Roll-and-Move Dice (2-3 years)
A cut-and-fold paper die with six movement prompts. The die decides what happens next -- so the toddler moves instead of negotiating.
Materials Needed
- •Printed worksheet, ideally on thicker paper or card
- •Scissors and glue (grown-up job)
- •Clear floor space
Safety Reminder:
- •Assemble the die yourself -- the cutting and gluing is not a toddler task.
- •Clear the space before jumping starts.
Duration
10-15 minutes
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Why an Object Beats an Instruction
"Do five star jumps" is a demand from a grown-up, and a two-year-old's job description includes refusing demands from grown-ups. "The dice says star jumps" is a fact about the world, and there is nobody to argue with. Handing the decision to an object removes the power struggle entirely -- the same trick that makes timers work at bedtime. Underneath that social sleight of hand, the child is getting jumping, squatting, balancing and stretching, plus the beginnings of turn-taking and counting, all wrapped in something they physically get to throw.
- check_circleWhole-body movement: jumping, squatting, stretching, balancing in one game
- check_circleTurn-taking: I roll, you roll -- the earliest form of a social rule
- check_circleEarly counting: counting out the jumps out loud
- check_circleSelf-regulation: doing the move the die chose, not the one you wanted
- check_circleAnticipation and impulse control: waiting for the die to stop before moving
Preparation
Print on the thickest paper your printer will take. Cut around the outside of the cross shape, fold every inside line, and glue the grey tabs into a cube. Ten minutes of grown-up work; it will survive months of throwing.
Instructions
- 1
Roll the die together. Let your toddler throw it -- the throw is half the appeal.
- 2
Look at the picture on top. Say the move out loud: "Jumping! Let's jump!"
- 3
Do the move together, counting out loud.
- 4
Roll again. Repeats are not a bug -- if star jumps come up three times, do them three times.
- 5
Six or seven rolls is a full game.
- 6
Leave the die in a basket where your child can find it themselves.
Assistance for Kids and Parents
- arrow_rightDo the move yourself, every time. A two-year-old copies a body, not an instruction.
- arrow_rightIf your child wants to roll and roll without moving, let them. The rolling comes first, the moving follows.
- arrow_rightPerfect for the fifteen minutes before dinner when everyone is fraying.
- arrow_rightCounting out loud together is free maths -- do not skip it.
- arrow_rightIf the die gets destroyed, print another. It is a piece of paper, not an heirloom.
Variations & Extensions
Simpler Version
Skip the cube entirely. Cut the six faces into flat cards and pick one from a pile.
More Challenge
Roll twice and do both moves in order. Remembering and sequencing two actions is a real cognitive step at 3.
Family Roll
Everyone in the room does the move -- including the grown-ups. A toddler will do almost anything if the whole room is doing it.