The Hidden Meadow Rescue

The Hidden Meadow Rescue

Steps:

  • First, grab a piece of cardboard to use as your meadow floor.
  • Draw a few colorful bugs on the board with your markers.
  • Cut your green tissue paper into several long, thin strips.
  • Glue the bottom end of each strip to the cardboard base.
  • Let the top of the paper flop over to hide your bug drawings.
  • Place some colorful buttons or stickers underneath the tissue paper grass.
  • Invite your child to go on a bug hunt in the meadow!
  • Show them how to lift the grass with one hand while the other picks up a button.

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: This activity uses small buttons and stickers. Always supervise your toddler closely and ensure they do not put these items in their mouth.

The Wobbly Straw Slalom

The Wobbly Straw Slalom

Steps:

  • Roll several small balls of playdough and press them onto a table to make steady bases.
  • Cut your straws into pieces about four inches long.
  • Stick one straw piece vertically into each playdough base to create slalom poles.
  • Line up your poles in a straight or zigzag row.
  • Tie a single large bead to the end of a long piece of string to act as your weight.
  • Hold the string with both hands and weave the bead around each straw pole from start to finish.
  • Challenge your child to go faster or weave the string in a specific pattern you call out!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Beads and playdough are choking hazards, so keep them away from younger siblings.

Paper Cup Balance Track

Paper Cup Balance Track

Steps:

  • Line up six paper cups upside down in a row on a flat table.
  • Use masking tape to secure each cup base to the table so they do not move.
  • Use a bright marker to draw a simple line across the top of all the cups to create a path.
  • Place a ping pong ball on the first cup in the line.
  • Hand your child a spoon and ask them to hold it with their dominant hand.
  • Challenge them to use the spoon to gently push the ball along the marker path from one cup to the next.
  • See if they can reach the final cup without the ball falling off the track!
  • If the ball falls, have them pick it up using their pincer fingers and start again.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure they use the spoon and ball safely.

Double Cup Balloon Bop

Double Cup Balloon Bop

Steps:

  • Blow up a balloon and tie it securely to get things started.
  • Give your child two sturdy paper cups to use as paddles.
  • Have them hold one cup in each hand while standing in an open space.
  • Toss the balloon gently into the air to begin the game.
  • Ask your child to tap the balloon up using the bottom of either cup.
  • Challenge them to alternate hands by hitting it with the left cup and then the right.
  • See how many times they can keep the balloon in the air before it hits the ground!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children during balloon play. Broken balloon pieces are a choking hazard and should be picked up and discarded immediately.

Buggy Rope Slide

Buggy Rope Slide

Steps:

  • Securely tape one end of the rope to the top of a stable doorway.
  • Let the other end of the rope hang down to the floor.
  • Use markers to draw small, silly bugs on the index cards.
  • Help your child slide a paper clip onto the edge of each card.
  • Place all the bug cards into a basket near the rope.
  • Ask your child to clip one bug onto the very bottom of the rope.
  • Challenge them to use both hands to slide the bug card all the way to the top!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure the rope is used safely and does not become tangled.