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One way of bonding with your little one while keeping him or her entertained -and developing- is by playing some engaging games with him or her.
For that reason, we will look at the best and easiest games to play with 2 year olds in this article – We hope that it will point you in the right direction….
It’s playtime so let’s begin….
Best games to play with 2 year olds – games he or she will love and that won’t bore you to death
Scroll down to kick off playtime with some easy toddler games that are fun and educational……..
Fake a Nap
Many 2 year olds love pretending to put parents down for naps.
Instructions:
Just lie (on the floor) and let she/he get a blanket and re-position it (over and over).
They also pat your back and sing until you ‘sleep’.
Interestingly, if you try to say something, most kids often shush daddy/mommy!- you can point out that to him/her before you start..
Overall, it’s so cute a game and funny!
Surprise: It may get you very relaxed..
Balloon games!
You can spend countless hours with your kid and a balloon.
And the good thing is you can chill on the couch -and he/she will keep handing the balloons to you and you slap them away!
In fact, if you are to try balloons, you should- you can even encourage him/her to use their little feet to keep knocking the balloons away.
Still, you can grab the balloon then land it in far/inconvenient spots for him/her to try and grab too-It’s actually fun since he/she is likely to take a while before they’re back.
Hide-and-seek
You hide and then say “meow” or something similar loud enough for him/her to hear until he/she finds you.
You can as well hide a toy from your child and let the boy/girl look for it – it is just like telling your child to look for a toy without telling them where the toy is.
As a way of making it more interesting, you can also make your boy or girl hide something on his/her own, at his or her spot of choice and you go looking for it.
One thing this simple game does is teach your little one basic problem-solving skills.
Finding Game
Fill a bin -with different things- and then you use a picture book/flashcard to show him/her a picture of something then ask him/her to find it.
Example: Find the spoon then you show him/her a picture until he/she finds it.
Talking to his/her stuffed animals
Kids at 2 years usually love it when you “talk” for his/her stuffed animals.
Be sure to come-up with different voices (for them) and he/she will find you absolutely hilarious.
Do some Puzzles!
Puzzles can also be great for the simple reason that they’ll help him/her learn a lot…
Just to mention a few benefits of puzzle building, they boost your kid’s memory, teach them about different shapes, and even help them learn about simple goals.
Here are some age-appropriate puzzle games for your kiddo.
Play with his vehicles/planes
If he loves all vehicles/planes as well, make sure you have a good deal of trucks, cars, planes, etc.
So you’ll play by rolling them to your son (ensue they make a sound) and he will roll them back.
Get sand and play!
With a little creativity, playing with kinetic sand will make your kiddo laugh all day long.
Kids absolutely love this kinetic sand set (He/she will be rolling, squeezing, cutting… and they will stay engaged forever playing with it).
Water games
If your child loves anything to do with water / bubbles at that age, fill up a big container/bowl of water then get as many different sized cups/bowls/ladles….as you can.
You can begin by putting the water from your big bowl/container to the smaller cups/bowls- and you can do that in turns.
Do songs and dance
Have you thought of singing kid songs and dancing sometimes.
Try to tickle him/her or help or have them do improvised gymnastics.
Play on the stairs
Think of games you can play on your carpeted stairs- like rolling balls down then tossing them right back up.
Rolling things down a ramp
You may also try rolling stuff down some inexpensive cardboard ramp.
Just make up stuff to say and pretend
You can even sit in one spot& make up things to say.
You can start by thinking of different voices/sounds you can make(as many as you can).
Another thing you can try out is a very specific thing like rolling a ball or pushing a toy car across the floor.
The other alternative is you sit and pretend by making some funny gestures that can lead your child to interact and explore.
Fun games to play with 2 year olds – More Suggestions
Duplo Lego
Duplo Lego can also be great.
You can help your son or daughter build and then exclaim over his/her build.
You can also jointly build a cool high-rise building (with parking underneath) for his/her cars.
