Toddler Activities

Keeping little hands busy during these long, cold days is crucial.

Here is one Cruzy really liked.

"Snowball"Transfer

We used:

 cotton balls as "snowballs"

a bowl to hold the cotton balls

a little scoop to used for transferring

an icetray to fill 

I showed him how to use the scoop to put one ball in each little slot.

He used his hands when he was struggling with the scoop. 

He did well and enjoyed it. He got more then one in some slots but he made sure each one had some. 

Do you have any fun toddler activities that your little ones like to do?

Also, I have been searching everywhere to find some toddler sized tongs to use in place of scoops and spoons and I can't seem to find them anywhere. Any ideas?

Lately

This wild and crazy (almost) 2 year old of mine is a very busy guy these days. Quiet activities are usually a bust and sitting still for any length of time is more than out of the question. 

We attempted this cute project from Manic Mrs. Stone.

For the most part, I painted the egg carton and Cruz painted the wood pile behind us. Its all one and the same to him. 

We attempted to collect some similar color objects from around the yard to fill the carton, but had to abandon it half way through to break up a chicken squabble and then head to kindergym. We will get back to it later today. 

I've been attempting to get Cruz involved in a lot more programs and activities outside of the house lately. It helps a ton with burning his energy as well as directing his attention toward education and exercise vs the god forsaken television at home (one of his favorite shows is "My Name is Earl." He actually says "Eawl" when he wants to watch. Wonder who's fault that is...) 

I used to go to this play gym as a child so its lots of fun to watch Cruz play here as well.

I've also looked into signing him up for a Momma and me nursery school on Friday mornings. Coincidentally, it is the same nursery school I went to when I was his age. Seeing as it wasn't so very long ago that I was a child myself, I find that there are lots of places/experiences/programs that I was involved in when I was young that are still around for Cruz. It's one of the many fun little perk of having a child when you are not so far from being one yourself--Although I do truly belief this about childhood:

photo via (adaptations by me)

Rice Rice Baby

Do you like that all my baby activities can be set to the tune of Vanilla Ice?

I threw this together quickly while Cruz was napping. 

Forgive the awful pictures.

But he loved it so I thought I would share.

We have been playing with rice in the sensory bin for quite some time now. It's SUCH an easy and cheap activity that can change and grow with children.

When he was really little he was happy to just run in through his fingers. 

As he got older I would let him scoop it into empty egg cartons. 

The other day we put a bunch in a big plastic bag, added paint, he shook it up for a while (his favorite part) and then we laid it out on paper to dry in the sun. When it was done he had new blue rice and just changing the color made the whole activity fun and new again.

This day I decided to bury some puff balls in it and gave him some utensils to dig it out with and some bowls to separate it into. 

We also have these wooden scoops that I ordered on etsy that I added after he woke up. They are his favorite because they are just his size (think bath salt size). 

Quick and easy is the name of the game for us lately as Cruz looses interest quickly. 

I'm just going to say rice, rice baby one more time. 

And take them to impromptu music festivals in their diapers.

Ice Ice Baby

Currently, baths are not to be had around here without some kind of color involved. 

Last week it was watercolors and paintbrushes.

This week, colored ice cubes. 

And what a big hit it has been. 

What started out as a highchair activity....

quickly carried over to the tub.

Exploration

 became experimentation.

And finally some oral investigation. 

Oh my, how I love this little boy (and that little nakee booty).