10 Important Things to Teach Your Toddler Through Play

Play based learning is proven to be the most effective way for children to learn. Play is the work of children.

That is why it is so important to be intentional about the structured play options you give to your child.

Most toddlers and children will learn things quicker and retain them better when they can do hands-on learning.

That is not to say that it has to be complicated. Children can pick up on the simplest of things in the simplest of ways. Simple is better!

Free play options are important too, but I love the structured, set up play options especially if I want to join in with my child or teach them something specific.

Most of the following options are open-ended, meaning even though you set it up, they really have creative freedom to do what they please.

Plus, what parent would not be please about their toddler learning something while they are simultaneously playing??

You can get creative with learning, whether that be theory things like letters and numbers, or practical life skills, like cleaning up.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

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1. Colors

There are so many fun toys to teach colors, and even more super fun and easy activities.

Color sorting activities are some of my favorite types of color learning activities. You most likely even have things to set this up at home.

All you need are some colorful cups or containers to put things on, and something with those same colors to put in those containers.

You could also use construction paper, and have them sort pompoms onto the pieces of paper. This could even be made into gross motor activity by placing those papers around a room or around the house.

You could color in the bottoms of some egg cartons for sorting cups. You could use beads, pompoms, blocks, or even pieces of paper.

The options are really endless!

2. Letters

Some of my favorite activities to do with letters are matching activities.

We often use the letters from a letter puzzle and match them to letters I have drawn on a piece of paper.

We make letters out of play-doh, or dig for the puzzle piece letters in kinetic sand, play-doh, or some sort of sensory filler like colored rice in a container.

3. Pouring Skills

Every toddler loves any kind of water play, and pouring skills are an important thing to learn.

Not only is it fun for your child, it is an easy way to start teaching them some independence, when it comes to preparing their own drinks etc.

It is also so great for hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

Set up a tray to keep the water as contained as possible, some cute little pitchers and cups, and maybe a big bowl and some spoons. Really anything! We have used measuring cups too.

Keep some towels handy, because the mess is all part of the fun!

4. Cleaning and Wiping

Those pouring skills in number 3 lead right into the cleaning and wiping skills.

You could even add this into the water play. When they inevitably make messes, have them clean it up themselves.

You can even add to the fun by giving them some soap and sponges with the water, pitchers and cups. They can test out squeezing the sponges and use cloths and sponges to wipe tables, walls, whatever you are okay with.

5. Sweeping

Sweeping is another great skill for teaching independence, cleaning up after themselves, and taking care of the space they live in.

I love to set up a taped-off square and some pieces of paper purposely put on the floor. They have to sweep the paper that I have scattered around, into the square they I have taped on the floor.

This is our favorite toddler clean up set!

It is also another great one for gross motor skills and concentration. Once they have mastered that, you can give them a real dust pan and see how they do.

6. Cooking and Kitchen Safety

The best way to teach these sorts of things is to have your child right in the kitchen with you, doing things that are age appropriate.

We love or toddler tower for this reason specifically.

You would not necessarily hand a toddler a big sharp knife, but there are tons of toddler cutting tools to try with your toddler.

You could have them sort pieces of food, do some stirring, or rip up some lettuce for salad.

Toddlers love to help and are more capable than we thing!

7. Sharing

When it comes to sharing, a lot of it is developmental.

Toddlers do not understand the concept of sharing until they are closer to 5 years old, even older for some kids.

That does not mean you cannot introduce the concept as early as possible, without forcing it on them.

I love to act sharing out during pretend play. I use pretend people, or whatever we happen to be playing with in the moment.

It introduces the concept without forcing them to give away their prized possessions and toys, not understanding if and when they will get them back.

8. Feelings

For teaching feelings, there are so many different cards, books and activities to introduce the concept of emotions and feelings to your toddler.

Here are some wonderful options:

The point of teaching about feelings and emotions is not only so your child can understand the different ways they may feel, but also the different ways others might feel in certain situations.

It is important to teach your child to express themselves, as well try to understand others’ feelings.

That is where our next point, empathy, comes in.

9. Empathy

Having empathy is being able to understand the feelings of others. That can definitely be a tough concept for even adults to grasp.

I love to use books to teach empathy to children, as well as modeling through play, and asking questions directly to my children in certain situations.

Like, how do you think that made them feel? How would you feel if this happened to you?

Empathy Is Your Superpower: A Book About Understanding the Feelings of Others

10. Stop and Go/Road Safety

This is another one to teach that is super easy to turn into a game, as well as practice in real life.

In your home, you can use any ride-on cars or bikes that you have at home, and play the stop and go game. One person has their back turned to the other person, and says go. When they stay stop, the person behind them has to freeze. If they are moving, they are caught, and turn into the stop and go person.

You do not even have to use a ride-on, just your bodies.

Of course, you can use dinky cars and hot wheels on a mat with roads on it, and talk about these things in real life as you drive or walk around your neighborhood.