid diagrams or instructions someplace you can see them immediately, like the inside of a kitchen cabinet. You childproofed for Baby, but now it’s time to childproof for your curious and mobile toddler—look higher and think more creatively about the troubles he could find.

  Never leave your child around standing water alone, including the bathtub and toilet.

  Don’t cook on the stovetop or in the oven with your child in your arms.

  Don’t carry a child while holding hot food or drink.

  Invest in stove knob covers, and always keep pot handles facing in. Use the child safety locks on the car door, and make sure to have your car-seat installation inspected by a local highway patrol.