Are you looking for exciting summer ideas for your toddler? Of course, you also want these summer ideas to be helpful in the growth development of your kid. Toddlers are used to constant playing, but associating learning to it is such a cool thing! When they are at home during the summer, they might need lots of stimulating activities to keep them busy. As these play pursuits are fun, you also want your toddler to engage in activities that help develop their fine motor skills. Yup, we have collected these summer ideas for toddlers that are inexpensive, educational, and filled with fun which all of you can count into. Check them out below!
Ice bin transfer
On the hottest of days, break out the plastic bins and empty the ice maker. Toddlers will love scooping the ice cubes from one plastic bin to the other, especially when they can watch the ice cubes melt in water tinted with food coloring. On the next sweltering summer day, this activity from Learning 4 Kids will be a welcome relief.
Create a beach
If you don’t have a beach trip planned for a while, you can recreate a mini version in your backyard with just a few supplies. Creating mini play settings, such as a miniature ocean, can help develop your child’s imagination and provide a jumping-off point for talking about the creatures that live in the ocean, the differences between water and land animals and even how we can help protect the ocean by keeping it clean. Sand, water and some sea creatures are all you need for this simple activity from Playing House.
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Rainbow bubbles snakes
Toddlers surely love bubbles, but some parents don’t like buying all the plastic junk that makes the bubbles. Bubble guns usually break quickly and clutter up the house. So, this homemade bubble-making machine from WhiMSy Love is perfect which is made from recyclable materials and creates a cool bubble “snake.”
Tongs and water play
If the weather cooperates, your little one will love being outside, playing with water all summer long. Adding a few toys and tongs helps them with their fine motor development as they work to grab small objects and move them between buckets. Check out this tutorial from The Empowered Educator Online to see how it’s done.
Helicopter seed dragonfly craft
Every time you recycle a toilet paper tube you might think it’s a missed opportunity for a craft. Here’s one good idea: Collect a few of those little helicopter seeds from a nearby maple tree and turn them into a dragonfly craft with this super easy tutorial from Juise. Your kid can pretend to fly it around the yard all day.
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Seashell exploration tray
Exploration trays are a great way to keep toddlers focused on a single activity. This summer-themed tray with seashells and a little plastic magnifying glass is as simple as it gets, but it will keep your child occupied and learning about the intricacies of texture. See how to put it together in minutes over on Our Country Road.
Eric Carle-inspired firefly craft
For slightly older toddlers, or for those who don’t have a maple tree in their back garden, this is another craft that will use up those toilet paper rolls. Pick up a copy of “The Very Lonely Firefly” by Eric Carle and Buggy and Buddy will explain how to make this simple craft that ties right into the book.
Painting with rain
Because the weather’s a little warmer, rainy days in the summer don’t necessarily have to be spent indoors. This gem of an idea from A Life Sustained shows you lots of different ways you can use the rain to your advantage to create wonderful artwork with supplies you probably have around your house.
Homemade paint recipe
Some parents love the idea of letting their kids paint outside. However, there are times that they have difficulty washing the finger paint out from the area where their toddlers have done the activity. This recipe for homemade paint from Repeat Crafter Me is hassle-free for parents because it is destined for messy and artistic use outdoors. It uses ingredients you have around the house, such as flour and dish soap, and won’t make a permanent splotch on different areas of your house such as your patio.
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Shaving cream and sand
Summer is the best time for those extra-messy activities your toddler loves but that require a hose to clean up. Enter this shaving cream and sand combo. Set your toddler up on the driveway or in the back yard with a bin of play sand, then add shaving cream and mix. Little Bins for Little Hands makes the process crystal clear.
Water beads
Have you tried water beads with your toddler yet? They’re perfect for kids who love tactile exploration. They’re floral beads meant to fill up vases, but they’re perfect added to a water bin, so long as your child is old enough to know not to eat them. The Imagination Tree explains the very simple process of making a sensory bin with them.
Read also:
- 6 Perfect Places to go with a Toddler
- How to Face Dehydration in Toddlers
- The Value of Giving Chores to Your Children
