Toddler Activities for Things That Grow
Toddlers aren't interested in learning about the "how and why" of growing plants and animals, but they can observe the changes in them as they grow. You can put her observations in context for her by comparing the various stages she sees in a growing flower or puppy to how she will continue to get bigger over time as well. And don't forget the time-honored tradition of the annual pencil line on the door jamb to mark your child's height as she grows.
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So Big
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Cut a piece of butcher paper as long as the the tallest person in your family is tall. Spread it out on the floor and have the tallest person lay down straight on the paper. Carefully trace around the person with a pencil or marker to create a silhouette. Let your toddler watch this activity and talk about how big Daddy is now that he's all grown. Then help your toddler lay down with her feet even with silhouette's feet. Trace her outline and add the date. When she gets up, point out how little she is compared to the big silhouette. Repeat this at periodic intervals on the same diagram so she can see the changes as she grows.
Aquarium Fun
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Use pet fish as a visual demonstration of how living things grow. Your toddler likely won't understand -- or care -- about the actual life cycle of fish, but she can watch baby fish grow into bigger fish. After a pregnant fish has babies, show her how tiny they are compared to the mommy fish. Compare this to when she was a newborn baby. Every few days, bring her back to the tank to check out the babies. As they grow larger, explain that they're getting bigger each day, just like she is. When she sees they are now as big as the other fish, it might help her to understand that she'll keep growing until she gets as big as the grownups in her life.
Plant a Seed
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With your help, your toddler can plant flower or vegetable seeds in flower pots you can keep indoors. Explain that the seed is like a baby plant and that if she takes care of it by watering it and giving it sunlight, just like you take care of her, it will grow bigger and bigger just like she is doing. Take a snapshot of your toddler with her newly-planted seeds, then at various points over the coming days as the seed sprouts, breaks through the soil and begins to get taller. Put the snapshots in sequence into a little notebook so she can enjoy the progress of her plant whenever she wants to.
Mother Nature
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Take advantage of what nature provides to demonstrate to your toddler how things grow. Look for tadpoles in a nearby pond and return frequently to watch them turn into frogs. If you have access to a petting zoo or local farm, arrange for your little one to visit the baby animals several times; perhaps she can even help feed them or give them a bottle. She'll delight in watching "her animals" get bigger over the course of her visits. If you or a close friend has a new baby, she can help feed the baby and watch as it gets bigger.
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Caring about other people’s feelings is a vital social skill. Psychologists call this empathy. Toddlers are busy learning about their world and themselves, and they often appear rather self-centered. As you consistently define and model respect
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Transitions abound in a toddlers life, and while moving from the crib to the big kid bed is often discussed, moving a toddler into a new bedroom is another common transition for little ones expecting a new baby brother or sister. Here are seven i
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Your toddler is exploring the world around him and becoming curious about what is similar and different between him and his friends or siblings. This general curiosity may lead to some questions from your toddler that make you uncomfortable, but faci
