Toddler activities: roasted pumpkin seed toss

Many families love to roast pumpkin seeds and enjoy their nutty flavour. After they are cooked, you can use the seeds to create a simple game for your older toddler or pre-schooler to help practise hitting a target.

What you'll need

• Dried pumpkin seeds

• Four bowls in graduated sizes

Game plan

1. Save the seeds from the carved pumpkins.

2. Dry them in the oven on a baking tray at 200 °C for about 30 minutes, or until the seeds are crisp and golden.

3. Get out four bowls of varying sizes, and line them up in order from smallest to largest.

4. Have your child stand about 30 cm from the smallest bowl and toss a handful of pumpkin seeds into it. If she makes it, have her take one step backwards and try the next bowl. If not, she can stay 30 cm away.

5. Have your child take aim at all four bowls. You can give a small prize such as a cracker or biscuit for each bowl that contains at least one pumpkin seed at the end of the game.

Learning

Throwing is usually considered a gross-motor skill, but since the seeds are small, this game develops fine motor skills at the same time.