How to Make Learning Fun for Toddlers

You want your toddler to learn and develop quickly, but you may not be using the right approach; you’re not going to get toddlers to pay much attention to a structured classroom setting for too long.

Toddlers may be full of energy and a little mischief, but you can use these traits to your advantage by turning daily routines and activities into fun learning experiences. Once you make learning fun, you’ll realize you can help them explore and grow like never before.

Use Tactile or Sensory Books

Reading is an excellent way for little ones to learn and bond with loved ones. Reading with your toddler is a fundamental way for them to learn language, life lessons, and other cognitive skills. While any book suitable for toddlers is a good learning source for them, you can go above and beyond by making books even more engaging.

Tactile or sensory books include pages or elements you can touch or feel to help with additional learning, making the stories more memorable and allowing your toddler to have more fun! Books like Pat the Bunny can make reading interesting and immersive.

You can also create your own “touch and feel” book by writing a story and including tactile elements glued to pages. If your toddler really loves it, you may even want to hire a proofreader in the UK or the US to help you publish it for other kids to enjoy.

Combine Play and Learning

Toddlers love to play; they’ll playfully explore the world in any way they know how, and you can use this to your advantage to help them strengthen their cognitive skills and learn about the world. You can help them sort toys by color or shape. Give them time to figure out a toddler-appropriate jigsaw puzzle.

Help them correctly build blocks so they don’t fall. Encourage them to get an early start on learning numbers by counting each play item piece by piece. You can sneak in some fun and rewarding learning activities with their own toys!

Sing Songs for Memory

Songs can help capture a toddler’s attention better than monotonous words, and they’re more memorable. Try turning learning sessions into songs.

There are already songs for the alphabet (ABCs) and certain body parts (Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes), making the job easier for you. Try making up more songs to help them remember and learn faster. You can create songs about toothbrushing, daily routines, cleaning up, playing with toys, and more.

Try to make them rhyme for added enrichment and memory-making. Adding body movements or hand motions can help combine education and physical development as well.

Take a Trip Through Nature

Nature is the perfect backdrop for toddlers to learn more about the world. There are so many ways to stimulate the five senses when your toddler is outside. Touching grass, smelling flowers, tasting edible plants, seeing wildlife, and hearing bird sounds will enrich and stimulate your child’s growing mind.

Be mindful of where you take your toddler outside; avoid plants like poison ivy, and always wash edible plants before letting your child taste them. Teach your toddler always to be respectful of the natural world.

Incorporate Movement Into Play

It’s important for little ones to develop properly, both physically and mentally. Encouraging movement can tackle both at once if you plan for it. For example, include hand movements when singing about the alphabet.

Make up a dance for a song about brushing your teeth. Help your toddler express themselves using sign language. Invent a game about moving specific body parts. There are many ways to help your child flex their joints and muscles as they grow, while turning it into a rewarding learning experience.

Include the Five Senses

As toddlers grow and develop, they’ll rely on their five senses to learn. Make sure your play and learning activities stimulate all of these senses at least once. You can help your child learn about taste by playing with edible slime or making a simple recipe together.

Make sure their toys include small instruments that make different sounds, like a baby xylophone. Vary textures, colors, and shapes when choosing toys. Scented toys, smelling flowers, or trying different foods can help them learn about their sense of smell, too. 

Pay Attention to Their Interests

It may seem like toddlers only take random interests in things, but you may realize that they have their favorite toys, TV shows, or foods. Pay attention to these and use them to your advantage.

If your child loves the show Bluey, include some toys that will help them learn more about the show. You can even help your child learn about the real dogs behind Bluey—the blue heeler. Get creative by combining learning, play, and their interests to help them remember and stay engaged in learning.

Conclusion

Toddlers are at their best when they’re having fun; boring, structured lessons or keeping them from play will likely make them less inclined to learn. Make learning fun by incorporating it into their play and daily routine.

Allow them to move their bodies and use their five senses to explore the world around them. Always supervise them for the safest play and learning experience, and be sure they only eat or taste what they can safely. Get a little creative, and you may find your toddler learning and growing faster than ever.