Modern day toddlers are usually engaged towards the digital screens which is quite bad for their health. Studies showed that many of the parents start entertaining their toddler with videos and images being shown via a mobile phone or tablet at the age of only a year and a half. Such toddlers are expected to turn up to be more dull and non-creative since they are not engaging their brain towards activities.
However, the solution for this problem is to have the different types of projects between a parent and their child. This would result in engaging the child towards mental and physical activity which is usually not there in case of screens. Follow the article below to evaluate the different projects that dads and toddlers can do.
Car Projects
Toddlers tend to have a particular attraction towards the toy cars. However, they tend to lose interest after some time. Nonetheless, toy cars can be made interesting by making roads through a sticky white tape. This adds more to the fun since your toddler can play on his own track which can be made as long as you want with turns and roundabouts as well. It gives hours’ worth of fun play as a range of different games can be played on a road track.
Along with a road track, a car wash system could also be prepared. Gather your toddler to the sink and create a washing bowl with some shampoo and water. Give your toddler the little sponges to rub and clean the car. Put in as many toys as you can and engage him in it. Afterwards, engage in a drying session where you and your toddler could use the dry towels to clean the car.
The Big Box Project
One of the most interesting father son projects to build is through a cardboard box or a carton box. A big cardboard box could be used to come up to your toddler’s imagination and make them into practical things. For example, you can make a boat, a car, an airplane, or even a spaceship with the help of a cardboard box. It is an interesting project and your toddler will definitely be interested in doing it. Details can be added to the box with the help of different types of stickers, bottle caps, the toddler’s toys, and other assorted accessories as well.
If you want any kinds of further decorations, we recommend cutting out some area from the cardboard as a part of windows. Drawings on the cardboard will add a more realistic element to the thing that you have just made. Toddlers usually enjoy this play more importantly due to the interesting effort required in creating this project.
The Pet Project
Pets can be wonderful for the toddlers and they are known to be one of the most unique ways to spark an interest in the child. Dads and toddlers can engage in the pet project by engaging in multiple smaller projects. The first one being to decide which pet both of you want to buy. Then, buy the right kind of a pet by going out on a search. Enjoy this day by looking at different types of pets and decide which one you and your toddler prefer.
Dads and toddlers can then engage in building the houses for the pet as well as take care of the pet on a daily basis through food and shelter. Toddlers that spend a good amount of time with their pets tend to have a faster growth and are intellectually stronger as well since they learn a lot from the animals. In addition to that, this is one project that the father and son can do together.
Science Projects
Dads who have had an experience with science would prefer these kinds of projects. Being quite unique and interactive in nature, the science projects also help in an initial learning as well as spark the interest of the toddler towards science. Even those dads which do not have an interest in science can undergo these projects with the help of different types of online resources such as YouTube, science crafts, MAD Show, and other such programs as well.
Providing such form of practical entertainment would reduce the dependency of a toddler on digital devices for engaging himself. With some effort and dedication, these projects can prove to be quite successful.
Go on Outings
It is considered as one of the best ways of bonding between a parent and a child when they go out together. Dads could take their sons to a particular sports event, or even a center with simulated and arcade games. Dads could take their daughters to different types of shows as well. In addition to that, the parents should frequently take their young ones to a zoo, an aquarium, or a bird palace.
Another interesting outing activity between a dad and a toddler is to feed some animals. There are places or even a nearby park where you and your toddler can find someone’s pet dog or even some ducks at a local pond. Try to avoid giving bread to the ducks because it is a generally considered misconception that the ducks are fond of bread. Instead, go for peas, corn, oats, birdseed, or vegetable peels. Your toddler will be very happy with this activity and would like you to come here more often.
Board and Card Games
Let’s be honest. You can’t just move away your toddler from playing all sorts of games, but you can always indulge his interest into something that might be more useful and less addictive as compared to mobile phones today. One of the best examples for this is playing Board and Card Games. This includes a range of different types of games such as monopoly, UNO, Cards, Blackjack, Old Maid Scrabble, Chess, Cluedo, Snakes and Ladders, Battleship, and Pictionary as well.
Board games are a systematic way to teach your toddler regarding directions turns, regarding important instructions, as well as it teaches the concept of fair win or lose. For starters, basic board games such as Pictionary and Snakes and Ladders could be fine while later you can always add more.
Puzzles
Psychologists have suggested that puzzles are an important way to help your child utilize the maximum potential of his brain. It is known for developing concentration and resulting in a higher IQ as well. Dads can teach their toddlers a puzzle game in the beginning while the toddlers learn. Since the puzzle solving requires some time, you can also take breaks often to do any other chores.
There are multiple different types of puzzles. The most basic one is where the child has to join the pieces to create a set specific picture. The advanced puzzles include Sudoku, a Japanese game of numbers and math. It is always better to start with the basic ones if you do not want your child to be confused later on.
Simon Says
Although it is a very basic game that most of us are familiar with, it still stands important towards teaching your toddler to listen as well as adapting according to the situation. Dads can play trick questions and enjoy fun moments with their toddlers by giving them a unique set of dares that the child will have to do if they fail to comply with the concept of Simon Says.
For those of you who don’t have an idea regarding Simon Says, it is a game where one person has to give the other people a few commands but these only have to be followed if the speaker says the word “Simon Says” prior to giving the command. Whosoever hurriedly does a task that is not backed by the phrase “Simon Says” would have to be penalized in some way. The last person standing wins the game.
Cooking
By cooking, we do not intend to say that you should start cooking with your toddler rather it means that you should start some basics of cooking with your toddler. For example, baking a small cake, making the child learn some basics such as stirring, mixing, setting a table, and planning for a meal as well. Kids tend to love helping out their parents in cooking.
However, cooking is generally not suggested for very young toddlers due to the fact that it includes usage of dangerous materials such as hot utensils and crockery as well as sharp objects such as knives which may potentially harm the child. Also, make sure to keep your child in a distance from all sources of fire.
Conclusion
There are various types of projects which dads and toddlers can do together. It will help in creating a better bond between father and the son as well as it would provide a much more human interaction to the child. The above-mentioned projects are quite creative and have been performed by many. If you have a better idea for any kinds of father son projects to build, do let us know. Happy Parenting!