If you are a parent or home-caregiver to toddlers, you likely know what a handful these bundles of energy and excitement can be! Most parents and caregivers feel exhausted simply trying to keep up with their toddler. But both, the Kensington and the Rockville infant programs, channel that energy and excitement into fun, arts and craft projects in novel ways. These programs open the door to a toddler’s natural curiosity, and helps them learn and develop while playing and having fun!

Why Rockville Infant and Kensington Toddler Programs Encourage Fun Activities?

Projects and art activities are beneficial for both infants and toddlers in many ways. Here are some reasons why the Rockville infant and toddler programs, and Kensington toddler program encourages them:

• They stimulate creativity and imagination: Toddlers and infants can express their ideas, feelings and preferences through different media, such as drawing, painting, collage and clay. They can also explore different materials, colors, shapes and textures, and discover new possibilities.
• They develop fine motor skills and coordination: Toddlers can practice their hand-eye coordination, finger strength and dexterity, and spatial awareness by manipulating various tools and objects. They can also learn to control their movements and improve their precision and accuracy.
• They enhance cognitive and language skills: Toddlers too, like infants, can learn new concepts, words and symbols through projects and art activities. They can also develop their memory, attention, problem-solving and logical thinking skills by planning, executing and evaluating their work.
• They foster social and emotional skills: Toddlers can interact with others, share their opinions and feedback, cooperate and collaborate, and respect different perspectives and cultures through projects and art activities. They can also express their emotions, cope with frustration, build confidence and self-esteem, and enjoy a sense of accomplishment.
• They provide fun and enjoyment: Toddlers can have fun and relax while engaging in projects and art activities. They can also explore their interests, passions and talents, and develop a positive attitude towards learning and creativity.

Bringing Fun and Learning into Your Infant’s and Toddler’s Life

The experienced and trained early childhood educators, who designed the Rockville toddler and infant learning activities, and Kensington infant programs, understand that infants and toddlers are curious and creative, and they love to explore the world around them. One of the best ways to foster their development and stimulate their imagination, is to engage them in fun DIY learning projects and art activities. These activities can help them learn new skills, express their emotions, and have fun at the same time. Here are some examples of fun DIY learning projects and art activities for toddlers that you can try at home.

1. Sensory Bins: Sensory bins are containers filled with different materials that stimulate the senses of touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste. You can use anything from rice, beans, sand, water, pom poms, cotton balls or feathers, to create a sensory bin. Add some age-appropriate toys, tools, or props to make it more interesting and thematic. For example, you can create a farm sensory bin with hay, toy animals, and a tractor; or a beach sensory bin with sand, shells, and a bucket. Let your child explore the sensory bin with their hands or other tools, and talk to them about what they see, feel, hear, smell, and taste.
2. Finger Painting: Finger painting is a classic art activity that kids at the Rockville toddler program It allows them to express their creativity and experiment with colors and shapes. You can use finger paints or make your own with cornstarch, water, and food coloring. You can also use different types of paper or other surfaces to paint on, such as cardboard, foil, or plastic wrap. Encourage your toddler to use their fingers or other tools like brushes, stamps, or sponges, to create different patterns and designs. You can also add some glitter, stickers, or googly eyes to make it more fun.
3. Play Dough: Play dough is another versatile and fun material that toddlers can use to create anything they want. You can buy play dough or make your own with flour, salt, water, oil, and food coloring. You can also add some scents or textures to make it more sensory. Give your toddler some tools like cookie cutters, rolling pins, non-sharp scissors, or molds to shape the play dough into different objects and animals. You can also use play dough to teach your toddler about colors, numbers, letters and shapes.
4. Collage: Collage is an art activity that involves cutting and gluing different materials together to create a new image or scene. You can use magazines, newspapers, catalogs, or flyers to find pictures that your toddler likes. You can also use other materials, like fabric scraps, ribbon, yarn, or buttons, to add some texture and dimension. Give your toddler some non-sharp scissors (or help them cut) and glue (or tape) to stick the materials onto a piece of paper or cardboard. Staff at Kensington toddler programs also give them some crayons or markers to draw on the collage or add some details.
5. Popsicle Stick Crafts: Popsicle sticks are cheap and easy to find materials that you can use to make various crafts with your toddler. You can use popsicle sticks to make frames, houses, boats and animals. You can also paint them, decorate them, or glue them together in different ways. You can also use other materials like pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and pom poms to add some features and details.
6. Paper Plate Crafts: Paper plates are another common and inexpensive material that you can use to make fun crafts with your toddler. You can use paper plates to make masks, hats, wreaths, flowers or animals. You can also cut them, fold them, or punch holes in them to create different shapes and effects and then decorate them.
7. Bubble Wrap Painting: Bubble wrap is a fun material that toddlers love to pop and play with. You can also use it as a painting tool to create interesting textures and patterns. You can use bubble wrap as a stamp by dipping it in paint and pressing it onto paper or other surfaces. You can also use bubble wrap as a roller by wrapping it around a cardboard tube and rolling it over paint and paper.

Let Infants and Toddlers Have Fun While Developing

Age-appropriate projects and art activities at the Kensington and Rockville toddler, and Rockville infant program are beneficial for young children in many ways. They stimulate their creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. They also foster their social and emotional development, as they learn to express themselves, collaborate with others, and cope with frustration. Infant and toddler art and craft projects can also enhance their cognitive and physical abilities, such as fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. By engaging toddlers and infants in projects and art activities, parents and educators can support their holistic growth and prepare them for future learning experiences.