Wondering what to do with your energetic, always moving, never stopping, wears-you-out-every-day toddler?
Check out The Toddler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 1 1/2- to 3-Year-Old Busy, available in paperback and Kindle edition. Written by Trish Kuffner (a mom of five!), it is loaded with great ideas for kids 18 months to 3 years old, using everyday items found around the house and the park.
I discovered this book when I was completing my OT internship at a pediatric therapy clinic, and I was amazed by the fact that not only is it helpful for parents and caregivers, it’s great for therapists, too!
Kuffner presents her ideas in a humorous, organized fashion. She gives suggestions for planning activities and keeping your craft cupboard stocked, as well as providing ideas for activities in several different contexts such as rainy day play, kitchen activities, water play, outdoor play, and play while traveling. She also presents ideas for introducing nursery rhymes, music & movement, and arts & crafts. Suggested activities to promote pre-academic skills such as counting, matching, and identifying colors are included in their own section. A final section is devoted to themes such as birthdays and holidays.
The Toddler’s Busy Book is a great resource for anyone who cares for or works with toddlers. It’s small enough to fit in a diaper bag or backpack, yet comprehensive enough to instantly provide you with practical activities when you are out of ideas and all you want to do is lay on the floor for another game of “let’s pretend to sleep”.
And if you’re looking for ideas for kids who are a little older, you should check out The Preschooler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Occupy 3-6 Year Olds (also available in paperback and Kindle edition).
I highly recommend both of them!
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Photo credit for image.
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I will have to look into this! Sounds like a great book! Also, I have never played the “let’s pretend to sleep” game…I will definitely have to give that game a try
lol
Yes, Crystal, it is! You can purchase it “used” on Amazon starting at around a dollar (I believe the lowest right now is $0.96…plus a few dollars for shipping, of course). Internet resources and blogs are great and all, but you have to know where to look and you can’t take them with you in your bag or purse for ideas on the go. A great resource to have on hand for yourself, or even for those who may come over to babysit for you, too!
Oh, and as for the “let’s pretend to sleep game”…it’s a great one! For some reason kids think it’s HILARIOUS when grown-ups pretend to sleep and snore, and they will often wait with bated breath until you say, “Ding, ding, ding, ding!” and enthusiastically pretend to wake up. This scheme also works with pretending to be a slain dragon, an injured bad guy, or any other character who might otherwise fall to the ground and lie there a while. Works every time!