Beth. Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 DD#2 will be two in April. She is highly verbal, knows all of her upper and lower case letters and sounds and can count and identify numbers. She wants to write, cut, use the computer mouse - everything big sister is doing - and screams in frustration because she just cannot get her little fingers to do what she wants them to do. I am looking for some ideas on "educational" activities or toys that will challenge her brain, but yet meet her physical abilities. She has no interest in any of the LeapFrog items we have. I believe she sees them as toys and is bored by them even though she has not mastered them (or maybe the annoying sounds/voices turn her off). She does know how to play; she will spend 30-45 minute stretches with her Little People or Playmobil. She is also starting to do a lot of pretend play with big sister (kitchen, dolls, camping, school, etc). We do coloring sheets, drawing, counting, ABCs, reading, Signing Time, etc but she wants more. What ideas do you have? I found wooden pattern blocks and some activity cards to go with them, but I don't have any other leads. Thank you for your help. She is going to be my challenge. Big sister has always fit nicely in the normal/average/age appropriate category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Play silks might be good for her and encourage creativity (one can be water for toy ducks, or for "fishing", she can use them in different ways to dress up or wear as wings, etc. We've gotten a lot of mileage from the stuff I've bought from Sarah's Silks. Does she have a set of blocks like these? They're good for open-ended play and basic physics, like rolling a ball down a ramp made with them. Kumon's "Let's..." series (Let's Cut Paper! Let's Color! etc.) is good for ages two and up. The preschool stuff from Timberdoodle looks really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Kumon's "Let's..." series (Let's Cut Paper! Let's Color! etc.) is good for ages two and up. :iagree: Also perhaps Melissa and Doug Latches board, wooden lacing things, Skills board for practice in fine motor? Wooden puzzles in varying difficulties, progressing to the 24 piece cardboard ones. Play Doh but with all the utensils to create more intricate stuff. Stickers and paper to create things. Getting the stickers off the backing helps fine motor again. Kumon has some sticker books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth. Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Does she have a set of blocks like these? They're good for open-ended play and basic physics, like rolling a ball down a ramp made with them. This made me chuckle ... Yes, she has those blocks. However, I had to throw out the box yesterday as she was pretending to be a kitty and used it as her litter box. :lol: I just added a few balls to her blocks. Thank you for that tip. I'm loving the rest of the ideas too. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 This is my 2yo. Tangrams, geoboards, puzzles, dominoes, cuisenaire rods, pipe cleaners in my collander, light bright, blocks and Legos, and water play (makes a big mess!). There are more, I'm sure, but these are just off the top off my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferLynn Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 If she can peel the stickers off, the Orb Factory sticky mosaics are great. The Alex brand also makes it. I also got actual workbooks for my younger kids. I had to ask them the questions and write in the answers - then they scribbled/colored the pictures. But they liked having A Workbook for their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Maybe some Lauri toys? My DC always enjoyed the pegs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth. Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 This is my 2yo. Tangrams, geoboards, puzzles, dominoes, cuisenaire rods, pipe cleaners in my collander, light bright, blocks and Legos, and water play (makes a big mess!). There are more, I'm sure, but these are just off the top off my head. We do have the same kiddo -- kitchen flooding happens daily at our house! If she can peel the stickers off, the Orb Factory sticky mosaics are great. The Alex brand also makes it. I also got actual workbooks for my younger kids. I had to ask them the questions and write in the answers - then they scribbled/colored the pictures. But they liked having A Workbook for their own. Big sister is going to LOVE sticky mosaics! Thank you. Maybe some Lauri toys? My DC always enjoyed the pegs. I loved these toys when I was a kid! Also perhaps Melissa and Doug Latches board, wooden lacing things, Skills board for practice in fine motor? Wooden puzzles in varying difficulties, progressing to the 24 piece cardboard ones. Play Doh but with all the utensils to create more intricate stuff. Stickers and paper to create things. Getting the stickers off the backing helps fine motor again. Kumon has some sticker books. Great ideas. Thank you! Thank you! I have three Grandma's asking for birthday gift ideas for both girls and you all just made my job easy! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Does she have a sensory bin? You can put in rice, all kinds of beans, plastic jewels/beads, sand, shaving cream, playdough, cornmeal, feed corn, bird seed, snow, potting soil, torn paper, water/colored water/warm water/soapy water (with a whisk for more bubbles)/ice cubes and water (color the ice cubes with food coloring for more fun)... You can bury jewels/fake coins/pennies/plastic animals add spoons--slotted, teaspoons, measuring spoons, ladles, add other utensils add spoons and various plastic cups put in a smaller bin with a little dirt and a cup of water wash play dishes (can put in two small bins, one for soapy water and one to rinse) wash dolly squeeze things--various kinds of sponges with turkey baster Endless fun, fine motor skills, etc. etc. Really cool! I know there's a sensory bin blog out there--super ideas! Can't find it, but I'm sure it's there somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 My dd was like that at that age. It is a really hard time. She liked stickers a lot. She like cutting yarn. She was always very tiny, and even the smallest scissors were a little hard for her to use. It was easier to cut yarn than paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Does she have a sensory bin? You can put in rice, all kinds of beans, plastic jewels/beads, sand, shaving cream, playdough, cornmeal, feed corn, bird seed, snow, potting soil, torn paper, water/colored water/warm water/soapy water (with a whisk for more bubbles)/ice cubes and water (color the ice cubes with food coloring for more fun)... You can bury jewels/fake coins/pennies/plastic animals add spoons--slotted, teaspoons, measuring spoons, ladles, add other utensils add spoons and various plastic cups put in a smaller bin with a little dirt and a cup of water wash play dishes (can put in two small bins, one for soapy water and one to rinse) wash dolly squeeze things--various kinds of sponges with turkey baster Endless fun, fine motor skills, etc. etc. Really cool! I know there's a sensory bin blog out there--super ideas! Can't find it, but I'm sure it's there somewhere. Aha! Here's one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 We are on our fourth magnetic erase board. They get loved to death! Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 I forgot to mention the computer! My ds loved Poisson Rouge at that age, and both my kids still play it on occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 To train mouse skills for the computer, get Reader Rabbit for Babies and Toddlers. http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Company-Playtime-Matching-Differences/dp/B004U8VB9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331301891&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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