Image: Shutterstock
Children reach their developmental milestones at their own pace. But if you are looking for the best activities for a 20-month-old-baby, you are at the right place. At 20 months old, toddlers usually begin communicating and exploring the world around them. You can support their physical and cognitive development with creative, age-appropriate activities.
If you need help figuring out where to start or have run out of ideas to help them have a fun learning experience, this post can help. Read on to learn about some of the best toddler activities you can try to support their growth.
Key Pointers
- Children have their own unique pace for reaching developmental milestones.
- Toddlers can learn and enjoy themselves with interesting activities.
- At 20 months old, activities like finger painting, object permanence, gross motor skills, exploring the world, and basic matching can be introduced.
- These activities aid in the development of motor skills, object recognition, and observation.
Six Activities For Your 20-Month-Old
Here are six fun activities for 20-month-olds to encourage creativity and exploration. Choose the best ones to help your child develop key skills while having fun.
1. Smear it on
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You Will Need:
- Finger paints.
- Wax paper
- Plain paper
- Tape
How To:
1. Place the wax paper on a solid surface and tape it up to avoid slippage. Tape the plain paper over this.
2. Drop a small amount of paint onto the paper. Dip your finger in it and show your toddler how she can smear it. Let her listen and try.
3. Once she knows what to do, pour more colors to make it interesting. Gradually teach her about the colors she is using so she can better identify them.
4. The activity will help develop your toddler’s motor skills. It is a great way to introduce her to colors with which she can draw later.
Quick tip2. Look for it
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You Will Need:
- A small toy or object that will fit easily in your palm
How To:
1. Show your toddler the object.
2. Now place it in your palm and make sure your toddler is watching. Slowly close your fingers around the object to hide it from view. Now put your hands behind your back.
3. Ask your toddler ‘where is the toy’ and slowly bring your hands to the front.
4. Ask her to point at the hand in which she thinks the object is. Open the fist slowly to show her whether the object is there or if your hand is empty. Once she finds the object, express surprise and happiness.
5. The activity will teach your toddler about object permanence and observation. It is also so much fun for a 20-month-old.
Once your toddler gets a hang of this game, you can increase its scope to an entire room. Nicole Duggan, mother of two boys, does exactly this and discusses how these learning activities keep her toddler happily occupied while promoting valuable experiences. She shares, “Puzzles are one of my child’s favorite toys right now! G (her 20-month-old younger son) is so much more into puzzles than M (5.5 years old) ever was.
“Sometimes we hide the pieces around the room (in easy spots) and he finds them and completes the puzzle. It’s a creative way to make the puzzle more exciting (i).”
3. Helping hand
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need:
- A small clean broom
- A clean cloth
How To:
1. Start by wiping a safe place using a clean cloth. Try choosing a surface that your toddler can easily access. It should not have anything potentially harmful.
2. Make sure your toddler is watching you as you do this so they can mimic your actions.
3. Give the cloth to your toddler and ask her to clean up the place. You can also sprinkle a few drops of water on the surface to give your toddler more things to clean.
4. The activity will help your 20-month-old toddler develop her gross motor skills.
4. See the world
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You Will Need:
- Any safe place where you can spend free time with your toddler
How To:
1. Make sure you have plenty of time at hand. Choose the time of the day when your toddler is happy, energetic, well-fed, and rested.
2. Take your toddler to a nearby park or garden, or even the nearest mall or shopping complex.
3. Let your toddler show you the path. Follow your toddler and see all those things that seem fascinating to her.
4. Do not rush her to move on, even if it seems she is doing nothing but standing and staring.
Point to consider5. The activity will give your toddler a chance to learn about the world at her pace.
5. Match it
- Any object that your toddler also has a copy of – socks, a hair clip, a book
How To:
1. Make sure you do this activity in a place where your toddler has easy access to her things.
2. Hold up an object from your stash and show her. Name the object.
3. Now ask her to find the same. For example, if you are holding out a sock, tell her ‘it’s mamma’s sock, can you show me your sock?’
