Daily Activities

Providing nurturing care that supports each child’s unique growth is the whole point! I use age-appropriate activities to encourage milestones—from early tummy time and babbling to walking, talking, and playing with others.

Big Plans! What I hope to get your child involved with….

Outdoor Play

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Sandbox digging
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Sidewalk chalk drawings
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Bubble blowing
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Nature scavenger hunt
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Gardening (digging, watering plants)
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Riding mini cars/bikes in grass
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Catching and releasing bugs
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Leaf collecting and pressing
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Building snowmen or snow angels
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very shallow pool play
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Painting rocks
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Picnics
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Hopscotch
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Obstacle courses
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Climbing and sliding
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Collecting sticks or pinecones or flowers

Mud kitchen play (pretend cooking with mud)

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Washing toys or bikes with sponges
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Spray bottle “watering”
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Chalk obstacle course
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Shadow tag
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Ball games (kickball, rolling catch)
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Sidewalk car wash for toy cars
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🎨 Arts & Crafts

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Finger painting
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Collage with paper scraps or nature items

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Playdough creations
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Watercolor painting
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Crayon and markers
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Tissue paper art
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Sticker scenes
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Homemade slime or oobleck
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Ornaments
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Handprint or footprint art
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Cardboard box decorating
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Beading (large beads or pasta)
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Cutting and gluing practice
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Painting with toy cars or brushes
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Yarn wrapping or weaving
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Marble painting in a box
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Color mixing with droppers
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Painting ice cubes or snow
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🧠 Learning & Quiet Time

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Alphabet matching
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Counting games with blocks
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Sorting objects by color/shape/size
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Reading picture books
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Singing nursery rhymes
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Puzzles
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Flashcard games
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Matching socks or lids to containers
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Shape tracing
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Simple science experiments (vinegar + baking soda)

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Magnetic letters on fridge
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Sensory bins (rice, beans, sand)
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Listening to audiobooks or storytime
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Practicing writing names in sand or shaving cream

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Calendar/weather board
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Color scavenger hunt (“find something red!”)

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Sorting animal toys by habitat
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Memory matching games
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Pretend store or grocery play with play money

🧸 Pretend Play

Playing “house,” “school,” or “doctor”

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Tea party
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Puppet show
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Dress-up and costumes
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Pretend restaurant or ice cream shop
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Camping indoors (blanket forts, flashlights)

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Playing with dolls or action figures
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Toy kitchen cooking
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Stuffed animal vet clinic
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Grocery shopping with toy carts
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Superhero adventures
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Firefighter or construction play
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Baby care (feeding, diapering dolls)
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Post office pretend play (envelopes, stamps)

Building “cities” with blocks or boxes

🧩 Fine Motor Skills

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Lacing cards
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Threading beads on pipe cleaners
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Peg boards
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Tweezers or tongs games
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Pouring water between cups
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Clothespin clipping
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Peeling stickers
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Opening/closing containers
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Button sorting
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Puzzle building
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Using child-safe scissors
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Drawing and tracing lines or shapes
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Building with LEGO Duplo or blocks
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Using stamps or rollers
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🎵 Music & Movement

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Freeze dance
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Instruments, small
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Musical chairs
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Rhythm sticks
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Learning simple songs
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Shakers or tambourines
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Jumping to a beat
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Singing and clapping games (“If You’re Happy and You Know It”)

Animal movement imitation (hop like a bunny, crawl like a bear)

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Bean bag toss to music
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Balloon volleyball
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🍪 Cooking & Sensory Food Play

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Making fruit kabobs
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Decorating cookies or cupcakes
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Mixing pancake batter
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Rolling dough
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Tasting tests (sweet, sour, salty)
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Pretend play with real utensils (supervised)

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Making butter by shaking cream
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Spreading peanut butter or yogurt on crackers

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Exploring dry pasta or cereal in bins
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💧 Water Play

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Bath toy games
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Washing dolls or toys in a tub
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Floating/sinking experiments
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Ice cube play
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Spray bottle targets
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Pouring between containers
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Toy boat races
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Sponge squeeze relay
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Frozen treasure hunt (ice with toys inside)

