Having a free play time to explore surroundings and please senses is very important for growing kids, but having structured play is also equally important for the growing brain. Structured play can also help toddlers being occupied in fun activities and are great way to introduce your kids with new ideas.\u00a0Science says that a human brain can keep up the concentration for maximum 45 minutes in single activity and then needs a break. Same applies for kids as well, but of course their attention span is lot less than 45 minutes. Thus any structured activity should last for around 20 \u2013 30 minutes before giving a break for food, nap, free play or screen time etc.<\/p>\n
Please remember, anything in excess can be boring, so begin with one activity a day and then move to more structured play time. And respect the choices of your kids. If they are not interested in a particular things, motivate them to do it, but don\u2019t push them.<\/p>\n
Following are few structured play activities that can help keep toddlers busy as well as make their skills and understanding develop well.<\/p>\n
Imitate household chore<\/strong> Pick and drop<\/strong>
\nGive them a clean cloth and show them how to wipe the table. Remember, they are kids and might mouth the cloth or lick the table, so give them a clean table to wipe. The intention here is not to clean a table, but to teach them life skills and keep them occupied.<\/p>\n
\nKeep some cloths on floor scattered in a room. Keep laundry basket in a corner and show them once how to pick up and drop them in laundry basket. Let them practice 2-3 times and every time there\u2019s a cloths change etc, ask them to drop cloths in laundry basket. Similarly, you can show them how to drop papers into dustbin, dry washed utensils with clean cloth, wash fruits etc and make it into a game.<\/p>\n