What would be a good topic to promote?

What are some good suggestions for an activity or topic beginning with "a" to play with my 18-month-old daughter?

• Can you suggest activities that we can do together that she will enjoy but will also help her in these formative years. Given that constraints can sometimes promote innovation and imagination I did wonder if with the help of Quora we could come up with an alphabets worth of activities or topics for the year e.g. the each day in the first two weeks of the year would have a topic or activity based on "a". Time constraints I get about half an hour with her in the morning but this is really just breakfast and tooth brushing before I have to hop on the bus to work. In the evening I've got about 2.5 hours which needs to include dinner and getting ready for bed (Nappy, PJs, teeth and a story). At the weekends we have a lot more time together (starting with an hour's family dog walk with an Aunt and a Grandma and their dogs) so we can do something a bit more adventurous.

• Answer:

  I'm going to go ahead and just try to fill out the Alphabet of Activities for an 18 month old (And also make this 18-24 months, in my mind!) while I'm sitting here, because goodness knows when I'll get another free half hour to devote to this! (As I sit here, I am currently playing Mommy Says with my 18 month old and 3.5 year old, with my 6 month old sitting in my lap trying to grab keys) DISCLAIMER: This got  WAY longer than I thought. Sorry it's immensely long! A is for... Acting - go through the motions and expressions of emotions, actions (swimming, jumping, climbing), and animals with your little toddler. They've got a pretty good sense of humor at this age, and they LOVE to mimic and see parents acting fun and silly. B is for... Bathtub! - ANYTHING in the bathtub is glorious fun to my little guys. A funnel, spoon, measuring cup...anything is extra fun. Heck, even a bath by itself with just its normal accompaniments is fun for the little ones. Balancing - a strip of painter's tape on the carpet/floor/yard and you've got a balance beam! My 18 month old LOVES to try and walk on the lines (and for that matter, so does my 3 year old). He also loves when I try to walk on the lines...or hop on one foot down them, etc. Blocks - plain old square building blocks are great for this age. They're learning how to stack things using their eye-hand coordination and balancing techniques. They also love to knock things down, especially if YOU have made the tower...it takes my 18 month old a LONG time to get bored of playing with blocks (especially if I am involved in the play). Ball - rolling it, catching it, kicking it... kids love balls, and 18 months is a good age for learning this. It's both fun and funny! C is for... Cookie Cutters - We use these on play-dough, sand, actual cookie dough, fruit leather (as a treat), or just by themselves in the bath. Older toddlers can use these as stencils, too. Catch - Middle M is getting good at catching, and it doesn't just have to be a ball. Big M and Daddy created a game called SNAKE BALL - they toss a small beanie snake instead of a ball. They're getting great at this game, and Middle M was just initiated into this game the other night. He is also good at catching the snake ball. D is for... Digging - We love us some dirt...or sand, or gravel, or tan bark... anything! Put a shovel or rake in their hands and watch them go! Incidentally, a shovel or little rake in the bathtub is also glorious fun too. Recall "B" up above! Directions - Middle M is good at directions now. He's been able to execute simple, one step ones since he was 12 months, but now at 18 months, he's getting better at several step ones or more complicated things. He especially loves things that involve silly actions or doing things he doesn't usually get to do (throw this napkin in the garbage!). I keep his hands out of the potty (he's about halfway potty trained) by giving him directions like "Hands on your head!" "Hands on your shoulders!" while he's pooping to keep his Hands off his Privates and Things His Privates Are Excreting. He thinks this game is great. Incidentally, so do I. Dolls - even Middle M loves to play with his doll (my old American Girl doll). He likes to pet her hair, dress her up, and also give her rides in his dump truck. He also LOVES when I make his doll talk to him or give him high fives. I can only imagine how much more fun this might be with a girly girl who doesn't end most doll games with a giant crash of the dump truck with the bulldozer and the doll flying through the air. (Although in writing this, it's a pretty funny mental image/memory). At any rate, playing Dolls or pretend play is great for kids. E is for... Eggs - there's a strange fascination with these things that seems to hit around 18 months. So part of our morning ritual is our egg preparation. My 18 month old gets to take the eggs out of the carton and hand them to me, one by one (this activity requires some intuitive "catching" on my part as well as lots of patience and good humor). My 3 year old gets to help crack the eggs into the bowl or (cold) frying pan. If we're scrambling them (this is a daily vote, how to prep our eggs!), they get to take turns helping whisk the eggs. Then there's a trip to the sink for all for some after-egg-touching handwashing (which is also fun for them). Then they wait with breathless anticipation while I cook the eggs (this is punctuated by frequent "turns" of being lifted up to check on the eggs progress). Then there's the joy of eating the eggs with their chosen condiments...we cycle through garlic salt or cheese regularly. Then they chow down. No doubt about it. Eggs are a hit. On the less involved side of "Eggs," their recent Christmas gift of a play kitchen resulted in me hunting down on Ebay the Fisher Price eggs (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fisher-Price-Fun-Food-Bacon-Eggs-Breakfast-2127-scrambled-shells-fried-/200694014012?