Toddler Activities

Pumpkin Counting Activities for Toddlers

October 30, 2018 By Trisha

Pumpkins seem to be everywhere this time of year. They make great learning tools.

Try out our pumpkin counting activities for toddlers to practice counting and number recognition.

Pumpkin Counting Activities for Toddlers

I like to use mini pumpkins for this activity. They are easy for toddlers to pick up and handle.

Use real pumpkins if you can. Give them a good washing before allowing your kids to play with them.

I chose to use just 5 pumpkins for this activity. That helps toddlers really focus on the numbers and get good at 1-5 before moving onto other numbers.

If your child has mastered 1-5, feel free to add more pumpkins.

Number your pumpkins 1-5. Number five squares of paper 1-5 as well.

First, I let my son (age 2.5) just explore the pumpkins. He was free to move them around and play with them for a bit.

We practiced counting the pumpkins.

Then, I set out the number squares.

The next step is to have your toddler match the numbers on the pumpkin to the paper number squares.

Talk to him about the numbers he sees. What number is on your pumpkin? Can you find that number on the table (or floor)? Place your pumpkin there.

Ask your child to bring you a pumpkin with a certain number. Say: Can you bring me the pumpkin with the number two?

Since we were using the train table as our play surface, my son grabbed a train nearby and started driving it around the pumpkins. I asked him to drive the trains from one pumpkin to another.

Can you drive the train to the number one. Okay, now let’s go to number two. Where is number three? And so on.

Work on Number Words

In addition to writing numbers on the squares of paper, write number words. This will help your child begin to connect the word “one” with number “1.”

I had my daughter (age 4.5) do this activity. We read the number words and she placed the correct number pumpkin down.

For older kids, you could also work on the ordinal number words (first, second, third, fourth, and fifth).

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Read a Story

Read Five Little Pumpkins to go along with this counting activity. Choose your favorite version. The story uses the words first, second, third, fourth, and fifth to talk about what each of the little pumpkins does.

More Pumpkin Counting Activities to Try

Days with Grey shares a Scoop and Count Pumpkin Activity that’s perfect for practicing counting, number recognition, and subitizing. They put the pumpkins in water but you could use anything (or just an empty bin) for this one.

Make your own Pumpkin Patch Numbers Game with this idea from Rainy Day Mum.

My Storytime Corner has a Dabber Pumpkin Count Activity that asks preschoolers how many pumpkins are on the gate.

Use this Five Little Pumpkins Playdough Activity from Clare’s Little Tots to retell the story.

Fantastic Fun and Learning created a jack-o-lantern number line to practice number skills.

Practice counting and fine motor skills using clothespins with this counting pumpkin activity from Lalymom.

Take your pumpkin counting to the light table with this idea from Where Imagination Grows.

Pre-K Pages has several Halloween themed activities for practicing one to one correspondence. Check out the pom pom pumpkin and pumpkin seeds counting activities.

More Pumpkin Themed Activities for Toddlers

Work on pre-writing skills with pumpkins and a chalk marker.

Check out our Fall Bucket List for Toddlers.

After carving your pumpkin, make some pumpkin oobleck with real pumpkin.

Cork Print Tree Craft for Toddlers

October 9, 2018 By Terri Thompson

When my kids were little (toddlers and preschoolers) we did a lot of craft projects.

We always kept them simple because they certainly weren’t capable of pretty Pinterest crafts when they were that little.

This fun cork print tree craft was a favorite from our list of simple crafts for toddlers. It’s simple, creative, and fun. My girls loved this project!

This cork print tree craft for toddlers and preschoolers is a fun printmaking project that is simple to do. Make a pretty green tree or an autumn tree.

Supplies Needed:

Cork from a wine bottle
Green washable paint
Brown construction paper
Black marker

Note: Use yellow, orange, and red paint instead of the green paint if you’d like to create a colorful autumn tree.

Set up your tree craft

This project does require a little bit of adult-helper prep.

First, you’ll want to draw a simple tree shape on the brown construction paper with your black marker. You just want to draw a simple trunk and a few branches. As you can see below, you don’t need many drawing skills to draw your tree.

Next, find a flat container for your paint. I usually save a few lids from plastic containers, such as a cream cheese or sour cream container. Clean them up and you can reuse them over and over again for painting projects.

Click here for all of our fun and simple crafts for toddlers.

How to make your Cork Print Tree craft

Pour a little bit of green paint onto your plastic lid. Provide a blank tree and a wine cork.

You’ll want to show your child how to dip their cork in the paint and then stamp the leaves on the tree.

Don’t worry about perfection. One of my kids dipped and stamped and the other just rolled her cork around. Both trees turned out great!

Let your kids use their cork stamps as much as they want. Their tree may be full of leaves or have just a few leaves. Maybe all the leaves are on the ground!

You can turn this into a fun fall craft if you switch the colors of paint and use red, yellow, or orange instead.

