2 years, 2 months old
Little Choices, Big Adventures
Play ideas, a book, a song and a little encouragement for your 26 month old, from Maddie.
By Maddie, early childhood educator and Mum
6 min read · Updated
In this guide
Hello, amazing parent!
If you're reading this, you're in the thick of Month 26. Can you believe how time flies? Your little one is budding with personality, each day revealing more of who they are. Maybe you've noticed their opinions showing up more decisively lately… often during the lunch hour or while getting dressed. You’re navigating through these little tug-of-war moments beautifully, even when the outfit must be 'just right' for an expedition to the park.
This newsletter is a gentle nudge of reassurance: what you’re already doing is enough. You don’t need elaborate plans or hefty schedules. Your love and attention are the magic in their exploration. But if you're looking for some playful ideas to sprinkle into your days, here are a few to consider.
Activity 1: Playdough!
How: Give your toddler a small ball of playdough. Maybe a few simple tools like a rolling pin, a child safe knife. encourage them to squish, roll, flatten, and cut the dough. You can also suggest simple ideas like making “snakes,” or "balls" or “pancakes,” but mostly let them explore freely. Children learn best through role modeling, and they will love to watch and copy you, or just take what you have made and squish it.
Why: Playdough strengthens hand and finger muscles, which are important for fine motor skills like drawing and self-feeding. It also encourages creativity, problem-solving, and sensory exploration as your child experiments with shapes, textures, and cause-and-effect. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to practice language as you name shapes, colours, and actions together.
As your child gets used to playdough, try adding natural items like sticks, rocks, or flowers from the garden. They’ll love poking in the sticks or rolling a pin over the leaves to make prints and lifting them to see the patterns. Cookie cutters are also a hit, the smile when they lift the cutter to reveal a star or heart is priceless! These are just a few extra ideas as play develops; often, the dough alone is enough for endless fun.
Tip: I find homemade playdough softer and easier for little hands, though it is another job. If you’d like to try making your own, the recipe is on the cream of tartar box (which is what makes it soft), and you can also find many different recipes online. Don't feel like you need to make all the colours, kids love it just the same with 1 colour or even plain!
Hint: I like to completely dissolve the salt in the hot water first and then add the rest of the ingredients, adding the flour at the end, slowly... it always works for me, even when the kids help....and I have tried a lot of recipes!
Shadow Fun
How: Head outside on a sunny day and explore your shadows together! Stand still and see how your shadow looks, then jump, wave, dance or balance on one foot and watch your shadow copy every move. Try making your shadow as tall as you can, as small as you can by crouching down, or see if you can step on each other's shadows. You could even trace your shadow with chalk!
Why: Playing with shadows helps children begin to understand how light works while encouraging curiosity and observation. Moving their bodies in different ways builds balance, coordination and body awareness, and watching their shadow copy their actions strengthens the connection between movement and cause and effect. Best of all, it's a wonderful invitation to get outside, move, and explore the world around them. ☀️👣
When we lived in the UK, the sun would start setting around 4 pm. Most afternoons I'd bundle up my two-year-old and baby and head out for what I called my optimistic walks—optimistic because I always believed my toddler would happily walk the whole way around the block!
To keep us moving, we'd balance along kerbs, walk on the lines in the footpath, and make up little games as we went. Then, on the home stretch, the setting sun would cast our shadows behind us. Our favourite game became, "Run away from your shadow!" With enough excitement, we'd usually make it all the way home laughing... although, if I'm honest, there were still plenty of days when one child ended up on my front and the other on my back.
Song of the month:🎵 I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout.
Here is my handle,
Here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up,
Hear me shout:
“Tip me over and pour me out!”
Why it’s great:
Toddlers love the actions! Pretending to be a teapot; tipping, pouring, and moving; helps build coordination, body awareness, and confidence. It’s also a fun way to learn rhythm, rhyme, and language while using their whole body.
I feel this is such an underrated nursery rhyme, one I often forget about! My older girls have probably heard it through their lives, but it wasn’t until I started working on these newsletters and revisiting all my early childhood knowledge that I found it again, becoming a go to in our house. My 5- and 3-year-olds love it, always ending in silly giggles as they pour “tea” on each other or jump off the lounge with extra energy. Meanwhile, my 15-month-old just LOVES watching, copying the movements, and joining in the laughter. It’s such a simple, fun way to bring everyone together while supporting big movement skills!
Book of the Month: Very Busy Spider
Eric Carle’s illustration magic and rhythmic tale make this book a delight. As the spider spins its web, different animals stop by to ask what it’s doing. Your little one will love turning the pages, tracing the web, and predicting which animal will appear next. Remember, any shared story is a good story, whether it’s a classic like this one or one of your childhood favourites.
Did You Know?
Singing nursery rhymes with your toddler is like rocket fuel for language! The rhythm, rhyme, and repetition help children learn new words, practise sentence patterns, and strengthen memory, all while having fun and moving their bodies. Every giggle, clap, and “again!” is helping their brain grow. 🚀💬
Social & Emotional Skill Building: Support Their Choices
Being two isn't just about growing taller; it's about finding a voice.
Notice when they pick which shoes to wear, which book to read at bedtime, when they want to do something themselves. Embracing these small choices and independence gives them a sense of autonomy and confidence. Sometimes repeating back their choice can make them feel more secure, like 'great choice, lets where your runners today!" or "Ok, you can do that, Ill stay right here."
In choosing together and honoring their 'yes' and 'no's,' you teach them that their preferences and opinions are valued.
✨ Remember
Your presence, your listening ear, your gentle laughter, these are what your child cherishes most. You’re not merely getting through the day; you're creating a world full of love and learning, one beautifully ordinary moment at a time.
You’re doing amazingly.