4. Applaud her when she manages to seek a similar object.
5. The activity will teach your toddler about various objects, sort them, and help them grasp basic matching.
6. Stamp it out!
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need:
- Potatoes
- Knife
- Paper or cardstock paper
- Paint
How To:
1. Cut the potatoes in half and form simple shapes like hearts, stars, or circles.
2. Lay the paper or cardstock on a flat surface and pour small amounts of colored paint onto a palette or plate.
3. Show your toddler how to dip the potato stamp into the paint, ensuring the carved shape is well-coated.
4. Allow the toddler to explore and create their own designs. They can stamp multiple shapes, mix colors, or overlap stamps.
5. This activity is best for sensory exploration and creative expression.
Note: Make sure to keep your toddler away from sharp tools like knives.
Did you know?Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can learning activities benefit my 20-month-old?
Learning activities for toddlers enhance fine and gross motor skills, encourage creativity, and aid social development. These activities also provide sensory and pretend play opportunities and make learning enjoyable.
2. How can I make learning activities safe for my 20-month-old?
Choose age-appropriate activities and ensure the materials you use, such as scissors and cutters, are child-safe. Also, keep pets away from the play area and monitor the children at all times to prevent accidents.
3. What social skills should a 20-month-old have?
At 20 months, babies may show interest and awareness and maintain eye contact with others. They point to objects of interest. They can become comfortable and play in social situations after a transition time (2). You can introduce social/emotional activities for toddlers to enhance these skills.
4. What words should a 20-month-old baby say?
Babies may be able to say ‘no’ and ‘mine’ clearly from 18 months onwards. They may use approximately 10 to 20 words, which includes peoples’ names. They may also combine words such as ‘all gone’ and ‘daddy bye-bye’ and copy sounds and words more accurately (3).
5. Should 20-month-olds know colors?
The ability to differentiate colors may begin to develop at 18 months (4). Hence a 20-month-old may know a few colors.
6. Does a 20-month-old understand discipline?
It may take about three years for children to start understanding what’s acceptable behavior and what isn’t (5). So 20-month-olds usually do not understand discipline.
7. Can my 20-month-old watch TV?
Yes, a 20-month-old may watch TV for a limited duration. As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, electronic entertainment time should be restricted to 1 hour a day from age 18 months to age five (6).
These activities for a 20-month-old baby will help you keep your child engaged and also teach them specific vital skills. Be it matching activities or taking your little one outdoors for a walk and letting them explore things from their perspective, these cognitive activities for toddlers help improve their social knowledge. Keeping your child engaged in such educational and physical activities for toddlers also helps them be productive and reduces screen time. Remember to let your child do everything at their own pace and not try to force them so that they can enjoy and make the most out of the learning process.
Infographic: Simple And Fun Activities For 20 Months Old Baby
As babies move toward the toddler stage, they become curious and want to explore. Teaching them skills in a fun and interactive way will encourage them to learn. Check out this infographic, for we bring some exciting activities to have fun with your little ones while they learn from you. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Illustration: Simple Learning Activities For Your 20-Month-Old Baby
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Learn how to play with your 20 month old toddler! Discover developmental milestones and activities to help your baby grow. Get tips and tricks to make playtime fun and educational.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Simple 20 month old learning activities to do at home.https://activity-mom.com/2013/01/playing-and-learning-with-your-20-month/
References
- Early numeracy skills: how to develop them.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/play-learning/learning-ideas/early-numeracy - 19-24 Months Milestones.
ttps://pathways.org/growth-development/19-24-months/milestones/ - Speech and language development (from 12 to 24 months).
ttps://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/procedures-and-treatments/speech-and-language-development-12-24-months/ - When to Teach Kids Colors?
https://www.newkidscenter.org/When-Do-Kids-Learn-Colors.html - Discipline and guiding behaviour: babies and children.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/behaviour/discipline/discipline-positive-approach-babies-children - Why to Avoid TV for Infants & Toddlers.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Why-to-Avoid-TV-Before-Age-2.aspx#
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