Summer is a great time to explore the playground with your child. Playgrounds provide a fun and exciting environment that gets your child outside and active. Children of all ages can enjoy a playground in many different ways.
Read on for specific tips to navigating the playground with a two-year-old:
- Choose the right time of day to play. Pick a time of day when peers of a similar age will be at the park. Older kids play differently, and it’s best to have your little one playing with children his own age.
- Climb the stairs and uneven surfaces. A two-year-old is expected to be able to climb stairs independently and walk over uneven surfaces without losing balance. The park is a great place to practice these skills. If your toddler is a little unsteady on the wobbly bridge, hold their hand to increase confidence.
- Go down the slide. Depending on your toddler’s confidence and the size of the slide, you can either hold them on the way down, or let them slide down by themselves. Many parks have smaller slides that are good for beginners.
- Play in the sand. This will help to develop your toddler’s fine motor skills and tactile sensory processing. If you can, try and build a castle or mountain to help develop spatial skills.
- Ride the spring-animals (the kind you sit on that wobble). This will help improve your child’s balance and strength while having fun!
Parks are a great environment to encourage your kids to get outside and play. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, playgrounds help to foster social skills, build friendships, and support a healthy lifestyle.