This fun cork print tree craft is a fun and easy craft for toddlers and preschoolers. It lets them explore paint and printmaking in an age-appropriate way.

If you enjoyed this cork print tree craft, the photos are perfect for sharing on Facebook or Pinterest.

Do more with your toddler!

It’s so beneficial to have fun activities to do with your toddler. My friend Jamie from Hands On As We Grow has got a great free 7-Day Toddler Activity Challenge. You’ll have fun and make memories with these age-appropriate and simple activities. They’re the best! You can follow this link to sign up for the FREE 7-Day Toddler Challenge.

Simple Crafts for Toddlers

October 8, 2018 By Terri Thompson

We’ve always loved arts and crafts at our house, even when my girls were toddlers.

But, sometimes it’s hard to find crafts for toddlers that are simple and age appropriate. So many cute crafts are much better suited to older kids.

Luckily, I’ve got some great ideas for you. The crafts you’ll find below are all well suited to toddlers. They get to be creative, have fun, and learn, learn, learn.

And, once you’re done making crafts, try one of these fun activities for toddlers to spend more quality time together.

Arts and Crafts for Toddlers

Cardboard Roll Stamping – a simple printmaking project that is perfectly suited to toddler hands.

Fun Window Art – a simple and mess-free way to keep toddlers busy with a temporary art project

Simple Suncatchers – make a colorful art project to decorate your windows with this mess-free idea

Painted Suncatchers – try this unexpected combination of paint and contact paper to make a pretty suncatcher

Easy Mask Making Activity – let your toddler get creative with a simple art invitation. It takes just a few minutes to make the mask templates and then your toddler can decorate it on their own.

Simple Cloud Craft – make a few puffy clouds with this simple craft

Apple Stamping – one of our favorite crafts and the perfect craft for fall

Painting On Wet Paper – a fun sensory art experience that has beautiful results

Easy Umbrella Craft – fun for a rainy day or any day. These umbrellas are an adorable window decoration

Cork Print Tree Craft – corks are a fun tool to create these cute trees

Painting on Snow – take advantage of a snowfall for this fun and temporary art project

Leaf Shape Collage for Toddlers and Preschoolers – exercise your fine motor skills to make this pretty leaf craft

Process over Product

One important thing to keep in mind when making crafts for toddlers is that the process is more important than the product.

Your crafts will not be Pinterest worthy and that’s ok. Your toddler will have fun, learn a lot, and be able to take ownership of their craft. That’s what’s important.

Let them get messy and experiment. The experience is what matters. And, you know what, the result is going to be absolutely beautiful because they did it all themselves!

Recommended Art Supplies for Toddlers

Paint brushes that are perfect for little hands

Paint cups to cut back on the mess

Our favorite washable paint

An easel that is just right for toddlers

Do more with your toddler!

You may also enjoy one of these fun toddler activities:

Backyard Color Match Movement Game for Toddlers

Fun Shape Toys for Toddlers

Let’s Go On a Listening Walk

Taste Safe Finger Paint for Babies and Toddlers at Rainy Day Mum

Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

September 24, 2018 By Terri Thompson

Are you looking for some fun ideas to do this fall with your toddler? Have you thought about making a fall bucket list?

This fun fall bucket list for toddlers is full of can’t miss, fun activities to do with your little one this season. But, don’t worry, it’s not too full and overwhelming.

Here are 10 great must-do fall activities that will engage all five senses. Have fun and explore fall together with your family.

Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

1. Explore your sense of taste by eating an apple snack.

You can keep it simple and snack on a sliced apple or a bowl of apple sauce. Or you can get creative in the kitchen and try one of these delicious apple snacks for kids.

2. Hunt for acorns and practice counting.

Take a walk or a short drive to find a place to collect acorns. Bring along a small bag if you’d like to bring some home for a future activity.

Use the acorns to practice counting. Point and count – 1 acorn, 2, 3. Or, gather the acorns into small groups, for example a group of 2 or a group of 3. Keep it simple and have some fun learning!

This activity explores your sense of touch and your sense of sight.

3. Go on a leaf color hunt.

Explore with your eyes to find different colors of leaves.

Walk through your neighborhood or a nearby park. Can your toddler find a red leaf, a yellow leaf, or a brown leaf?

Look for the different colors and point them out as you go on a simple walk.

Make pretty autumn leaves and learn shapes with this fun fine motor craft for toddlers and preschoolers, a simple Leaf Shape Collage.

4. Do a leaf craft.

Continue exploring leaves with a leaf craft.

You can keep it simple by letting your toddler glue leaves to a large sheet of paper or stick them onto clear Contact Paper.

Or try this fun Leaf Shape Collage to make a fun and pretty fall decoration.

5. Shop for pumpkins and paint a pumpkin.

Take your toddler to a pumpkin patch, a farm stand, or even your local grocery store to shop for a pumpkin. Let them explore the pumpkins and pick out the one they like best.

