Your 18-Month-Old

FUN ACTIVITIES

Cook dinner together. After you've taken care to properly childproof your kitchen, invite your child to help prepare a meal. Explain what you are doing and offer her the opportunity to assist. The sink is a fun place to 'play', so you might let her wash the vegetables before you cook them - with supervision, of course. Another simple task is laying the table. While you or an older sibling will still need to put out the heavy and more dangerous items, your younger child can help by placing a napkin at every place setting. If she's not tall enough to put it on the table, get her to put one on each chair. When it's time to wash up, she can certainly dry plastic dishes. With each new skill she learns, your child's abilities and self-esteem will grow.

Enjoy a picnic in the great outdoors. What could be more special than a quiet picnic with the kids on a warm sunny day? Pack a light lunch that will travel well, and head to a nearby park. Use this time away from your house to forget about chores so that you can give your children your undivided attention. After the meal has been tidied away, take a stroll and explore the surroundings. Point out a family of ducks swimming in a pond or a group of interesting-looking plants. Be sure to remember family members who had to work or go to school during this special outing. Bring home mementos, like colourful leaves or a bunch of wildflowers so they'll be able to enjoy a bit of your trip as well.

Play the name game. You can make learning fun by playing a labelling game. Point to items and ask, 'What's that?' Tell your child the name and help him learn to pronounce it. Ask about the same item off and on for a day or two, and soon he'll be telling you what it is. Who knows - if it's a common item, he may surprise you with its name before you have a chance to tell him. A favourite subject is body parts. He's probably been able to pick out his nose, eyes and mouth for some time. Now he'll begin to say the words as well. Expand your questions to include feet, hands, arms, legs, etc. Naming body parts is an entertaining, educational and surprisingly calm game.