Did you know that most kitchen drawers are full of interesting, learning objects for toddlers?

When your child is alert and relaxed, let them play with various kitchen utensils, like colanders, spatulas, wooden spoons and egg-whisks. Look for things that shine, clang, or have an interesting texture – anything that would be fun for little fingers (and mouths) to explore!

Importantly, make sure the utensils you let them play with are safe – only give them things that are blunt, unbreakable and not able to be swallowed. And never leave your child unattended when playing with anything from the kitchen.

Let your child touch and explore each kitchen utensil and as they do, describe the different properties of the objects. For example, you might talk about the coolness and shininess of a metal spatula. Or, perhaps you could help them run their fingers over the bristles on a pastry brush and say The brush feels nice and soft. Even letting them bang a pot with a wooden spoon allows them to become aware of sounds and the feel of the wooden handle.

This activity is wonderful for encouraging your toddler to:

• use their senses to discover, explore, investigate and examine new objects, textures and sounds
• developing thinking skills such as like cause and effect: When I bang this pot, it makes a noise!
• promoting open-ended and independent play
• developing communication and language skills.