Toys! Why do they cost so much? And why can’t they seem to keep my toddler entertained for more than two and a half minutes? I’ve spent as much as $60 on a single toy that I expected would bring hours of endless pleasure that instead brought thirty seconds of ho-hum and have since been collecting dust on our "toy room" floor. Well at least the kid on the box looked happy! In contrast, I helped my toddler put a handful of rice in a small Tupperware with a few drops of food coloring, shook it up, made some magic and my child actually insisted on taking her new "Toddle Rice" to bed with her. She packed it around for three days straight. She commented on it’s pretty color. She referred frequently to it’s "tiny ita-bitta" size. She sprinkled it into glue on paper. She spooned it from one container to the next, dumped it from this cup into that bottle. She made a fantastic mess with her "toddle rice", and lastly she came up the brilliant idea of trying to wash it clean. It was a 0.28¢ toy that kept her amused for days.
There is something so empowering to these little toddle minds when they are able to create or alter something, or when they first grasp a logical concept or witness laws of nature in process. Their confidence gets a huge bust when they learn that they impact and can control their surroundings. Pushing a button and regurgitating the alphabet along with a lit-up, singing, spinning $38 toy just does not do the same thing for their intellect. This, however, is what society puts the emphasis on. We try to measure up our toddlers based on when they could recite the alphabet. I say let them learn the alphabet when they are mentally developed enough to know what to do with the letters they are singing about! Start them off rather with the rudimentary concepts of how the world works. Let them observe how yellow mixed with blue will change into green. Let them experience how sugar tastes sweet, a lemon tastes sour and vinegar tastes tart. Let them discover how heavy objects make a big splash when dropped into water and light object make a little splash. And let them make a mess in the process of doing it, it’s all part of the learning experience.
I’m 2 Me Too! suggest daily activities to encourage your toddlers creativity, individuality and understanding of nature. These projects are also intended to nourish the parent-child bond as you open up their eyes to a world of questioning, experiencing and learning. Your projects may not always turn out with the same purpose as it started off having. Just have fun and go with it! As each toddler has different interests, let them take our suggestions and interpret them into an activity that is meaningful for them. Please also understand that our children develop certain skills at different times based on their preference of activity type. Some children develop strong language skills before motor skills if their interests are more in communication and relationship building rather than climbing and exploring. Also, keep in mind that even though they are both toddlers, there is a vast difference between a twenty-four month old’s ability level and the abilities of a thirty-six month old. If your child is having difficulty with the project, please alter it to accommodate their developmental level. Most importantly, when it comes to project supplies, be creative and flexible. The activities are, for the most part, designed to utilize objects that are in every home. You may need to improvise at times, but you should not have to spend money in order to participate in the daily project.
We welcome any suggestions you may have about our activities and please let us know if there is a special project that your little one would like to see Noni do. We also look forward to seeing some photos and sharing some stories about your toddler’s activities.
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