Once they have a pumpkin picked out, let them paint the pumpkin. Spread out some newspaper, find an old shirt for a smock, and get out the paint and brushes. Let the explore and paint whatever they want on the pumpkin. The results will be beautiful!

6. Play in the fallen leaves.

Run, crunch, and jump in the fallen leaves!

Take your toddler outside and let them play. They can toss the leaves, roll in the leaves, or jump in a pile.

Get in there with them and play. You’ll have so much fun!

7. Make apple prints.

When I think of fall art projects, one of the first things to come to mind are apple prints. And, they are a perfect art project for toddlers.

You don’t have to get fancy, just let your child make prints. Here’s how we did it when my girls were little – try our trick to make the apples easier to hold.

8. Read a fall book.

Have a fall story time with a few good book. If it’s a pretty day, grab a blanket and have story time outside!

Try an apple-themed book from our list here. Or, check out this list of fall books from My Bored Toddler. There are so many great ones to choose from.

9. Play with a fall-scented play dough.

Engage your toddlers sense of smell and touch with a fun fall-scented play dough.

You can try this fun pumpkin play dough from Natural Beach Living or this apple pie play dough from The Imagination Tree. They would both be fun to play with and your toddler explores their sense of touch and smell.

10. Go on a fall nature hike.

Toddlers aren’t too young for a fun hike. They key is to keep it simple and keep it short.

Find a pretty spot to walk and explore nature. Check out all of our tips for hiking with young children before you go head out.

Get out and explore fall with your little one!

This fall bucket list for toddlers is a fun way to explore all the senses while enjoying autumn.

Explore your sense of smell with some fall-scented play dough, your sense of taste with an apple snack, your sense of touch when you hunt for acorns, your sense of hearing when you play in the fallen leaves, and your sense of sight on a leaf color hunt.

Have fun exploring the season with our fall bucket list for toddlers!

If you enjoyed our Fall Bucket List for Toddlers, the above photo is perfect for sharing on Facebook of saving to Pinterest.

You may also enjoy one of these fun toddler activities:

Backyard Color Match Movement Game

Water Play Ideas for Toddlers

Shape Hopscotch

Exploring Fall Toddler Process Art at Teaching 2’s and 3’s.

And you can find all of our toddler activities here: Simple and Fun Activities for Toddlers

Leaf Shape Collage for Toddlers and Preschoolers

September 19, 2018 By Trisha

Is it feeling like fall where you are?

Fall is a great time to explore leaves. Add this leaf shape collage for toddlers and preschoolers to your autumn leaf theme.

It’s perfect for working on fine motor skills and learning shapes.

Leaf Shape Collage for Toddlers and Preschoolers

This leaf activity can easily be modified to different ages and abilities.

For toddlers, you’ll want to prep everything ahead of time. They’ll be simply adding shapes to their contact paper leaves.

You can allow preschoolers to complete more of the steps on their own. Let them trace the leaves or cut out the paper shapes.

Materials Needed for the Leaf Shape Collage

Contact paper (find this near the shelf liners in the kitchen department)

Leaves (can use real, artificial, or printed on paper)

White paper (for tracing leaves)

Writing utensil (for tracing leaves)

Colored paper (can be printer paper, construction paper, scrapbook paper, recycled paper, etc.)

Scissors

Masking tape or painter’s tape

How to Make a Leaf Shape Collage

Start by tracing your leaves onto white paper.

Cut out the leaves and trace them onto contact paper.

I chose to trace them onto paper first because the paper is easier to work with than the leaves.

If you are tracing multiples of the same leaf onto contact paper, it will make it easier to use a paper template.

Cut the leaf shape out of your contact paper. Remove the backing and lay the sticky side up.

Use masking tape or painter’s tape to keep the contact paper leaf from moving around.

Next, cut small shapes from your colored paper.

You can use small paper punches or hole punches. Under supervision, this is a job for an older preschooler. Teach them how to use the punch safely and correctly.

Talk to your children about the paper shapes they see. Can they name the shapes? Now is a great time to introduce any shape names they are not familiar with.

What shape does he want to use first?

My toddler is currently in love with the color yellow, so he wanted a lot of yellow shapes on his sticky leaf.

He enjoyed placing each shape onto the contact paper.

Picking up those tiny shapes is awesome fine motor practice.

Once the leaves are finished, add another layer of contact paper sticky side down.

Then, cut out your leaf shapes.

While my toddler was busy adding more and more circles to his leaf shape collage, my 4 year old worked on punching stars and created two leaves. The bottom two leaves in the picture above were created by her.

My toddler was super proud of what he created, too.

If you had fun with this activity, you can find more fun and simple crafts for toddlers here. Have fun together!

More Leaf Themed Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Leaf Name Sticky Wall – work on name recognition with a contact paper sticky wall

Go Leaf Collecting – make a bag to collect your nature finds

Learn your ABCs with this fun Leaf Hunt Alphabet Game.

Make some Leaf Man Art – take your leaf collection and create some art

Toddler Activities

Pumpkin Counting Activities for Toddlers