What’s your toddler’s favorite toy? Everything that isn’t a toy? So plastic easter eggs? Yep!
Our little guy has been in speech therapy for the past couple months. It has been quite the learning process. Oftentimes, I feel like the sessions are greater therapy for me… but more on that later.
My goal has been to pull the exercises we learn into our everyday play – while not making everything a speech exercise. It’s been a hard balance for me to find.
I am NO therapist and have very little experience in this new speech world – but here are 5 fun ways to play with plastic eggs that just happen to align with our speech therapy.
1. Direction Words M&M Egg Hunt
No need to reinvent the wheel – plastic eggs are for egg hunts! I hide one M&M in each egg and place them around the living room. As he “hunts” I guide him with direction words. “Where is the egg under the sofa?” “On the shelf?” “In your slipper?”
2. Fine Motor Skill Egg Pick Up
Our kid loves kitchen utensils as much as his momma. He has a pair of little blue tongs from the Wal-Mart dollar bin that are so great for working on fine motor skills and strengthening those hand/finger muscles. Almost every morning, we dump out the eggs from one bin and he picks them up with the tongs to transfer them to another. Most mornings its his yellow watering can… thank you Target Dollar Spot!
3. Easter Egg Color Sorting
While we aren’t quite able to say colors, we are learning how to tell them apart! Using the tongs or his hands, we find all the yellow eggs, then the purples and so on. If you have multi-colored bowls, this would be a great independent play activity. Get them started, then see if they can sort the rest on their own!
4. Easter Egg Sensory Play
Plastic eggs are basically just cute little scoops. What do your littles like to scoop? Rice, dried beans, sand? We only like water – we’re working on those sensory pieces! Pull out those mats and dry good bins and create a special Easter edition of sensory time.
5. Plastic Easter Egg Garland
As Emery gets older, it has been fun to do projects together. I’m learning to let go of perfectionism – and crafting with my little guy is a good test! We made this mini door garland with the eggs straight out of the package (they already have holes!) I let him hand me the color of his choice and I strung them on beading wire. We talked about the colors with each egg and marveled at our creation in the end. We only had enough eggs for a short garland, but will be making a giant one next year for sure!
We made a few other Easter egg garlands with our Dollar Tree plastic eggs!
Tailored to your toddler
So let’s be honest – none of this is crazy out of the box. I’m sure you’ve done most of these types of activities with your little ones. The key isn’t 1000% originality. The key is finding the pieces that appeal to your toddler. Do they love trucks? Gather various sized and colored trucks from the Dollar Tree. Obsessed with animals? Incorporate their favorite critters.
It is heartwarming to learn their interests and then see them light up when you bring those into everyday play. Get creative, momma – it’s therapeutic for both of you.