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eba4ba03c#ht_1734wt_823)  that I had as a child (to the tune of some $40, what the heck!) so they'd have their own "crackable" eggs. Note to toy manufacturers: It's time to make new versions of these, so parents don't need to hunt down $$$$ vintage versions! F is for... Food (Especially Fruit)- my 18 month old LOVES food. He loves the grocery store (helping me pick out our food. He loves helping put it away (playing with the canned goods in the emergency cupboard is also a hit, but a precarious one, little fingers/toes get smashed easily, so beware!). He loves helping to prep it (wash the apples, wash the potatoes, etc). And he really, REALLY loves eating it. Especially Fruit. Berries. Vegetables. I prep a lot of these at once and let him have at it at his table. He makes custom little fruit/veggie mixes, piles, etc, and eats away happily. My kids are big fans of fruits and veggies in general, but offer a few at once and they go into Joy-Overdrive. They are also just learning the concept of "trading" (assisted by Mom/Dad to ensure fairness. No, Big M, one blueberry for ALL of Middle M's strawberries is NOT a fair trade!). They enjoy this almost as much as the eating, so I guess F is also for Fair Trade. (Har har) G is for... Gardening - this doesn't have to be a huge Make-Your-Local-Hippie proud garden, although I'd love to have one of those someday. I used to think I'd be THAT kind of Mom, but then I had three little boys and realized I am not that good yet. So for now, our Garden consists of an old sandbox filled with dirt and some VERY hardy plants, and a bevy of potted plants around the house/yard. And Gardening with my children consists of letting them water the plants often (hence hardy, thirsty plants) with their watering cans, the fireman hose on their little firetruck, or what have you. It also includes us re-planting any, uhm, accidentally uprooted denizens of our garden. And a lot of digging in the dirt. As Middle M gets older, we'll do some of the whole seed planting, watching something grow, harvesting fruits of our labor, etc, like we do with Big M, but for now, the 18 month old Middle M is content with digging, watering, and replanting. H is for... Helping -  this is Middle M's newest thing...he's newly aware of how much he loves to be praised and thanked, so he's very big on helping out. He also loves directions (see D!) . This is a great activity because it is actually pretty helpful. Got a diaper that I just took off of littlest M? Middle M, can you deliver this diaper to the trash?? YES! He can! He LOVES to take things to the trash! Middle M, will you take this baby wipe and wipe off your table and chair? Yes! He LOVES wiping things off! Middle M, let's clean up the toys. Will you pick up the cars? Yes! HE LOVES picking up the cars! Hahah. Oh man, writing this alphabet reminds me of how much I LOVE 18 month olds. So fun. Hide and Seek - This goes easier at first with another adult or an older child to help teach 18 month old how to play, but it can be done solo too! It's SO cute to play. One of my favorite memories of Big M as a young toddler was him playing hide and seek with us. He'd run from spot to spot squealing, as if we couldn't see him. A-dor-able. I is for... Independence - or the "I" can do it beginning stage. Anything you can help your 18 month old do by him/herself will be fun for them. They're starting to love independence and appreciate the vote of self confidence they get when you allow them to. This is pretty easy. Anything you and your child normally do can be converted to be a more independent action... whether it's wiping off the table/high chair or learning to put on shoes/slippers. J is for... Jumping - make little obstacles that are safe, but still offer some challenge, and encourage your little one to jump over them. A plush bear, a pile of towels, etc. They love jumping...and also equally love safe falling. Nothing makes my little guys giggle more than when they fall (and aren't hurt). They laugh at themselves. They laugh at each other. They bust a gut if *I* am the one to do the pretend falling. Outside, you can draw circles, squares, etc in chalk on the ground for them to jump in and out of. This is always a hit too! Jokes - they've got a developing sense of humor. One thing that my kids and the others we meet love is the whole high five joke that kids play in elementary school. You encourage them to give you a high five "Up High!" then "Down Low" then wait for them to try again and jump back and exclaim, "Too Slow!" - Middle M thinks this is possibly the funniest thing in the whole wide world. Big M is not immune to its continued charms either. We'll see about Littlest M when he's older! K is for... Kitchen implements/actions - whether it's handing over the measuring cups and the colander or actually letting little one help out with some kitchen tasks, the kitchen is ALWAYS exciting. Probably because it's usually off limits and therefore holds forbidden charm and unique, new things to play with. There is some truth in that age old picture of baby on the floor with pots and pans. Incidentally, silicone baking spatulas are also a HUGE hit and hot commodity around here. L is for.. Laughing- seriously, just watch your 18 month old and when you feel like laughing, do it. Most 18 month olds LOVE laughter...and especially causing it. Middle M will literally do something over and over 30 times if each time it elicits laughter from his audience. It's the little things in life that make our