Developmentally Appropriate Activities for All Ages
We’ve all been there. Stuck inside with kids because of snow, rain, excessive heat or whatever it might be, who are bouncing off the walls. They’ve already watched four hours of television, had 2 hours of screen time for their iPad and you’re about to lose your damn mind.
Here are some developmentally appropriate activities for all ages to help keep them entertained and learning.
Infants
For infants, make sure that the toys are simple, lightweight, easily washable, open-ended such as balls, pop-beads, nesting cups and containers.
- Rattles, squeak toys, action/reaction toys
- Teethers, rings
- Cuddle toys,
- Crawling area accessibility with sturdy furniture to pull themselves up
- Foam blocks
Toddlers
- Push and pull toys/walkers
- Painting
- Slime
- Picture books
- Simple puzzles
- Sandbox
- Water toys
- Paper/coloring books and crayons
- Chalk such as side walk chalk
- Stacking toys such as blocks
- Pretend toys such as a phone, doctor kit, baby dolls
- Beads
- Pounding bench such as a work bench
- Playdough
- Baby Einstein
- Encourage ABC’s with flashcards, pointing to letters
- Flashcards for animals, objects, etc.
- Sign Language or incorporate other language
Preschoolers
- Sand and water toys
- Blocks
- Picture books, audio recordings
- Musical equipment
- Puzzles
- Art materials such as finger paints, safe scissors, glue and crayons
- Playdough
- Play equipment for climbing and balancing
- Dramatic pay materials such as dress-up clothes, props, child sized furniture, puppets and dolls
- Practice writing their name
- Point out common words while reading to help encourage early reading and word identification
- Encourage coordination with t-ball, baseball, kicking a ball, etc.
Pre-K
- Complex puzzles
- Appropriate computer software such as ABC Mouse
- Writing and more complex art projects
- Board and card games
- Construction materials
- Musical instruments
- Equipment for balancing and climbing
- Early reader books
- Blocks, cars
- Complex puzzles and toys for counting and sorting
- Dramatic play materials and props
School-Age
- Musical instruments
- More complex computer software/games
- Board and card games
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Cooking projects
- Woodworking material
- Dramatic play materials
- Science project materials
- Hobby and art projects
What are some of your favorite activities to do with your little ones? Share in the comments below!
