[Childcare] Recommended play ideas for caring for 2-year-olds
Two-year-olds are able to do more and start to understand simple rules.
Some teachers wonder how to incorporate a variety of play activities.
Since the range of activities you can suggest depends on the class atmosphere, it’s easy to feel unsure about what to choose.
So, we’ve gathered play ideas recommended for two-year-olds!
We’ve mixed in both outdoor and indoor activities, with rules ranging from very simple to a bit more complex, so you’re sure to find ideas that fit your class.
Have a great time playing with the children to your heart’s content!
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[Childcare] Recommended Play Ideas for 2-Year-Olds (21–30)
Handmade musical instruments
Let’s have fun making sounds and playing! Here are some ideas for homemade instruments.
Try playing while getting familiar with music using DIY drums, maracas, and castanets.
You can make instruments like drums, maracas, and castanets using paper plates and paper cups, and by freely decorating them with stickers and pens, you’ll nurture children’s creativity.
As they make sounds and keep the beat, they can experience the joy of playing along with music, which also helps develop fine motor skills and a sense of rhythm.
Pool stick fountain & shower
Here’s a fun water play idea for hot summer days using a pool noodle! Secure one end of the noodle tightly to a garden hose with tape, and poke several small holes in the other end.
When you turn on the water, it sprays out of the noodle like a fountain.
Kids will have a blast chasing the spray and running through it! They can also run around, try to catch the water with their hands, and enjoy the sensory experience.
Be sure an adult supervises at all times and that you play on a non-slip surface for safety.
It’s like a little shower—highly recommended as a super fun summer activity!
circuit play
Popular both as an everyday play activity and a staple event at sports days, “circuits” come in many forms, often using balance beams and vaulting boxes.
Walk across the balance beam without falling.
Cover a vaulting box with a mat to make a mountain to climb.
Jump over obstacles with both feet, or do a crab walk along tape on the floor.
Circuit activities help develop balance and overall body control.
You can tailor the content to the child’s age, or make it just a little more challenging than their current level.
And when they succeed, be sure to give them plenty of praise.
Signaling Game
It’s also great for a quick play during small breaks! Here’s an idea for a traffic light game.
Traffic lights are important indicators for learning traffic rules.
When crossing roads where cars and bicycles are moving, they play a crucial role in keeping yourself safe.
This time, let’s use the colors of the traffic light to play a game.
Move forward on “green,” step back on “yellow,” and stop on “red.” Through these simple rules, children can get a feel for the basic rules of “waiting” and “moving.”
Animal Role-Playing Game
Let me introduce the Animal Role-Play Game, where you pretend to be animals.
The rules are simple: you become the animal given as the prompt and play by running around cones or avoiding obstacles.
Because you move your whole body, it can really liven up parties and gatherings.
Wearing animal masks or making animal sounds while you play is also recommended.
When you start the game, make sure to secure a spacious area and play safely to avoid injuries!
Moguradon’snursery rhyme
Let me introduce a mole-themed nursery rhyme game that friends or parents and children can enjoy together.
Everyone forms a circle and holds hands.
One person sits in the center as the mole.
When everyone calls out, “Mole, wake up!” the mole answers, “Okay!” and wakes up.
At the same moment, the people around should try to run away so they don’t get caught by the mole.
The mole chases and tags someone.
Next, the person who was tagged switches roles and becomes the mole.
You can make it even more fun by discussing and changing the lines you say during the game.
sensory toy play
Fun for all ages! Here are some sensory toy play ideas.
You’ll need: food storage bags, colored water, oil, adzuki beans, erasers, toy goldfish, beads, bells, hair gel, and tape.
Put the materials you prepared into the bag along with the hair gel! Changing up the colors and textures makes the feel different and more interesting.
Sensory toys are recommended not only for infants but also for preschoolers—they’re engaging to look at and touch, and kids will be totally absorbed.