By Michelle Smith Howard, President & CEO, Kids’ First Years
Alexandria, VA – It’s a fact: Young children explore and learn about the world through movement and play. There are many types of play, including imaginative and pretend play, creative activities such as drawing or coloring, and physical play such as crawling, running, rolling a ball, and more.
Summer is the perfect time for families with young children to get outside and play together. In fact, the combination of sunshine, exercise and having fun with loved ones promotes healthy lifestyles, improves coordination, encourages curiosity, and creates many special shared memories to talk about for years.
There is so much to explore outside. For toddlers, most outdoor experiences are new and fascinating. Each excursion offers new things to talk about with your child – flowers, worms, mud, trees, insects, birds, and more.
As a reminder, the City of Alexandria is a community partner in our Kids’ First Years network. Visit alexandriava.gov/recreation for a full list of over 100 parks, sports fields, rec centers, nature centers and trails—all just waiting to be explored.
Get Back to the Basics This Summer
Make sure that your child gets time to move their body each day. Go to a playground, a park or someplace where they can move and climb safely. Active play builds a strong, healthy body.
Kids’ First Years embraces The Basics, which are simple yet powerful principles to help young children thrive. Below are activities tied to the principle of ‘Explore Through Movement and Play’. All of them are easy to do in your home, yard or neighborhood. Best of all, they are free – no purchase required.
- Help your child strengthen hand/eye coordination with a fun session of shooting hoops. Make a ball by rolling up a pair of socks or crumpling up some paper. Then take turns throwing the ball toward an empty laundry basket or other container. Move the basket closer or farther away to show how that changes the trajectory of the toss.
- Young children learn through sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Find ways to use all of their senses to help them make connections and enjoy the world more fully. When on a walk or out shopping, task about things using descriptive words about the senses like “That leaf sounds crunchy when you step on it” or “This apple is red and so smooth, but this avocado is green and bumpy.”
- Go on a scavenger hunt for specific types of objects. For example, look for things that are blue or things that are made of wood. Let your child do most of the thinking and talking.
- Have fun rolling a ball back and forth. Toddlers love simple repetitive activities that involve taking turns. Try different ways of rolling the ball, such as counting out loud or saying “My turn” and Your turn.” Don’t be surprised if your child starts to mimic your words!
- Little ones love to pull switches and push buttons – especially buttons that make things happen. This helps to teach them about cause and effect. Let your child help push a doorbell or elevator button. Or let your child help turn on the water faucet or flip the light switch. Dim the lights and see if your child can turn a flashlight on and off. Have fun shining the light around the room.
- Find new things to do outside with your child. For example, listen to what it sounds like when you knock on the mailbox. Scratch in the dirt with a stick to uncover rocks or insects.
- Play freeze games like “Red Light, Green Light.” When you say Green Light, your child can walk or run until you say Red Light, when the child stops moving and stays completely still. These types of games help teach listening skills and self-control.
- Join in when your child plays pretend. Let your child take the lead by deciding what to play. Whatever your child is pretending to be, ask questions and get involved in the playacting. You’ll learn about your child’s interests and be able to build on their ideas.
- Provide your child with simple toys and objects to use creatively. Blocks, smooth-edged or wooden kitchen utensils and balls are all great for exercising “creative muscles.”
- Take walks and point out places that are important to you and your family. Name them. Ask your child to help you find the way to the corner store or the playground. Children love to be navigators for adults!
Learn more at kidsfirstyears.org/basics.
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