Stimulation of development: 2 - 3 ½ years

Activity tips for parents: Do the right thing at the right age.

How to stimulate motor, cognitive, language and social development

Blowing soap bubbles is an excellent training for 2-3 year olds, although this may be a little messy indoors. In this way the child trains fine motor skills such as eye-hand function and coordination between the hands and mouth.

The child has to learn to blow rather carefully to make bubbles, and thus understands that she will have to use the correct amount of force. Blowing soap bubbles is also a pleasant activity that creates good interaction either between two children or between a child and an adult.

The child has to learn to take turns. Altogether, blowing soap bubbles is an ingenious game for children in this age group.

Getting dressed and undressed is good training of both gross and fine motor skills. The child also learns to plan her actions in the correct order. This is useful knowledge, and can also be used in other more complicated situations.

From the age of about 2 ½ years the child starts managing to take off some clothes, while getting dressed is more difficult, and most children do not manage this until they are 3-4 years old.

From the age of about 2 and 3 years, children like looking at a picture book with an adult. These children need slightly more advanced picture books than younger children where pointing at pictures and saying what things are called is good concept training for the youngest.

The books should now tell short stories so that a theme is followed through the books. In some of the books the child can open small windows or feel different materials. This makes the experience even more exciting and educational for the child. Talk with the child about what you are seeing and experiencing in the book. Ask the child questions about the different pages in the book. Let the child use her imagination and continue the story.

From the age of about 2 ½ years you can start to teach your child about the different colors, although most children can still not identify colors until they are 3-4 years old. Here Mum is asking Victoria to pick out the block that is the color that Mum has just said. In order to train colors, you can start by asking your child to sort things of the same color. Then the child will learn that color can be the same on different objects.

This video shows a game that stimulates both memory and the sense of feeling in the child. Three objects are shown to the child, a rug is then put over the objects and Mum removes two objects at the same time. The child then has to feel which object is still under the rug. The degree of difficulty can be increased if Mum only removes one of the objects so that two objects are left.

From the age of 2 years the child will be interested in games involving playing roles.

Doctor equipment is always popular. This stimulates the child’s urge to experiment and gives good training of fine motor skills and interaction. The child is the doctor and the doll is the patient. It also helps to make the child feel secure about what happens when she later visits the doctor.

A putting box is a good toy for children from the age of about 1 ½ - 2 years. It gives good training for eye-hand coordination, and she learns that the different shapes each have their own holes. Here the child also has to turn the putting box to find the correct hole. It is also a good way to practice colors.

Victoria aged 2 years and 9 months manages the putting box easily – it is almost too easy!

From the age of about 1 ½ years the child will start playing parts. Playing parts in a pretence meal is a good interaction game for you and your child. Have a small selection of cups, plates, cutlery and plastic food. Let the child set the table with serviettes and plates etc., and then pour into the cups and hand out toy food.

When the child is slightly older, you can use proper water in the jug and cups, as shown in the video. Talk to your child as you play, so that language is also stimulated in this game. The child learns to hand things to others.

From the age of about 1 ½ years the child starts to manage simple shape boards and puzzles. Have a small selection with different degrees of difficulty. The shape board on the video contains bits with different shapes and colors, and is suitable for children aged between 2 ½ and 3 ½ years.

The shape board gives good training for hand motor skills and being able to recognise different shapes that fit together. Talk with the child about what the different shapes are called and you can also use the situation to teach the child colors.

From the age of about 3 years, most children have sufficiently good fine motor skill to start to learn to cut with scissors.

Make certain that the scissors that the child is going to use are made for small children without sharp points.

Also make certain that the child does not cut herself. Teach the child right from the start that scissors must not be used unless an adult is present, and only when the child is sitting down.

Children think it is fun to cut a sheet of paper, especially when she can cut the sheet into smaller and smaller pieces. Afterwards, the pieces can be colored and glued onto another sheet of paper.

Gradually as the child becomes better at cutting you can draw lines, circles and squares that the child can cut out.

This is good training of fine motor accuracy and coordination.