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Fishing for toys with nets
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🌙 Calm / Rest Time

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Storytime
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Drawing quietly
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Simple yoga for kids
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Guided meditation or breathing games (“smell the flower, blow the candle”)

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Looking at picture books alone
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Listening to lullabies or soft music
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Building a cozy reading nook
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Sorting sensory bottles
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Cloud watching
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🏡 Practical Life Skills

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Folding washcloths
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Feeding pets
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Watering plants
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Putting toys away
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Helping pick up 
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Zipping, buttoning, and snapping practice

Toddlers (1–3 years)

Sensory

Sand/rice bins, water table → Fine motor, tactile exploration
Nature sensory bins → Curiosity, vocabulary
Finger painting → Creativity, fine motor
Scent jars → Smell, descriptive language
Textured paths → Balance, sensory processing

Gross Motor

Obstacle courses, ball play → Coordination, problem-solving
Dancing to music → Rhythm, gross motor, self-expression
Ride-on / push toys → Balance, leg strength
Animal walks → Gross motor, imaginative play

Fine Motor & Cognitive

Shape sorters, puzzles, building blocks → Problem-solving, coordination
Stickers, threading beads → Fine motor, concentration
Cause-and-effect toys → Cognitive reasoning

Language & Social-Emotional

Storytime & Q&A → Comprehension, verbal skills
Emotion naming → Empathy, emotional awareness
Role-play with dolls/puppets → Imagination, social skills
Circle time games → Turn-taking, listening

Art & Creativity

Painting, stamping, collages → Creativity, fine motor
Playdough sculpting → Fine motor, problem-solving
Musical instruments → Rhythm, self-expression

Outdoor & Nature

Sandbox/dirt digging → Imagination, motor skills
Chalk drawing → Creativity, early literacy
Nature scavenger hunts → Observation, vocabulary
Sprinkler/water play → Physical coordination, sensory fun

Practical Life

Pouring, pretend cooking/cleaning → Independence, hand-eye coordination
Dressing practice (buttons/zippers) → Self-help, fine motor
Sorting laundry/toys → Problem-solving, categorization
Feeding dolls/self → Independence, empathy

Music & Movement

Singing with gestures → Language, coordination
Dance & freeze games → Listening, impulse control
Playing instruments → Fine motor, creativity.

Babies (0–12 months)

Sensory

Tummy time with mirrors → Neck/core strength, visual tracking
Sensory bottles → Visual & auditory stimulation, cause-effect
Textured toys/blankets → Tactile exploration, self-soothing
Edible finger paints → Safe color exploration, tactile learning
Rattles/bells → Grasping, auditory development
Water play (cups/spoons) → Hand-eye coordination, cause-effect

Gross Motor

Rolling/crawling practice → Core & limb strength
Gentle bouncing on lap → Vestibular stimulation, bonding
Pulling up on low furniture → Upper body strength
Reaching & grasping toys → Hand-eye coordination

Fine Motor & Cognitive

Grasp-and-release toys, stacking rings → Hand strength, coordination
Cloth books with flaps → Tactile & visual learning, early literacy
Soft blocks → Problem-solving, hand manipulation

Language & Social-Emotional

Singing/nursery rhymes → Language & memory
Peek-a-boo → Object permanence, social bonding
Reading board books → Early literacy, visual tracking
Talking during routines → Vocabulary, social interaction

Art & Creativity

Hand/footprint art → Sensory exploration, creativity
Crayon exploration → Fine motor, color recognition

Outdoor

Stroller walks → Sensory exposure, gross motor
Blanket play on grass → Tactile exploration
Bubble watching → Visual tracking, cause-effect

Daily Activities

Toddlers (1–3 years)

Sensory

Gross Motor

Fine Motor & Cognitive

Language & Social-Emotional

Art & Creativity

Outdoor & Nature

Practical Life

Music & Movement

Babies (0–12 months)

Sensory

Gross Motor

Fine Motor & Cognitive

Language & Social-Emotional

Art & Creativity

Outdoor

Little Embers Family Childcare

AlainaNelson@LittleEmbersCF.com