BizzyBabes Activities Page

Creative expression, co-ordination and motor-skills
Educational and fun things to do with your under 3”

Paint and Stamping - Expression and co-ordination

• Use containers of ready made poster paint and potatoes.
• Use a large sheet of paper (A2 if possible).
• Cut the potato in half and carve out a shape using a knife. Don’t worry if you can’t carve something perfect, it is the stamping that is important. Children will be equally happy stamping with an uncarved potato.
• Dip the stamp into the paint and start to print.

This will help you child to learn about expression on paper, colour and texture and co-ordination.

Hand Painting - Texture, co-ordination and spatial perception

• Use containers of ready made poster paint – large enough for your toddler’s hand to fit in. Use a large sheet of paper (A2 if possible).
• Dip her finger in the paint and let her draw on the paper. Eventually let her put in her whole hand and “stamp” hand prints on the paper.

This will help you child to learn about expression on paper, colour and texture and co-ordination. This allows them to experience different sensations, wet versus dry and the beginnings of spatial perception and maths. They will also consolidate their knowledge of colours.

Messy drawing - Just plain fun!

• Spray shaving cream onto a table top / large tray in front of your toddler, let her draw using her fingers.
• Make sure that he / she does not eat it!
• Easily wipes away when finished.

Sand Art - Learning textures and patterns

• Fill a tray with play sand (you can get cheap bags of sand from your local plant nursery or toy store).
• Let her draw with her fingers like you would on the beach.
• As an alternative, provide wet sand or coloured sand. This activity works just as well with jelly powder, flour or sugar

Marks and Squiggles - the start of drawing and writing

• Cover a table in large A2 paper if possible.
• Give your child coloured crayons, allow her to make marks and squiggles on the paper.
• Write their name on the paper to help them learn to identify it by sight.
• Talk to her about what she is doing all the time, draw with her.
• The next time you do this activity, change the drawing implement to pens, felt tips or chalk and use a different colour paper.

This is the beginning of drawing and writing. She will learn about colours, develop co-ordination and self-expression.

Box Decorating - Co-ordination and spatial perception

• Save your old cereal boxes, etc.
• Collect together bits of paper / card / uncooked pasta shapes, stickers, bottle tops and any other interesting things.
• Use PVA to paint a base colour on the box.
• Allow your child to decorate the box, using a glue stick to stick the shapes down.