Toddler color pick makes a fun fine motor activity.
This toddler color pick activity helped me multiple times this week! I used it to prepare dinner, vacuum the living room floor, and take a shower. – You know, all normal activities are a wee bit harder to do with someone pulling on your pant leg. This activity will introduce your toddler to color names and strengthen fingers and fine motor strength.
How can you entertain your toddler at home?
Under two years old can be a tricky age to entertain. They are typically in the I want to be older, yet I don’t have the momentum to play independently for long periods of time phase.
But no worries, I am happy to help. This and this list of 15 activities to do with a box are at your service.
Quick and easy toddler activities to help you make breakfast and blow-dry your hair. #momlife
RELATED: Have a two-year-old? You need this list of toddler activities!
When should toddlers know color names?
For starters, does my 18-month-old know his colors? Absolutely not.
Is it a good time to mention the words red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple?
Absolutely, yes.
It is also an excellent time to have your child pull items up and try to manage hand-eye coordination to place them back. To expand on this, the AAP has a helpful article about cognitive development in two-year-olds.
Essential development skills with this toddler color activity:
- Cause and effect – When I pull out this stick, what happens?
- Finger grasping – I have to pinch the craft stick to pull this out.
- Hand-eye coordination – Toddlers have to look and pull at the same time.
- Problem-solving – Here, toddlers begin to think about what happens next.
- Pencil grip – To write, later on, children need to have strong hands.
- Strengthening arm strength – This coordination will also help gross motor skills.
RELATED: This list of one-year-old activities will keep everyone entertained!
Activities are building blocks to learning.
Thinking games such as this prepare your toddler for independent play down the road. Each game is a building block to learning, and concepts will begin to overlap.
- Baby Block Box now; Building tall towers later.
- Pick a Color now; Working with Legos later.
- Sweet and Tasty Sensory Bin now; Cranberry Scoop and Pour later.
Every activity you play with your toddler now will help build momentum for when they are a preschooler.
This fine motor game is also perfect for multi-ages! My 3.5-year-old could not stay away.
RELATED: Teaching colors with these 35 color activities for kids!
Set up and Materials
A quick dive into the recycle bin did the trick. I found some jumbo craft sticks and a box cutter (grown-ups only), and we were on our way.
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- Box
- Box cutter
- Craft sticks
- Markers – we love this 40 pack
Keep your supplies out! Chances are, your toddler will play with this again and again. Fine motor activities are a great way to strengthen chubby little hands for larger tasks down the road.
If they grow tired of the box, put the colored craft sticks in a jar. Now watch them fill and dump just like this sensory bin. – Another crucial developmental skill.
Now, go dumpster dive for some cardboard!
Related: Here are 50 kid activities for home.
No. Think about your child’s stage over your child’s age. If they have trouble identifying colors, begin practicing with only two colors. As your child begins to recognize the two colors, add on. Learning takes time, and we can slow down to help our toddlers build on concepts through repetition.
Toddlers like to move; that is precisely how they love learning! Toddlers need to touch and explore textures to engage interest. Keep in mind that a child’s attention is typically twice their age. You can expect about four minutes of focus if your child is two.
I remember making this activity for my toddler to help him learn colors and for me to empty the dishwasher without him crawling inside as I do so. If this feels familiar, try this toddler color pick and these clever toddler activities.
The best toys for toddlers are open-ended, include multiple textures, and have an opportunity for the child to problem-solve. Here is our toys list for one-year-olds and our toddler toy list.