kids the happiest. This one's easy! M is for... Music - Music's a great outlet for little (and big) minds. Making it, listening to it, dancing to it! Big hits around here are drums (anything that can be used as a drum) and jingle bells. Find the kind of music your child likes to dance to and play it. My boys like R&B and HipHop....sooooo we listen to instrumental versions of this and they dance around. Cutest thing ever. They also like to listen and sing along to it. Also, music videos are a huge hit. Middle M is OBSESSED with this video and song: N is for... Noise - make some. Give my Ms permission to make some joyful noises and they will, with glee. Add some of your own and you'll be the king of the moment. Teach some noises. Will this come back later to bite you in the butt? Maybe, but it's also a great source of joy and enjoyment. Just do it. Let out a loud MEEP or PRRRROOOOOPPPP! Explain later that sometimes, MEEP and PRRRROOOOPPP are too loud for saying in church/in movie theaters/in the car, etc. But in the moment, just enjoy it. Middle M loves a good silly noise contest. He often outwits Big M at coming up with some (perhaps Middle M is still more in tune with his baby gibber) and Big M often ends up mimicking Middle M's noises. And when I throw in the occasional sound...oh boy, are they happy! O is for... Outside - take them out. It can be done safely, except in the most extreme cases. Trust me. I just spent four years in North Dakota's freeeeeezing winters. And except for the very coldest or windiest days, we managed to get out for a LITTLE bit every day. Fresh air is a wonder for curing the crabbies, the tantrums, or the doldrums. And if you really can't play outside, take them OUT at least. Go to the mall playground. Go walk around Target a bit. Changing up the scenery often improves MY mood, and definitely helps with the kids. One thing my husband likes to do is take them for a night walk (he leaves for work before they get up and often arrives home late, just before bedtime, so he has to maximize his time with them, too). He points out the stars or just neat features of houses we pass. P is for... Pretend play - even at 18 months, you can start doing this... pretend to be a dog, pretend to be a giraffe...have them pretend to be dogs, babies, etc. Play house, play pirates, play anything that uses imagination. Playhouses - build a fort with pillows, make a tent with a sheet and some chairs...etc. Kids love playing in and out of these kinds of things. Have a large box? Cut a door and window...watch the fun ensue! Pictures - drawing them or taking them. Middle M loves to have pictures taken of him and then see them uploaded on the computer. He also LOVES to watch videos of himself and Big M. Puppets - Middle M LOVES when we play puppets with him. He loves to have them talk to him or pretend to kiss him. You can also make puppets with paper lunchbags and some art supplies. Q is for... Quiet time - Coloring, cuddling on the couch, reading books together, watching rain fall, etc. This is a good age to teach them to do quiet, relaxing activities. R is for... Reading - do it. Make reading fun. Use voices, pick books that are INTERESTING. We read a good amount of hardy, tried and true classics that will build vocabulary and verbal skills. But we also read some just for fun. The current favorite around here is Dinosaurs Love Underpants. Yup. Middle M just learned to say "undiebants." Proudest moment. Hehe. S is for.. Singing - At about this age, we started singing songs like Twinkle Twinkle with Big M, and he started "singing" along...sometimes it sounded like words, sometimes it didn't, but it was ALWAYS cute. Plus this sets you up for easier car rides too. Nothing's easier than starting up a favorite song singing session in the car during long drives or traffic jams. T is for..Tickling - tickle her, let her tickle you. Middle M thinks he's the coolest kid ever when he gets to be the tickler. The more dramatic you can be in your laughter the better. U is for...Up! - we play "up" and "down" by picking him up and putting him down upon request. He loves being the boss and in control, and we get to practice his versions of up and down with him. Plus this gives him some attention and fun...and a good arm workout for me. V is for...Vintage - think of games that you used to play and start teaching them to your little one. Think things like kickball, tag, freeze with the music, etc. As they get older, kids start to love to do things that mommy and daddy did when they were little. And as they get even older, they don't care again, I'm told, but hey, I haven't hit that yet! W is for...Wheelbarrow racing! - Middle M is really good at this! We just hold his legs/waist and let him go at it. He loooooves running up and down the hallway on just his hands. Don't forget to cheer as you guys go. X is for...XoXoXo - kisses and hugs! Middle M just decided to Kiss and Hug and demand them. If I yell HUG! he'll hug. If I yell KISS, he'll kiss. Or sometimes he'll offer his own face up for a kiss or open his arms to receive a hug. Super cute. I need to get all the kisses and hugs I can before he becomes too much of a "big boy" to give his mommy hugs. Y is for...Yoga ! - our On Demand Fitness usually has a ten to fifteen minute Child + Parent Yoga "class" available...it's usually REALLY fun. Sure, 18 month old maybe can't "get" everything, but I've found that the children's poses always have at least something he can try. And they'll LOVE it when you're doing it too. Z is for...Zippers - get a big zipper from the fabric store and attach it to something...then let her have at it. Middle M LOVES his zipper board I made him. I literally just glued the zippers to some felt and then to a small bulletin board. Zip..ZIP!