Hey toddler mama, if there’s one thing I want you to understand today it’s this:

Don’t be too busy to miss out on exploration moments.

What do I mean by this? There are times we get so excited to do an activity with our children that we miss moments to let them explore and imagine by themselves.

We let our own agenda get in the way of our kids’ creativity and imagination.

We might try so hard to engage our children in an activity that we forget to let them lead and follow their own interests.

I’m guilty of this! I see my daughter as a part of me that I think I can control, but she’s evolving into her own person.

She’s growing up.

Trying to get my toddler to do what I want is like trying to get the wind to stop howling and the sun to shine at night.

This just leads to frustration for both of us!

Isn’t having exploration moments kind of the goal of mommying? To get our kids to explore their world and use their imaginations and creativity in constructive ways independently?

The First Time I Recognized an Exploration Moment

We were doing a cereal necklace making activity, and I had all the craft lace neatly stored in a little box. Five minutes later the activity was already OVER, and I needed a break! Ella kept asking to see the box of craft lace, so I just let her, figuring at least that could keep her entertained for another five minutes.

Twenty minutes later, she was still playing with the craft lace.

She lined them all up.

Named each color she saw.

She “counted” them.

She gave each roll a name and started playing with them as if they were dolls!

I was stunned by her creativity. All the more that it was unprompted and unguided. I normally would’ve said no and put the box on a high shelf. But this time, I took a chance and let her explore freely, and she did!

The New Activity Playbook!

Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?

I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.

Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!

What I Learned About Exploration Moments

I’ve learned a few things about taking a facilitator’s role when we try a new activity. I want to share these with you, not so that I can seem like I know what I’m doing, I don’t! I’m just muddling through my firstborn’s toddler years along with the rest of you! But so that we, as parents, can help each other be better parents.

So that we can make our families stronger by playing together and make our families more connected by spending time together.

Spending time with our kids doesn’t have to be elaborate; it just has to BE.

I know toddlerhood is a rough stage. You need some help. You need some support. You need to know that you’re doing the best thing for your child. Let me tell you, if you’re here trying to find some way to connect with your child through cool activities or through different ways to play, then you are doing a great job!

Your heart is in the right place. Let your actions follow!

Making Exploration Moments Happen

So without further ado, here are a few of my suggestions for making those exploration moments happen.

Start an activity by letting your toddler lead.
Let your toddler explore and play with a material before an activity without guidance (but always with supervision!).
Set up an activity as an invitation to play freely, not as a scripted plan of action.
Know that your toddler will want to use ALL her senses to explore; that includes tasting and smelling! Make sure everything is safe for her to explore with her senses.
Expect messes. Be OK with cleaning it up later.
Understand your toddler’s abilities and limitations, but at the same time, challenge her to grow.

I find that open-ended toys can help make exploration moments happen. I especially love toddler-safe blocks and thought-provoking puzzle toys for open-ended, free exploration.

Your Turn!

I don’t know what our next exploration moment will look like or when it will happen.

I can’t tell you what it will look like for you and your child. But just be open to letting some free play and exploring happen.

Try something new and potentially messy, like a sensory bin or finger painting.

Be open to the mess and say goodbye to stress!

Then revel in your child’s exploration moment and enjoy your cup of coffee in peace.

Have you experienced any exploration moments? What did it look like for you?

One easy way to make an exploration moment happen is by setting up an invitation for imaginative play, or dress-up! Try this toy hospital pretend play activity with your little one! Or maybe let your toddler pretend to cook alongside you as you make a meal for the family.