No Screens Allowed: Fun & Creative Playtime with Your Toddlers

Quick question: Do you think you enjoyed a better childhood than your toddler or vice versa? While our childhood may be deprived of the wonders of technology, it was never short of make-belief and the outdoors. Our children, in contrast, have got a lot of good things working in their favour with the advancement of technology. One piece of tech that has dominated the hearts and minds of our young children, and something we will not hesitate to pass to them to stop them from pestering us, is the digital screen. Though educational apps and YouTube videos are great for your children to sharpen their thinking and expand their vocabulary, there are a few troubling finds in recent years that suggest that overexposure to electronic media can delay their cognitive development. “Wait, restrict the usage of screens for my children? They might not be the only ones going crazy because I would go crazy as well!” you may exclaim. On this, we would encourage you to think long-term. By allowing your child to enjoy off-screen stimulators, they will eventually be introduced to imaginative and creative play. It allows your child to be calmer, happier, and gain a longer attention span. I spoke to Chiew Sue Lynn, mother of two, who has decided, before the birth of her first son, to limit screen time to almost zero, except for video calls and photo-taking; no television, no smartphones, and no touchpads. She knew it was going to be difficult. Many times she was branded a tiger-mom for staying firm in her decision. So, what does Yan Kai, her two-year-old toddler, spend his time doing? PLAY, of course! Sue Lynn incorporates household tools into her son’s daily playtime that proof you do not need expensive toys to keep them entertained. Here are some examples to inspire you to do the same with your toddlers: 1. Matching Yan Kai taking a good look at the pictures of vegetables on the wall before matching them with real vegetables. Would you allow your toddler to play with some of the vegetables you have at home? Pick them out (yes, real vegetables) and print images of those vegetables as well. Let your toddler match the real thing with the ones on the printed sheet. If you are playing a game of 'match' for the first time, you will have to demonstrate and explain to your toddler what you are trying to achieve. Then, let them figure it out on their own. Once they are done, reward them with hugs and encouragement for doing it right and guide them if they mismatched the items. Allow them to see the similarities and differences between the image and the real thing. This activity helps children learn representation and problem solving as they are making a connection between the real thing with the pictorial presentation. As you explain to them by identifying the name of each item, they are also picking up new words that will further expand their vocabulary. 2. Parking on map Three pieces of paper and a simple road map attached on a wooden tray keeps Yan Kai happily occupied. An instrumental toy in every household with a child are toy cars. At a tender age, they would have ridden in a car multiple times, enough for them to be fascinated about vehicles. Mine on that interest by drawing a simple map with roads and parking lots. Demonstrate where the car is supposed to be driven and parked in the allotted space. You can always expand the map by taping more papers together, adding more locations, roads, and parking lots. Talk to them about how the traffic functions, about stop and go lights, and road rules. This type of play stimulates a child’s cognitive development, allowing them to make decisions. 3. Pick and drop Simple activities like picking and dropping items with pincers require a high degree of control and focus. One of the developmental milestones for a child at 9 months, is to do the pincer grasp, where they use their index finger and thumb to pick an item. Upon mastery, continue sharpening their fine motor skills by playing pick and drop games using plastic pincers. All you need is a bottle, a plastic pincer, and pom poms (supervise them so they don’t insert the pom poms into their mouth). Demonstrate how to pick and drop the pom poms using the pincer. Then, let them do it on their own. This activity increases a child’s focus and strengthens their ability to control things with their fingers. Doing this activity often will yield observable results. Notice that your toddler will be able to grasp utensils better, allowing them to put food in their mouth with less mess. 4. Pouring water Water play is not necessarily messy. Have your child play on a yoga mat as it can be cleaned easily. Most toddlers want to try new things. They will watch what mommy does and want to do it. They will catch what daddy does and mimic him. It is important as parents to encourage them to try new things, with supervision, of course. One way to engage your child with life skills is to allow them to interact with everyday elements, like water. Using plastic cups, let your toddler pour water from one cup to another. It can be done between two cups or more if their motor skills are more advanced. You can first demonstrate how you do it, but don’t force your child to do it as you did. Allow them to have open-ended investigations. They will be motivated to solve problems through the experimentation and exploration of mathematical concepts like more and less. Plus, this play period will last for more than just mere minutes. Even if you have to clean up after them once it's over, think of it as a little inconvenience to the significant knowledge garnered. 5. Anatomy application Personal hygiene can be taught through fun activities. No dolls at home? No problem. Just print a picture of a face and stick it to a box. Cut a hole at the mouth area and allow your toddler to ‘feed’ it with beans or nuts (with supervision). You can also hand them a used toothbrush and teach them how to brush their teeth. At a year old, pretend-play would usually start to take off. Expand your child’s cognitive abilities by doing this activity. You might find them suggesting other creative ideas to care for the makeshift doll. Use yarn to create hair that they can braid or use stickers as accessories; the possibilities are almost endless. Parents should spend time with their children during playtime. Take every opportunity to impart a little knowledge through repetition. Talk about the parts of the face, explain about personal hygiene, and ask them questions about how they are playing. 6. Scoop and sieve Sue Lynn is determined to let her son go on a journey of discovery, allowing him to play with safe cooking utensils in the home. What else is there in the kitchen that could spark the interest of your toddler? Safe kitchen utensils, of course. Plastic ladles, sieves, and bowls can be turned into simple activities that will strengthen their control and coordination. Run this game using the pom poms from the activity mentioned in (3) with other balls and smaller toys. Get your toddler to sieve all the items first. Once they get a hang of it, introduce restrictions such as scooping only yellow pom poms or sieving out a specific toy. This can be played with or without water and in the sandpit. Get Involved With Your Toddler During Playtime These are just a few ways to get creative when it comes to playtime with your toddler. There is no need for expensive toys and gadgets because they are more intrigued by everyday items. The most important thing they need is YOU. Would you make it a point to wean your child away from the enticing pull of the screen? Sure, it will be difficult at the start, but aren’t good things a little more difficult to achieve? We think it is time you got a little creative with your tiny tots as well. Do you have more suggestions? Let’s start a conversation!

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