Fun Games for Children Under 3 Years

Morinaga ♦ 29 May 2024

Fun Games for Children Under 3 Years

In order for the growth and development process to run optimally, mothers need to meet their little one's nutritional and stimulation needs through fun play activities. By playing, he strengthens his physical, emotional and mental patterns. From playing with mini household items to puzzles, there are many fun activities that invite stimulation for children under the age of three.

So, what other games are suitable for this age range? Come on, Mother, take a look at the following:

Age 0-12 Months

Mothers can stimulate since their little one is just born. For example, inviting him to talk or play peek-a-boo with your little one, and this can strengthen the bond with Mother. Likewise with tummy time, or inviting him to play when he lies down and raises his head. Done in moderation, tummy time can help strengthen the structure of the body.

As it develops, there is more and more that you can do with your little one. For example, teaching your little one to grasp will train their basic motor skills and reflexes. Also encourage them to practice eye and hand coordination by directing their hands towards an object and responding to sound sources from a certain direction.

Another activity is to train his senses to recognize the different textures and temperatures of various objects. Also hone his skills by doing repetitive movements so that he trains his muscle memory. Some play equipment that is suitable for your little one at this age is one that is safe to hold and put in his mouth, or one that can be shaken and makes sounds to train his hearing. Colorful play equipment can also stimulate his visual abilities, or soft toys such as dolls that are safe to hold.

Come on, Mother, find out more about the stages of growth and development of children at this age: Stages of Growth and Development for Babies Aged 0-12 Months.

Age 12-24 Months

One to two years old is an increasingly colorful age for your little one's activities. He begins to learn to talk, walk, dance, laugh and play with his toys. Interestingly, mothers don't need to bother buying expensive toys because there are many ways you can keep your little one active and entertained.

Among these is training your little one's imagination by role playing with mini household items, for example, so that he can develop his creativity and social understanding. Also develop his hearing ability and understanding of sound by introducing him to sound sources from toys or musical instruments.

Try tracing together the source of the sound he hears by saying what it is so that this will improve his cognitive abilities and understanding of the surrounding environment.
Mothers can also start to get their little ones used to feeding themselves food and even wearing their own clothes. Likewise with drawing and using crayons, because all of these things will teach him independence and strengthen his fine motor skills. Also train your little one by doing push and pull movements using toys to strengthen their muscle strength and coordination.

If at this time he seems interested in many things, you need to guide him and direct his curiosity so that he can learn new things. Children this age generally like to explore, and mothers can accommodate this by often inviting them to play together. There are many uses for playing for growth and development, Bun. Come on, see what the benefits of playing are for growth and development here: Benefits of Playing for Children to Stimulate Growth and Development.

Age 24-36 Months

At this age, your little one's motoric, cognitive and social abilities are increasingly developing. He will experience various changes intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally so that he understands more about his world. Two to three years old is a time when language will play an increasingly important role in daily life.

Therefore, mothers need to develop their little one's speech and language skills every day. Start by training him to speak more clearly and understand simple commands so that his communication skills continue to improve. Then, invite your little one to play with peers to strengthen their empathy and social skills.

Apart from that, mothers can also teach basic concepts such as numbers, letters, shapes and colors as an important foundation for future learning. So complete their play facilities with various educational toys such as puzzles or building blocks as well as memory games that hone their cognitive abilities.

Then, there are also picture story books with simple text to train him to read and imagine, as well as toy musical instruments for his rhythmic and auditory skills.

Reference

  • Taking Cara Babies. Activities for Babies (0-18 Months). Diakses pada tanggal 24 Mei 2024. https://takingcarababies.com/activities-for-babies-0-18-months  
  • Healthline. 25 Fun and Engaging Activities for 1-Year-Olds. Diakses pada tanggal 24 Mei 2024. https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/activities-for-one-year-olds 
  • Parents. 12 Fun Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds. Diakses pada tanggal 24 Mei 2024. https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/activities/indoor/11-fun-activities-for-2-year-olds/