Objective: Strengthen leg muscles through water play
Materials:
Sensory Bin or pool, water
Related activities: 12 Low Prep water activities for your toddler
How To Play: Toddler Water Activity For Gross Motor Skills
I’m not a music expert but research has shown that exposing your kids to music has a great effect on brain development.
Kicking might seem natural to us because we do it without putting much thought into it, but it is a developmental skill we have been working on. We played with a soccer ball the first week and this week we are doing it more loosely with water.
Children can find water play both calming or invigorating depending on the activity being presented. Vigorous splashing and kicking and running around in the water can be an excellent outlet for pent up energy. A great way for kids to have fun and let off steam! This activity taps into language and motor skills. Babies are born naturally loving water so when you both need to de-stress this week make a mini-pool with your large bin and practice some kicking.
Place your baby in the water and when they kick repeat the word “kick, kick kick” . If you have done any type of swim lessons then they might already be familiar with this word.
Try this week to get them to “kick when you tell them to – to practice following directions and practice having them repeat the word “kick”