Babies and toddlers can explore and learn with summer activities.
Infants and toddlers are typically children up to 3 years old. Summer activities for very young children can be done outdoors, or even indoors with an outdoor focus. Experiencing summer-specific crafts, play, food and sensory activities will help children enjoy the season while discovering and learning.
Little People Picnic
Enjoy a little people picnic outdoors.
Spread a blanket on a soft grassy area outdoors. If working with a group of young children, have helpers working with the children for this activity. Place children, if possible, into booster seats with seat belts. Place the tray over the seat and give children samples of picnic-type foods. Cut meats or hot dogs into very small pieces that are not round. Give cooked apples or carrots instead of raw, and consider cooked potato pieces in place of a potato salad with mayonnaise or cereal pieces instead of chips. Sit with the children and enjoy the picnic, too. Read a book about a picnic. Early finishers might enjoy playing with the plastic ant pieces from "Ants in the Pants Game" or another picnic appropriate toy.
Water Activities
Show the children pictures of oceans, beaches, swimming pools and rivers, or read them a book about water activities. Let each child help pour water and some liquid soap into a plastic bottle and fasten the lid on tightly. Indoors or out, children can shake the bottles to see the water move and "foam" develop.
Stretch a plastic tarp over a soft grassy, shaded outdoor area. Have children play with only a diaper on. Spray water from a squirt bottle onto the tarp by each child. Let the kids play with spray or squirt bottles. Don't let water build up in any area and have plenty of adults sitting on the tarp to ward off accidents as the children enjoy the water activity.
Have children bathe baby dolls in dry baby bathtubs or shallow dishpan-type tubs. Provide wet wash cloths and empty soap bottles for the activity.
Grassy Hide and Find
Place some brightly-colored toys in a soft grassy play area. Have babies and toddlers "find" the toys. Some children will play with the first thing they find, while others will continue the hunt.
Summer Treat Sensory Activity
Have infants and toddlers sitting at a table or in highchairs or booster seats. Place a frozen ice-pop in front of each child. Talk about how cold the frozen treat is. Then, cut the top off each treat and let the child empty the plastic tube into a bowl. The children may play with the frozen pieces with their hands or a spoon. Encourage them to eat the icy pieces or use a straw to drink the melted juice.
Tags: play with, children enjoy, each child, soft grassy, area Have