After a popular post recently listing 100 foods for your toddler to try before they turn three, I thought I’d have a go at another list. Who doesn’t love a list? Having worked as a primary school teacher for 12 year, it never failed to shock me how few life experiences some children had. I’m not talking expensive or elaborate activities. I mean the basic day to day stuff that most toddlers are enjoying.
Having as many life experiences under their belt before starting school gives toddlers a head start. It means when they are reading a book about the beach, it is relatable. They will have built a sandcastle and felt the sea wash over their toes. Your little one will be drawing on prior knowledge and building on it rather than starting from scratch.
Get Stuck In
Many activities below also involve interaction which in turn will promote language skills. Talking about new life experiences and activities is a great way to develop vocabulary. As yet, my girls have not completed this list but have done many. They still have two more years and so I’d like to think we will be able to tick off them all and hopefully many more in that time.
Just a little disclaimer. Some of my suggestions require close adult supervision however, I believe that if done carefully, the riskier ones will be the most memorable.
So here they are in no particular order.
At Home
1) dance to music
2) dress themselves
3) listen to traditional tales
4) donate old toys
5) sing along to a song
9) phone a friend
10) video message someone who lives far away
11) learn to wash hands properly
12) stay up late for New Years Eve
13) wash up pots
Garden
13) splash in puddles
14) grow a flower
15) grow something edible
16) build a snowman
17) have a snowball fight
18) make a snow angel
19) make petal perfume
20) play in the mud
21) have a teddy bear’s picnic
22) camp out overnight
23) blow bubble
24) run through sprinklers
25) draw with chalk
26) spin until they’re dizzy
Nature
27) build a den
28) hold a spider
30) fly a kite
32) explore a wood
33) star/moon gaze
34) use a magnifying glass
35) feed a horse
36) eat an apple straight from the tree
37) walk through leaves
38) climb a hill
39) feed the ducks
Beach
40) build a sandcastle
41) paddle in the sea
42) draw in the sand
43) bury their feet
44) explore rock pools
45) listen to the waves
Play
46) play a board game
47) hide and seek
48) play dress up
49) pillow fight
50) make shadow puppets
51) play with a cardboard box
52) eye spy
53) complete a jigsaw
55) build a Lego house
Celebrations
56) write/draw in a card
57) sing happy birthday
58) blow out candles
59) hunt for Easter eggs
60) watch fireworks
61) hold a sparkler
62) toast marshmallows
63) take photographs
64) decorate a Christmas tree
65) carve a pumpkin
66) bounce on a bouncy castle
Cooking
67) help to make a cake
68) chop fruits
69) ice biscuits
70) top a pizza
71) spread butter
73) make a drink
74) crack an egg
Transport
75) train
76) boat
77) bus
78) bike/scooter
79) sledge
80) carousel
Places to visit
85) library
86) fun fair
87) cinema
89) play park
Sports
90) play a ball game
91) go swimming
92) play tag
93) hoola hoop
94) create an obstacle course
95) watch a sporting event
Crafts
96) paint a portrait
97) create a model from recycling
98) play with dough/plastercine
99) make pasta jewellery
100) potato printing
There you have it. One hundred life experiences to have before they start school. How many can your toddler tick off? Do you have any more to add?
PIN FOR LATER
I love this! My 3 year old has done quite a lot of them so another year to do the rest before she starts school
Thanks. It sounds like you’re on track to get though the list.
Wow, this is a really great list. My three year old has certainly done most of them but there are still quite a few to tick off over the next year x
#TheListLinky
Thanks. We’ve still got quite a few to get though but hopefully they are all achievable.
I love a good list post! We do so many of these on a daily basis, it’s amazing how such simple things can be so valuable to our little ones! Thanks so much for sharing with #Blogstravaganza xx
Great to hear. I think it’s the little things that have the biggest impact.
Thanks for taking the time to write these down to share. As a retired educator and grandmother to two sets of twins, these “little things” are so important to teach early on in life.
The little things are what make the big difference.
this is an amazing idea for a list I might have to do this for my kids except travelling on a boat i’m not my stomach could take it #thelistlinky
How about a row boat or pedalo?
Love this list. We managed to cross quite a few of these off this summer but still have many more to go. Thanks for joining #Blogstravaganza. Hope to see you again.
Great to hear. I like to have a list to work though. It motivates me to try more.
I was worried before I read this that I would have somehow failed my little boy and now school has started I would have failed completely, but I’m so pleased that he has done most of these in some form or another. We spent our first NYE with him last year and it was really lovely (although we did pay for it the next day!) Thanks for linking up to #TriumphantTales, hope to see you again next week! 🙂
The NYE one is one we’ve yet to try but I’ve got two more before school so still time. Did he make it to midnight?
Perfect list with some great suggestions. I would add water fight – great getting out the water pistols (or old washing up liquid bottles) on a hot day!
Thanks for linking up to #AnythingGoes 🙂
Debbie
Don’t know how I missed that one. Great suggestion.
Ah love this list, my daughter started school this week and pleased to say we have done a lot of them – haven’t been able to take her on a plane yet though! #humpdaylinky
I’m sure she’ll appreciate all the morebeing a little older when you do.
I actually think we’ve done all of these which is a first! #humpdaylinky
Well done you. We definitely haven’t.