15 Games for Toddlers that Encourage Creative Thinking

If your toddler is anything like mine, they are bounding with curiosity and creativity! As a continuation of our toddler mania, I’d like to welcome one of my good friends Jamie from Hand Made Kids Art to share her favorite games for toddlers that encourage creative thinking. I absolutely love everything Jamie posts on her site and know you will love this list just as much!

Games for Toddlers that Promote Creative Thinking

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TAKE IT AWAY, Jamie… SHARE YOUR AWESOME Games for Toddlers

Hi, I am Jamie from Hand Made Kids Art. I am excited to guest post here today on Lemon Lime Adventures. We are big fans of Lemon Lime Adventures. We love how Dayna makes learning fun and encourages her kids to use their creative thinking skills along the way like these pumpkin building structures and rock doodles.

Why is creative thinking important for kids?

Over at Hand Made Kids Art we discuss simple and easy ways you can help encourage creative thinking for for your child, like how to ask your child open-ended questions and why process art is important. Creative thinking is an essential skill for your child to develop that will help them be successful later in life. We don’t know what technology and job industries lay ahead for our young learners but you can set them up for success by helping them become a creative thinker.

It is never to early to start encouraging these creative thinking skills. Toddlers are the perfect age to set up open ended invitations as they love to explore the world around them. Turning activities into games for toddlers is also a great way to get them thinking and keep them engaged. Toddlers make a giant leap in thinking skills as they start to use their imagination and develop their own ideas. Imaginative and open ended play are excellent ways to encourage the development of creative thinking.

As you set up games for toddlers keep in mind, young learners at this age have short attentions spans and each child develops at their own pace. If you find your child grows frustrated or maybe isn’t developmentally ready for the activity put it away and try again at a later time.

15 Games for Toddlers that Encourage Creative Thinking

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1. Introduce colors with this easy diy color game from Lalymom

1. Playtivities shows how fun it can be to race around the track with this indestructible rock diy race track. Let your toddler play and create their own races.

3. This gross motor skills post from Allternative Learning has great ideas for getting your toddler moving. The scooping for treasure activity was (and still is) a favorite at our house. Let your child help fill and scoop and hide their own treasure.

4. Go apple picking with Lemon Lime Adventures. A simple sensory play that easily could be used for many games and practice counting and creative play.

5. Tinkerlab shows how to use an egg carton to promote creative thinking for multiple ages. Scroll to the middle to see how she and her toddler created their own eggshell game.

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6. Sort colors and let your toddler create their own game from The Imagination Tree.

7. Use felt to create an open ended invitation for imaginative play from Buggy and Buddy.

8. Create a colorful rainbow and get your toddler moving with this sidewalk simon colored rainbow inspired post from Toddler Approved.

9. Work on fine motor skills by stacking and sorting diy robots from Hand Made Kids Art. Have your toddler help paint the cardboard tubes and let them mix and match to create their own robot.

10. A simple and classic way to promote creative thinking and play games with a felt board from Teach Preschool.

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11. Use a color box to let your child explore colored objects from Three Oaks Blog

12. Create a simple dollhouse out of recyclables from Mama Smiles and let your toddler create their own game.

13. Encourage your toddler to find a new way to build with hair rollers from The Imagination Tree.

14. Explore color and light with this DIY light table play from Hand Made Kids Art. Try matching and sorting different colors and shapes.

15. Hide and seek spiders in Play dough from Still Playing School can keep your toddler busy with simple materials you most likely already have at home.

The goal of encouraging creative thinking for your toddler is letting them create and explore with new experiences. By turning the experience into a game you can help keep your curious child engaged. Games for toddlers should be child led. The emphasis is on letting them discover and create rather than just follow directions or steps. It is important to remember that toddlers have short attentions spans and each child develops at their own pace. If your child isn’t ready for the activity put it away and try again at a later time. These activities are to encourage fun, open ended creative play and discovery for your toddler.

If you liked this post or want to learn more ways to encourage creative thinking for your toddler be sure to hop over to our companion post for more ways to encourage creative thinking for toddlers at Hand Made Kids Art.


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Jamie is
a certified Art Instructor having taught children of all ages. In addition to inspiring young minds and creating for Hand Made Kids Art, she is a busy mom of 3 children. Hand Made Kids Art focuses on quick, easy and inspiring art activities for kids. It doesn’t matter if you only have 5 minutes or 20 minutes, you can find time to create art with your children with Hand Made Kids Art.  Follow along with our art adventures at Hand Made Kids Art, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

EVEN MORE TODDLER LEARNING IDEAS

10 2 Minute Activities for Toddlers    15 Super Fun, Taste Safe Sensory Activities for Toddlers    20-Must-Try-Toddler-Activities-204x300

 


Playing and learning with your toddler doesn’t have to be hard. It can be fun and memorable for both you and your toddler. One way to do that is with this new e-book, Every Parent Can Teach their Toddler! It is all about learning through play, encouraging independence, and providing a great environment for your toddler to naturally learn and thrive. The book is written by a team of teachers, former teacher, therapists, parents and more. It’s a resource you don’t want to miss!

Tot School Ebook

Be sure to get your copy of the book! It is 135 pages full of activities, planning guides, home set-up ideas, printables and more. It is such a fabulous resource for anyone with children that are (or are almost) 10-36 months to help do simple tot-school activities and guide them through their child’s life overall until they reach preschool/homeschool preschool.

What are your favorite ways to play and learn with your toddler? I am excited to hear your thoughts. I can’t wait to see! Connect with me on FacebookTwitterGoogle+PinterestInstagram or subscribe by email so you don’t miss our next adventure.

 

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3 thoughts on “15 Games for Toddlers that Encourage Creative Thinking”

  1. Hello, Dayna:)!

    I can’t see any other way to contact you on your website, so I really hope you don’t mind me replying to you through one of your posts. I just had to connect with you about my upcoming event!

    Your website and initiative are wonderful and inspiring! I LOVE what you are doing!

    Your website and my summit have a very similar mandate: to improve the health of our youth through empowerment, education, and inspiration, and I am wondering if you would be interested in sharing my event with your readers!

    Please do check out my online Children’s and Teen Health Summit for parents, caregivers, and the children and teens they care for, coming up November 3-10!

    There is a brilliant line-up of presenters for the event! If you would like to attend, spread the word, and/or become an affiliate, please do visit the website below!

    http://childrenshealthsummit.com/
    https://childrenshealthsummit.com/affiliate/

    Can you help me to spread the word to your network who have children and teens in their lives that they care for – I would be so grateful!

    It would be fantastic to see you there! It’s going to be a phenomenal event!

    Warmly,
    Carla.

  2. Pingback: Starter's Guide to Toddler Chores - Lemon Lime Adventures

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