How your 2 ½ to 3-year-old might play now

    • She enjoys mimicking the actions of those she knows
    • He creates simple sentences and uses the words "I, me and you"
    • She can hop, jump and climb stairs one foot at a time
    • He understands what "inside," "under" and "on top" mean
    • She can recall what to do when given simple instructions
Roller skates
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    Barbie™ Grow With Me™ 1,2,3 Roller Skates™

  • crawlerImg

    Grow With Me™ 1,2,3 Roller Skates™

Help your child learn more:

    • Safety first. Help your child put on appropriate safety gear; make it clear that it's part of the process before skating.
    • Set boundaries of acceptable places to skate. Make sure it’s free of obstacles or cracks your child could trip over.
    • Balancing act. Set adjustable skates on the beginner's setting. Just as you helped your child balance when he was learning to walk, hold on now. Little by little, let him find his balance—the key to learning to skate.
    • Moving on. Soon, she'll be able to move forward, transferring weight from one foot to the other. Get ready to change the skates to the next setting.
    • Family fun. If you have skates, put 'em on and head down the sidewalk with your child; if there's a roller rink in your area, check it out together some rainy afternoon—it adds a different dimension to skate along to music and lights.
Creative activities
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    Kid-Tough™ Doodler Clip-on

Help your child learn more:

    • Take-along. If the toy is portable, bring it with you any time your child may have a wait in store or on long car rides to help pass the time.
    • Follow Directions. Make sure your child understands how to use the toy and its accessories. Read the directions and test it out together until your child is comfortable using it on her own.
    • Scene starters.Offer your child a "scene starter" for artwork: "Can you draw a picture of Grandma?" "If you were to invent a robot, what would it look like?"
    • A colorful world.Use your child's interest in art as an opportunity to talk about different colors. Find examples of complimentary and clashing colors. Use paints to show how two different colors mixed together produce a new color.
    • Tour an art gallery or museum with your child. Let her critique the work, telling you what she likes best about it. See if the museum offers any kid-friendly activities.

Copycat

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Your toddler is a great imitator—which is one of the ways he learns. Turn the tables on him and play a game of Copycat, where you do the imitating!

Materials

  • Your bodies

Instructions

  • Bring your toddler into the playroom and set him on the floor.
  • Sit down next to him, imitating his exact body position.
  • Every time your toddler moves or does something, do exactly what he does.
  • See if you can tell when he catches on to what you’re doing!

Safety

Stop the game if your toddler gets into anything dangerous and deal with the problem before you continue. Don’t tease your toddler or upset him with your imitating.
Your child can learn

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