Activities for young toddlers?

Hello


I am opening a home daycare and just looking for some information on some daily activities for young toddlers age 12 months and 14 months. I plan on having free play and story time etc. What do you do at your Daycares? Thanks!

That age loves sensory activities. Water table. Finger painting. Constarch in a sensory bin with scoops and bowls. Mine loves the train table and the big Lego blocks as well. Also love the park and stroller walks.

At that age, I don't have formal story, circle or sing times. It's sporadic, when I'm on the floor with them, takes up a lot of the day actually lol. Lots of different and exciting voices for reading, actions to the songs and very short circle times to include them with the older children and set up the expectation for when they're older.

Other things I do with that age group are;

* paper in a large ziplock bag with paint dipped sponges. They can squeeze the heck outta that bag and it's all mess free!!

* paper and paint dipped marbles in a lays chip container (or any cylindrical container) let them shake, shake, shake

* pudding or whipped cream finger paint. Safe to eat :)

* smaller containers in a large container....let them dump and pour water

* safe sensory tables....I like to use packing peanuts, Pom poms, feathers, big macaroni, cut up pool noodles etc as my base and add a few toys, tongs, measuring cups etc

* individual water tables for them

* chalk or marker on paper...easiest for them to get colour on the page with limited strength

* balloons and glow sticks and indoor pop up tents. Supervise the balloons and glow sticks obviously

* paint outside in bathing suits with washable paint. Buy a white bed sheet and let them go to town!! Than it's a blanket for forts when dried

* bathing suits, bucket of water, baby blow up pool, throw toys in and let them wash them

Hope some of these ideas work for your group....have fun!!

Thank you very much ladies for all the helpful information! I just opened my in home daycare and I have my first little one on Monday !

Good luck and have fun!!

Good for you , I have a new child starting Monday too so I will be thinking of you .....when I am not busy:)

How did the day go for you 2??

This week we scrunched up little pieces of paper and the kids took turns stuffing them into a large empty clear orange juice jug with a flip top hole in lid. It took a long time and forced them to take turns as only room for one at a time for paper in hole at top of jug . For the older dcks we talked about the jug getting quarter then half then three quarter full. Good cheap fun!

It went great! Thank you for all the ideas! I now have an 8 month old that joined us as well.