Picnic With Toddlers: Encourage Their Creativity

Toddlers are so beautiful, funny, fresh and full of life… but also hard to manage and control! They are at that age where they want to try everything and do everything on their own, but they are still very little to let them go.

Toddlers are movement. They have a great passion for discovering and trying new things. They learn by touching, smelling and feeling. Some experts affirm that a kid’s intelligence will increase if the kid is well stimulated, not only visually, but also by using touching and smelling as opportunities to acquire more experiences. The contact with nature can be a great learning experience and also an opportunity to increase their curiosity and creativity. A picnic moment can offer to your toddler many occasions to learn, discover and create. Below are some ideas that you can try in your next picnic.

Play pretend with your little one. This simple game will help him/her develop his/her imagination and creativity. You can use what you have around you. If you are picnicking in a city park, you can pretend to be squirrels. Play sneaking at the food, or jumping from tree to tree or hiding nuts in the ground. If you are in a wooden area, you got more choices. Just look around you and use your imagination. You can even pretend to be a tree, which stands tall and moves with the wind. If you are picnicking in a beach, you can be a fish, a seagull or even a wave. This simple game will help your toddler be aware of his/her surroundings and learn about animal habits.

Let him or her help you. Toddlers learn by imitating you, give him/her the opportunity to participate in the activity. Your little one can help you set up the picnic or to serve part of the meal. Be very patient, as they need extra time and often can be very messy. With your help and love, your beautiful kid will soon understand the organization and you could be very surprised to see how well he/she can handle a picnic.

Be spontaneous. If you want to encourage your child creativity, give him/her space and don’t be rigid. Some games work better than others, so be ready to adapt. Listen to your child and follow his/her lead. You will be surprise by his/her imagination. A rock, a leaf or an insect can become a game, a new occasion to explore and learn.

Every moment that you spend with your little one can be a source of learning and discovering. A picnic helps you interact with nature, family members, friends and new things. You can make a simple activity, like picnicking, a great learning and imagination event!