Making Ice Cream in a Bag
This toddler activity is an easy winner -
part science, part gross motor skills, and all delicious.
- Take a sandwich sized bag and fill it with 1/2 cup cream or cows/almond milk, chocolate or vanilla syrup for flavor.
- Seal tight.
- Place that bag inside another sandwich bag so it is double bagged.
- Put that double bagged mixture inside a gallon bag.
- Fill the gallon bag with a lot of ice.
- Add 1/4 cup salt to the ice.
- Seal it tight.
- Place inside a plastic grocery bag.
Shake, Toss and Roll - Have
a Toddler-Mom/Dad dance party. Shake the bag vigorously for 8 minutes or about 2 dance songs. Serve and enjoy!
Red-Blue-Red-Blue - Recognizing Simple Patterns
Materials
5 small blocks of 1 color and 5 small blocks of a different color, or five 2-inch squares of brown grocery bag paper and five 2-inch squares of white paper
Activity
Using the blocks, make a pattern of alternating colors. As you put the blocks down, say the pattern. For example, “Red-blue-red-blue. That’s the pattern.”
Ask your child, “Can you say the pattern now?” Encourage him/her to point to each object while she says its color. If she has trouble saying the pattern, point to each block again and say: “Here’s the pattern: Red-blue-red-blue.”
Now take the pattern apart and encourage your child to make it.
Tell him/her to put 1 of the blocks down and ask, “What color was that one? What color comes next?”
Help him/her continue the pattern and name it. Say, “Look, you made a pattern! Red-blue-red-blue.”
(Small blocks should not be left near infants who can choke on them).
Making the Most of This Activity
Look for opportunities to make patterns with different objects throughout the day. When dressing, create a pattern of “sock-underpants-sock-underpants” on the bed. At mealtime, create a pattern of “cheese-cracker-cheese-cracker.”
For Spanish translations of the activities, click here.
Source: Math4Littles is a collaboration between American Institutes of Research and ZERO TO THREE.
