Learning Games for Two-Year-Olds

Independent Play

• Two-year-old children will start to play by themselves. They can get immersed in their own imagination, although the fantasies will be simple. Here are some examples of independent play learning games you can suggest to a two-year-old, which will help them develop their existing skills and develop new ones.

  Color Days: Give each day of the week a color. Have the child pick out their own clothes in the color of the day. Have the child suggest foods they can eat that are the color of the day. Let them choose activities for the day as long as the activities involve the color of the day. For example, if the color of the day is blue, they can play with their blue play dough, or go outside and look for blue flowers.

  Give the child Play Dough: Play Dough is a great activity for independent play because it allows the child to create things, and it helps them to take an idea in their head and make it a reality. Allowing your child to draw and color without direction is another great activity for independent play.

Imaginary Play

• Two-year-old children have rich imaginations. Encouraging them to use their imagination can help make any activity more fun while still learning.

  Make a "bridge" going across your living room using old magazines or newspapers. They don't have to be touching each other. Have your child get across the "bridge" by keeping balance and stepping from one magazine to the next. Once the child masters getting across the bridge on their own, place obstacles in their way that they would need to step over. The child can pretend they are walking over a lake full of alligators or crossing a tight rope high in the sky, leave that up to them.

  Give the child a large sheet of blank paper and a glue stick. Go through old magazines with the child, and help them cut out any pictures they decide they like regardless of the reason. Let them glue the pictures onto their blank paper to create a scene, collage or picture. Allow them to use crayons to add to the picture in they want. When they are all done, ask them to tell you about their picture and why they did what they did.

Imitation

• Imitating adult behavior is how two-year-old children learn to do things on their own. Two-year-old children are often eager to help with household chores because they enjoy doing things they see adults doing .
  Have the two-year-old help get ready for a picnic. They can get a basket or bag to put everything in. They can get snacks and drinks in the bag, and they can help make sandwiches for the picnic. The picnic can be in the house if leaving is not feasible. The point is to let the child get things prepared.

  Play a game of Simon Says, and have the child repeat your actions. The child will learn to listen in order to know when they should and should not move. Keep the actions simple so the child does not get overwhelmed.