What are some learning ideas for a 13 month old who loves boxes, shape sorters, and such?

Question

My little boy loves his shape sorter and enjoys putting objects into boxes and dumping them out. He is enjoying learning how things to fit in different places, so I am trying to come up with ways to encourage his exploration with common objects around the house. Today I gave him 4 plastic cups and he spent a great deal of time stacking (nesting) them together and taking them apart. Any unusual ideas for similar types of activities? (I also posted this in the parenting section.)

Answer 1

Cheerios.  Kids like to pick up the small circles, and it is fun to eat but also fun to put them into a cup.  Maybe sort them into a blue cup, red cup, yellow cup or a large, medium and small cup.

Almost like expanding on what he already knows and likes, but adding one more part to the equation.

Counting, that would be fun to, you could count the stackable cups, up up up with the cups...up up up with the numbers...and same going down.  Not high, just like 1 2 3 4 and then 4 3 2 1.

Just ideas.

Answer 2

You're doing great!  Pots and pans and spoons so he can stir and stack and clang and bang.  My 15 month old grandson also enjoys these activities - dumping out his blocks and then putting them all away!   It's great for now, but we know it won't last. He'll be dumping them out and leaving them all out soon enough!  lol

Answer 3

The best thing for your little boy is:

A sand and water table: http://www.hertzfurniture.com/mo_Wooden_...

They are amazing! You can also but containers and things inside so he can dump and lift and do whatever he wants! It also incorporates science and math. The only problem is, is finding one for a boy his age. This one is for his age group:

http://www.amazon.com/I%252dPlay-Sand-an...

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

If you have a picnic basket you can make a picnic lunch and he can learn while eating. Putting things in and taking them out. Does the shoe belong in the basket "no!", does the apple belong in the basket. "yes". My daughter loves this game especially when I ask silly questions about putting hats, shoes, the cat in the basket.  

If he likes sorting, coloured pompoms can be sorted into coloured plastic containers. The dollar store can be your best friend for making tons of sorting ideas. The stacking cups idea is fantastic.

This age is great for starting scooping/pouring activities. have cups on the bath to encourage pouring. Make an indoor sand activity with a plastic washbasin with sand and some measuring spoons and cups. This is a great fine motor activity. I usually do this activity in the high chair to limit the sand tracked through the house, but the kitchen floor can be easily swept if your child won't sit in the chair for very long.