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Post by dara1012 on Jul 30, 2012 19:07:22 GMT -6
Barnes and Noble also has some nice toy food that isn't plastic. It is more expensive than the plastic but if you are worried about the dogs it could be a good investment and something to add to over time.
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Post by bunsy on Jul 30, 2012 19:19:39 GMT -6
Give him lots of things to play with. Open ended, creative, imaginative play. Read to him lots and lots and lots. Let him PLAY. There are enough years for formal education coming. Let the little kids be little kids as much as possible.
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Post by sarahisis on Jul 30, 2012 22:51:26 GMT -6
Sharon.. I wish I had room to expand his block collection!! Were dealing with limited space though and I hate clutter and with baby on the way... our livingroom will soon be overtaken! Bunsy.. I believe in that too...and he plays all day... just wanted to give him some different options so he doesn't get bored. Hes been getting rowdy and causing trouble and I think it is because his brain is understimulated ... hs is glued to his cars most of the day... but thankfully loves to read and identify pictures and letters and numbers!!
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Post by supermommy on Jul 31, 2012 10:30:18 GMT -6
We really like flashcards, board books and blocks/legos. Flashcards to learn colors, numbers and animals-same with the books although those are more objects and colors than anything and blocks and lego inspire creativity. I hate flashy toys with tons of buttons. My boys would always rather play with cars and blocks. DS1 at 2 1/2 did really well sitting for flashcards so maybe P would like them too!
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Post by danikasmom on Jul 31, 2012 13:44:20 GMT -6
I do have a child care, but before I did. I had a shelf that had just learning toys on it and would encourage my son to pick out what he wanted to work on and then had him put it back and try another. I did this when he was 3. I would have a few puzzles and other learning toys on it. I would rotate the toys every few weeks. It was very important that only learning toys belonged on the shelf. I was following the Montessori method and thats what I do with my child care too.
You can make some learning toys too. You can make matching games with different shapes. If you buy clear contact paper and that's a cheap way to laminate.
Look for anything he can connect or put things together. A favorite toy from lakeshore was a drill with a square board to screw screws in. I have had it for over 10 years and every kids loves it boys or girls. I have few different types of blocks and shapes that connect together. Sorting toys you can buy or make. One thing I take out it a pouring activity. I have small bowls and a pitcher that the kids can pour water or small beads between them.
It might be easier if you ever want to have a playdate you can always come over to my house and I can show different things you can make or use. I also might have some extra toys you can have.
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Post by danikasmom on Jul 31, 2012 13:44:36 GMT -6
I live in St anthony.
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Post by AuntSueto4 on Jul 31, 2012 22:50:29 GMT -6
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Post by AuntSueto4 on Jul 31, 2012 23:27:45 GMT -6
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Post by AuntSueto4 on Jul 31, 2012 23:54:58 GMT -6
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Post by AuntSueto4 on Aug 1, 2012 0:04:41 GMT -6
Give him lots of things to play with. Open ended, creative, imaginative play. Read to him lots and lots and lots. Let him PLAY. There are enough years for formal education coming. Let the little kids be little kids as much as possible. "Discovery boxes" One of the comments: "This is one of my favorite ideas of yours! It's so important for parents to realize they don't need to buy all the expensive products promoted to help childen succeed. Many of them actually delay learning and certainly inhibit creative and higher order thinking." Reply: "They absolutely do, I agree! I wish we had less of the "stuff" we have accumulated too, as we just don't need it and they thrive so much more with this kind of open-ended play!" I just want to encourage you as to your ds and his imagination!!!!www.theimaginationtree.com/p/discovery-boxes.html
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Post by elizac on Aug 1, 2012 7:15:05 GMT -6
I would suggest to use the existing toys you have and help him play with them longer and in a variety of creative ways ( I wasn't sure what you meant by 'educational' toys though -- are they the ones that help children focus longer? play in creative ways? use their imagination? teach academic subjects?) . Since he is only 2, he probably won' t play by himself for a very long time anyways and you might need to guide him a bit as well. Since he like cars/trains, make 'stations' for him. One station could be a race track (if you can go outside or balcony, give him sand to make a race track more challenging for cars and him ; another station a car wash (put cars and him in a bathtub and give him a rag to wash all of them); third station, car hospital - give him bandages to put on cars that got hurt during the race; fourth station, car celebration/prep for car parade -- give him a ton of stickers to put on cars, etc... These are just some of my ideas but you can create anything you want and it might keep him busy for longer.
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Post by sarahisis on Aug 1, 2012 9:04:05 GMT -6
We don't have an outdoor area... our space is limited so I try to rotate toys... hes good at solo play... maybe an hour. And hes really into learningright now... letters, numbers, shapes, colors etc.. prior; his only interest has been his cars so I wanted to nurture this new interest.
Ive decided to make him a binder (zipper one) put a bunch of pencil cases inside with his flashcards separated by subject, magnetic alphabet letters with a small white board, crayons and white paper for creative coloring, extra large buttons for stacking and counting and maybe some other fine motor things... a matching game....
Getting him the little people house to go with his farm since hes so into role play with people and animals... excited to put some other stuff away!!
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Post by elizac on Aug 2, 2012 7:08:12 GMT -6
Great idea about the binder -- I'll try to do that too.
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Post by sarahisis on Aug 2, 2012 9:25:03 GMT -6
I made the binder yesterday... came out really nice. I didnt get a white board, but bought magnet sheets and attached them to the face of a cheap 1 dollar clipboard from walmart so he can either use the clipboard for coloring or magnets... the white board wouldn't have fit! I bought large buttons and put them into one bag with some pipe cleaners for threading... two other pouches I put flash cards in (2 sets in each bag bound by rubber bands)... in another I put a memory game... then one with crayons... and one with stickers The binder I found (10dollars at walmart) has a mini portfolio section attached to the front so I put some plain white computer paper in there.. and then a folder in the back for finished projects.. I had also been working on another project to help ds learn family and friend's names... I made 5X7 pictures and put them in one of those "magnetic" film photo albums... I took the 10 sheets out of there and put them in the back of his activity binder also so he can practice names! I still have some pouches unfilled... just waiting for some extra inspiration maybe pinterest lol
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Post by dara1012 on Aug 3, 2012 20:17:27 GMT -6
That sounds great for keeping things organized Sarah!
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