Zero to Three fun games

The newsletter this week highlights the wonderful resources that the Zero to Three website offers. The have printouts that make organizing activities easier. The printouts also show the developmental milestones that are typical for each age. I printed these off and love using them.
There is also a rundown of activities to do with ages three and under. I love these activities! The babies in my room love them as well! Here are three of them:

Birth to 12 Months: Pull the Scarf. Wind a long, silky scarf into an empty tissue box. Pull a bit of the scarf out the top of the box. Show your baby (6 months and up) how to pull the scarf out. Show how surprised and excited you are. As you pull, say: “Pull!” Then replace the scarf, pull a bit out, and offer it to your baby. See if your baby would like a chance to play at this game of cause-and-effect, an early cognitive milestone. This activity also develops a baby’s hand-eye coordination, grasp, and finger strength and coordination.

12-24 Months: Fill It Up, Dump It Out. Remove the label from an empty clear plastic canister (such as that used to hold tennis balls). Show your young toddler how to fill the canister with pompoms or small blocks. This is an exciting game for toddlers! What happens when the canister is full? You may need to model how to dump the blocks, then give your baby a turn. Games like this build conceptual knowledge (empty/full) as well as problem-solving and motor planning skills.

24-36 Months: Make a Matching/Threading Toy. Snip small holes in the plastic top of a coffee can or oatmeal container. With colored permanent markers or nail polish, paint around the opening of each hole in a different color (remember to store these items out of baby’s reach). Find pompoms or chenille stems in the same colors as the painted holes. Let your toddler discover how to poke or thread the pompom or stem through the hole. Introduce the concept of matching colors, threading the red stem through the red hole, for example. Games like this build conceptual knowledge (colors) as well as fine motor skills in the hands and fingers.

Each of these games focus on various developmental areas at the same time. Playtime is learning time for children and this shows just how to do it. I can't stress enough how easy this website makes parenting and learning. I would love to know if anyone else has any other games they play with their young children.