Quiet Toddler Activities?!? Why yes, they DO exist!
Quiet play is any activity or game that captures your toddler's imagination and attention long enough for them to sloooow down and think. Many simple activities are fascinating to young children, as they are really just discovering the wonders of the world. Fun and learning doesn't always have to be exuberant and noisy!
You may have heard of there being a link between visual media like television and the rise in attention problems/deficits in school age children. But every parent has had the experience of needing a little quiet time to catch up on adult things, and waiting five years or so to get it is simply too long! There are ways you can encourage your toddler to play independently long before kindergarten, without resorting to television. Most toddlers can occupy themselves when they are given an interesting and safe environment to explore for at least five minutes, sometimes longer but rarely more than 15 minutes.
The trick is to provide the safety (toddler proof!) and the rich environment at the same time. Toddlers need novelty to keep them interested! The following activities and games are thought out in such a way as to provide enriching experiences that don't always require your direct involvement. They are also flexible enough to let you change the materials from time to time to refresh your wee one's interest.
In time, once you have introduced the games a few times and varied the materials as you see fit, your toddler will grow into a self-directed preschooler who can make choices about what to do with their time and who can focus their attention for longer periods of time. Be on the lookout for your toddler's creativity! They will change the game on you, use things in new ways and make connections you haven't anticipated!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
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