How to organize
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Party games for toddlers present an interesting challenge!
Rules, competition and more difficult physical tasks are frustrating for toddlers.
They respond much more positively to group activities such as story-telling, dancing, singing and "playing" instruments.
When organizing your party games for toddlers, do bear in mind their interests and abilities at this stage, as these little ones are still at the center of their own universe!
- Toddler brains concentrate hard on recognizing and understanding everyday objects. Toddlers spend a lot of time working out their own relationship with the world around them. Shapes, colours, sounds and music intrigue them, and they are certainly too busy touching and feeling things to think about first steps in potty training!
- Moving about helps a toddler get on with that important brainwork. Kneeling, standing up, sitting down, negotiating stairs and eventually walking backwards are essential skill requirements for a busy toddler hell-bent on making a mess of your tidy, organized home!
- Manipulating objects provides hours of fun play for toddlers. Dealing with board books, bricks and toddler-friendly instruments that make adult-unfriendly noise is simply a joy! Toddlers also like shape sorters, pull-along toys and anything that has buttons, knobs or levers.
- Social occasions are enjoyable for toddlers, and provide an arena where they can observe others and see their universe expand! They do tend to play alongside other children rather than with them, but love joining in well organized group activities.
I think the way forward is clear! For a great party you need to organize two sorts of party games for toddlers:
- Toy games for individual play
- Toddler party games for all your guests, big and small, to enjoy together
For individual play, make sure you have cleared a space big enough for your little guests to be busy. In the middle of the space, provide a couple of boxes of suitable play objects. Board books, sorting toys, stacking toys, ABC colorful blocks, dolls, teddies, toddler jigsaws, activity stations, chunky toddler-safe cars and trains, toddler instruments - all will fit the bill nicely. If you have somewhere the children can sit safely together, provide paper and crayons too. The tots will love it!
As far as our toddler party games are concerned, it's a good idea to play some games before your party meal, and then a few towards the end of the party. You definitely want quality over quantity here. Don't be tempted to play too many games. And remember - it's your celebration too!
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party games for toddlers
