Colors and Counting with a Toddler

While Josephine was at school this morning I needed an activity for Tess that would occupy her without too much help from me.  Tess has a Cheerios book, given to her by an aunt and uncle, that she loves.  It's a cute counting book that has circular indentations to place the cheerios, similar to a puzzle. This morning we stopped at the store to get her colored O's so she could try some sorting and counting games and even make some edible jewelry.

There are cereal brands with no artificial coloring, but honestly, if it's sorting colors you're after, beet juice cannot stand up to Red #40.  So for this project we went ahead and bought Fruit Loops.  I took a muffin tin and put small colored circles of construction paper in the

bottom of each muffin container. I also put out several pipe cleaners so she could 'string' the cereal and make a bracelet.  She really enjoyed the sorting, and went through several cycles of sorting a bunch, eating a bunch, and then sorting again. She started one bracelet and then abandoned it, but I think that would occupy her well as a stand alone activity. She sorted and counted and got her full daily recommended allowance of Blue #60.  It's really an easy and quick activity that will occupy a two year old for a good long time!