Teaching Toddlers - Learning Fun!!!

We had so much fun today with these simple, recycled learning activities that promote fine motor skills, learning the ABCs, counting, and an unexpectedly long time of fun for my little girl! 

Baby Food Lid Letters

Need:
26 baby food jar lids (more if you plan to make lowercase letters as well)
ABC foam letters (I found them at Michael's for about $5)
Empty plastic container with slit cut into the lid

Games to play: 
1)  Place 4-5 lids face-down on a table.  Ask your toddler to turn over each lid one at a time and tell you which letter was "hiding."
2)  Play a game of memory...match uppercase to uppercase letters or uppercase to lowercase letters.
3)  Place 3 lids letter-side-up on a table.  Point to each letter and say them with your child.  Cover 1 letter up.  Ask your child which letter is covered up.
4)  Arrange the letters in order of the alphabet while singing the ABC song.
5)  Encourage your toddler to stack the letters to make a tower.
6)  Practice saying the letter sounds as your child fits them into the slit in the container.

Beans in a Parmesan Cheese Container
(Thanks Dana for this great idea!)

Need:
1 empty Parmesan cheese container
dry beans or other small objects

**Note- This game is only suitable for children who are past the stage of putting everything in their mouth.  Even then, do not allow your child to play this game unsupervised!! 

Games to play: 
1)  Allow your child to put the beans in the container while counting each bean.  Dump the beans out and start again.
2)  Have your child shake the container with beans in it to make "music."
3)  Give your child another container and practice pouring the beans from one container to another.

 

What are some of your favorite, inexpensive learning activities to do with your toddler??