Let’s count
Tap each thing and the voice counts along.
Games for 2 year olds
A two year old learns with hands and ears. These games last a few minutes, have big pictures and a voice that says everything, so no reading is needed.
What two year olds learn through play
- Recognising a sound and pointing to what makes it: a cat, a car, the rain.
- Counting to three with an adult, touching each thing.
- Telling a high sound from a low one.
- Repeating short songs and movements.
Games for two year olds
Animal sounds
Who says moo and who says quack?
Sounds around us
Who makes this sound?
High and low
Is it a bird singing or a bear humming?
Songs for the youngest
Drip, drop
For the youngest, to three · Ages 2 to 4
Drip, one drop,two drops, plip, plop,three drops, here comes rain,jump in puddles once again!
Five little fingers
A finger rhyme to five · Ages 2 to 4
One little finger points up high,two little fingers wave to the sky,three little fingers hop, hop, hop,four little fingers never stop,five little fingers, count with me:one whole hand for you to see!
The moon peeks through
A counting rhyme to ten · Ages 3 to 6
One, two, the moon peeks through,three, four, a bunny at the door,five, six, the puppy licks,seven, eight, the dew is on the gate,nine, ten, let’s count again!
Games away from the screen
Who says that?
Make animal sounds and let your child point to the right toy or picture.
One, two, three
Drop blocks into a box and count out loud to three. Then start again.
Where is the sound?
Hide a phone playing quietly and let your child find it by ear.
Clap for a clap
Clap twice and let your child copy you. Then swap.
How much screen time?
The World Health Organization recommends no more than one hour of screen time a day for children aged 2 to 4, and less is better. Play together and talk about what you see and hear.