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2. Send them to go and look for something
green, if that was what was on the programme.
Or talk about what the characters did.
3. If they are playing on a device with a counting
app, pause it and go and count something that
they can touch, smell, or taste – like apples.
The more senses you involve in a learning
experience, the more learning takes place.
4. Teach them to classify things. Ask questions
like how are things the same, how are they
different? Look at everyday items with new eyes.
Collect pictures of transport options and group
them according to the number of wheels they
each have. Look at the fruit bowl. Which fruit
can you eat just like this and which ones do
you have to peel?
5. Collect leaves and look at them closely. Some
are big, some small, some have many veins
and some only a few. If you have earthworms
in the garden dig some up and have a closer
look at them. Plant a small vegetable patch or
herb garden. You only need a very small patch
for your toddler to keep control of. If you plant
herbs, involve her in cutting them when you
need them for cooking.
6. Collect some balls and have her sort them
from small to large. Once she has the hang
of this, let her sort from large to small. This is
a harder skill. Then look at which are heavy
and light. Let her experience heavy by filling a
coldrink bottle with water and have one that’s
empty so he can experience light as well.
7. Get into the habit of looking through the
window each morning and commenting on the
weather. Becoming weather savvy will help your
toddler become more sensible when dressing
and it’s something that’s done every day
at preschool.
Remember that free unstructured play
is important. Don’t always gravitate to
electronic media. We have a whole world
out there waiting to be discovered.