And while at it, you can make up some good stories about stuff they can relate to, for example, about bunnies.
In the same vein, I have to say that building train tracks could be a fantastic idea if your child is the kind obsessed with trains.
Simon Says
Simon Says is one of the nicest games you can play one-on-one with your kid.
Also, the game has very simple rules so your daughter or son won’t struggle to master it.
For example, if Simon says you touch your hair, your child is simply supposed to do as Simon says.
This is the game I recommend most if you want to teach your little one how to follow instructions.
One for you, one for me
Finally, one for you, one for me teach sharing which children should learn as early as possible.
The good thing is that it is an easy game: Use his or her toys and ask your child to distribute them between you while saying “One for you, one for me.”
Make sure you have enough toys.
Hot and cold
This game needs you or the grandparents to be wise and use his or her favorite stuff.
To start with, hide it (whatever you have selected) and then have your boy or the girl search the room.
Here is how it goes:
If your child is wandering away from the thing, he or she is cold.
On the other hand, if he or she is getting closer, your baby is warm, warmer, or even hot depending on how close the child is to finding the hidden stuff.
It is important to keep an eye on your kid’s emotions- if you notice him/her get frustrated, you can hold his/her hand while he/she looks around and help them search for the item.
This game could help sharpen your kid’s emotional skills (it may also help them learn patience and perseverance).
Alternative activities to the Games to play with 2 year olds listed above
If you’re finding the above make up games a little boring or a challenge for your 2YO, try involving him/her in things/activities you do.
Here are some indoor activities for 2 year olds you can consider:
Examples:
Baking
Some of us bake a lot and having your daughter help you can be a brilliant way of keeping her occupied. Of course you need to be patient because she won’t be doing things fast at the beginning (it’s all about the experience).
You can, for example, measure things you’ll be using and let your daughter dump them in (Measure stuff out in the bowls so she just dumps in. Otherwise, kids always love playing with the flour (or whatever).
Also, if you like making chocolate chip cookies, you can give your girl a spoon then have her scoop chips in. It will keep their brain occupied too!
Besides, you can let her mix.
Furthermore, you might make dough balls and have her place them on the trays.
Even watching through the oven(the two of you) as they bake is nice- so is enjoying them together!
Cleaning
You can consider cleaning together- just hand your daughter her own rag plus a small bucket( of soapy water).
You wipe down first and then you instruct her to do the second “coat”.
Needless to say, a second wipe is not always necessary but that way, she feels really helpful- and kids genuinely enjoy the feeling!.
Or just have her wipe down her toys, dogs, walls…anything
If she spills, do not take make a big deal out of it- and rewash anything you may need to.
More chores you can have them help you in
- Wash dishes together
- Folding laundry- and you could make your kid their own t-shirt folder cheaply(out of cardboard). Watch this DIY t-shirt folder tutorial.
- Dusting the shelves
- Putting things (in a bin)
Other slightly different activities/tasks you can try out include making puppets, bubble paintings, pipe cleaner crafts, going outside the house to collect rocks you later take home to paint, lining up their toys with eyes (to form a parade), picking flowers in the yard… etc
Games to play with 2 year olds – final words
Kids at the age of 2 are always observing and learning new things which is where the above games come in.
They will not only keep your child occupied but are, in general, also very important in boosting your little one’s cognitive, physical, and emotional skills.
That being so, don’t hesitate to explore as many of the listed games as you can with your dear son or daughter.
PS:
Don’t play same games repetitiously- instead, think about what you do enjoy. Crafts/DIY? Painting? Rolling or throwing balls back-and-forth? Feeding birds or ducks? Going to the park? You want to continue offering choices and sometimes you will end up doing annoying crap but it’s worth it as long as it is not the main game (change is obviously good for everyone!).
ALSO READ:
The best parent child relationship building activities you can try with your child
What is the most annoying child age?