So, Emma wanted to know which of the preschool activities I post are suitable for younger kids, in this case, her two year old toddler. I normally don’t confine my activities to any particular age group – anywhere from 2 to 6 are appropriate ages to try these. Some kids are writing words when they are two, while others pick up a little slower. No biggie.

Generally, I believe you, The PreSchool Mama (or Toddler Mama!) knows your own child, and what she would enjoy doing best. Remember to only do activities that your child enjoys, no matter how old she is. Forcing her to write or do counting activities when she is not in the mood, or just too young to deal with advanced activities is the easiest way to ensure she’ll lose interest in all learning.  There are some days that kids are perkier and more enthusiastic than others, and those are the days you should strike while the iron is hot!

Coming back to the question of age appropriate activities for 2-year-olds, I am going to do an in-depth post one of these days, with activities for younger kids. For now, I’d suggest making a nature table for those of you with toddlers.

Take your child on a walk (for those of you enjoying glorious spring where you are, probably a great time of the year for this activity), and let her collect things she finds along the way – leaves, twigs, little pebbles, small rocks, nuts, cones, flowers etc. If you’re lucky enough to make it to the beach, don’t forget to bring some shells back. At home, arrange all these on a tray, and keep it in her room.

Talk about each object, identify them, and let her “write” out the names for each on a sheet of paper. “Writing” here is just scribbling – give her a pencil, and let her scribble as you say the names. And remember, when she scribbles, it is REAL WRITING!

This is a good time to talk about nature, and how it’s not just made up of birds and animals, but also the millions of unnoticed things around us, like the things she’s just collected.

For all you Toddler Mamas, how do you spend time doing stuff with your kids?