Free The Everything Toddler Activities Book by MEd Joni Levine Page A

through their fingers, and they enjoy the fresh smell as well. If your child can keep the mess contained on the pan, cleanup will be nice and easy.
    Activity for an individual child
    Age group: 18–40 months
    Duration of activity: 20 minutes
    Nontoxic shaving cream (a nonmenthol variety)
    Large baking pan or cookie sheet
Squirt a blob of shaving cream on the baking pan in front of the child.
Encourage your child to smear and squish the shaving cream around, as he would with finger paint. Some children will dive right in, while others may be very reluctant to do this.
When your child is finished, simply wash the pan with hot, soapy water to remove the sticky shaving cream.
Scent Safari
    Keep safety in mind while you do this activity with your child. If you use any cleaning, cosmetic, or toxic products, be sure to reinforce the idea that these products are not for the child’s use.
    Activity for an individual child
    Age group: 18–40 months
    Duration of activity: 20 minutes
    Lead your child around the house and find interesting things to smell. Some suggestions include onions, lotion, cedar chips, shampoo, and spices.
Bubble Wrap Fun
    Save the bubble wrap that comes with packages. You can also buy quantities of it fairly cheaply.
Bubble wrap, like any other plastic, can be fatal if your child uses it to cover his face.
Always use with hands-on supervision.
    Activity for an individual child
    Age group: 18–40 months
    Duration of activity: 30 minutes
    Bubble wrap
    Scissors
    Tempera paint
Let your child enjoy popping the bubbles. Show him how to roll the wrap up to pop more than one at a time.
Spread the bubble wrap on the ground, and let your child walk and stomp on it.
Cut out small squares of bubble wrap. Show your child how to bunch it up and dip it in the paint. Let him push the painted bubbles on the paper for an interesting effect.
Squishy Bags
    Here is the answer if you want to plan some great sensory experiences for your
young child but you want to avoid the mess.
    Activity for an individual child
    Age group: 18–40 months
    Duration of activity: 20 minutes
    2 zip-top freezer bags
    Sensory materials, such as mud, pudding, or hair gel
    Super-strength glue
Fill a freezer bag approximately halfway with your chosen sensory material.
Glue the bag closed. Put that bag into the second bag and glue that one securely also. Your child can now squeeze and roll his sensory bag without fear of a mess.
Sensory Bottles
    Sensory bottles tend to have a very calming effect on young children.
They love to shake them and roll them and watch the contents swirl around.
    Activity for an individual child
    Age group: 18–40 months
    Duration of activity: 20 minutes
    1 or more (20-ounce) soda bottle(s)
    Water
    Liquid dish detergent, or
    Cooking oil and food coloring, or
    Light corn syrup or clear shampoo or hair gel
    Small decorative items (such as sequins, buttons, or foil shapes)
Choose whether you would like to make a bubble bottle, wave bottle, or slow-motion bottle.
For a bubble bottle, fill the bottle ¾ of the way with water. Add 2 tablespoons dish soap.
For a wave bottle, fill the bottle ¾ of the way with water. Add 2 tablespoons cooking oil and a few drops of food coloring.
For a slow-motion bottle, fill the bottle with corn syrup, shampoo, or hair gel. Add any of the small decorative items.
Be sure to seal the bottles so that they do not leak and your child does not have access to small parts that he can choke on.
Music Activities
    It has been said that music soothes the savage beast. Whether that is true or not, you will find that music activities will engage and delight your child.
What’s Playing?
    This activity will enhance your child’s listening skills and promote the
auditory discrimination needed for literacy skills.
    Activity for an individual child
    Age group: 30–40 months
    Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Play a variety of instrumental musical selections. Select solo pieces that feature only one instrument at a time,