It’s presently winter and while we still try to get outside each day to run off some energy and breathe in the fresh air, some days are too windy or wet or frigid. And yet, energy abounds in toddlers.
These cards are useful when children are in need of redirection. When their energy started to lead to movement that was too much for indoors, we would sometimes use these cards to satisfy the desire for movement.
Depending on the age and imagination of your child, simply naming an animal might be sufficient to spark some pretend play. But for a one and two year old, the visual of the animal cards made this activity much more captivating for them. Here are a few ways we used them:
ACTIVITIES:
- Simply set the pile of cards upside down and draw one card at a time allowing the child to identify the animal and act it out. (If there’s a mirror that you can bring into the space, that adds a bit of fun for the child. It also helps to build an awareness of body movement. It helps them to link the feeling of a movement with what it looks like.)
- Scatter the cards around the house and have them do the movement of one card until they reach the next.
- Line them up and create an animal inspired workout routine.
- Turn on some music and create dance moves to suit each animal by asking questions like, ”How do you think a dinosaur/butterfly/chicken would dance?”
