Infant & Toddler Curriculum Activities

Motor Skills Activities

• One of the most common and easiest activities to help infants develop motor skills involves spreading cereal out on a clean, flat surface and allowing the infant to pick up the cereal and eat it. This teaches him hand-eye coordination and works on his fine motor skills since he has to use his fingers -- particularly the thumb and index finger -- to pick up such a small object. It also makes for a fun snack time. Some variations on this activity can include placing the cereal in a pouch or box for him to dig in, asking the infant to put a piece in your mouth and setting out two or three small cups and asking him to place cereal in the cups. Choose cereal without sharp edges or specially made infant snacks.

  Another helpful activity involves using balloons to hit with your hands. Blow up a few small non-helium balloons and toss them gently toward the baby. Sit across from her and allow her to bat the balloons with her hand, encouraging her to try and bat them in your direction. Throw away the balloons when you're finished or if they pop, because deflated balloons are a choking hazard.

Learning Responsibility

• A wish list is a positive way to encourage your child to focus on what he has and plan for what he wants instead of throwing tantrums in stores. It also demonstrates to your child that you are listening to him and taking him seriously. Whenever your child says that he wants something, write it down in front of him and show him the list. Then tell him that he can pick from an item on his wish list as a reward for good behavior or helping in whatever way he can around the house. Once you purchase something on his wish list, cross it off and show him so that he can look back on all he has earned.

Colors, Sorting and Matching

• Colors, sorting and matching can go hand in hand, as you can devise several activities for your child involving blocks, balls or other toys with similar shapes and colors to be sorted or matched based on similarities and differences. For instance, you could find five to six pairs of objects that are similar in every way except for size (socks, plates, balls, pencils). Hold up the objects that are the same but different sizes and ask your toddler to identify which one is smaller or larger. Also, arrange several objects of various basic primary colors (red, blue, green, yellow, etc.) and ask your child to sort the objects by color and place all of the objects that are the same color in their own piles.