Oklahoma Early Learning Guidelines for Infants, Toddlers and Twos

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Toddler: 16­36 months
The Toddler May: Demonstrate basic hand and eye coordination
by making hand to object contact.
THE TODDLER MIGHT
FOR EXAMPLE:
Play with interlocking toys.
Catch a rolling ball with both hands.
Scribble spontaneously; begin to imitate marks.
Sort various objects by size, color, and shape.
Begin fastening and unfastening.
Turn pages of a book one by one.
Build with blocks by stacking or lining up blocks end to
end.
Use hands for simple finger plays.
Scoop, shovel, fill, pour, and dump.
Use a tool to pound objects.
Cutting with scissors.
Use thumb and fingers to squeeze objects.
THE TEACHER CAN:
★ Provide pop beads, large interlocking blocks, bristle blocks,
snap blocks, linking cubes, puzzles or peg boards.
★ Sit on the floor in front of child with legs outstretched in a
V and roll a ball back and forth to each other. This may
also be done as a small group activity with everyone sitting
in a circle.
★ Make writing materials accessible such as crayons, markers,
paper and chalk throughout the day. The teacher can
provide pencils, paint, glue sticks and ink/paint dobbers
with supervision.
★ Provide materials for sorting such as a shape sorter,
beanbags, blocks, balls or colored plastic eggs.
★ Provide opportunities for snapping, buttoning, zipping,
wrapping or unwrapping or closing and opening
containers.
★ Provide board, cloth or vinyl books for free exploration at
all times.
★ Provide an assortment of blocks including cardboard,
wooden, hollow, vinyl or plastic.
★ Sing songs with hand motions or do simple finger plays
with the toddler such as the Open­Shut Them or Where is
Thumbkin?
★ Provide pouring and dumping activities such as sensory
tables or tubs with water, sand and other safe and
appropriate sensory materials both inside and outdoors.
★ Provide pounding benches and hammers, pans and lids of
varying sizes, wooden spoons and plastic tubs or play
dough with a hammer.
★ Provide child­safety scissors, scrap paper, card stock,
recycled gift cards, wrapping paper and other appropriate
materials.
★ Provide child tweezers or tongs, eyedroppers, snap­beads,
chop sticks and turkey basters in the sensory play area.