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Dad Field Manual · Field card 104 · Toddlers

Remote-control Dad: pause, rewind, fast-forward

Little kids rarely get to be in charge, and they love it when a grown-up has to obey. Hand over a pretend remote, let them freeze you, rewind you and steer you around the living room, then take a turn steering them.

Time
15 min
Cost
$0
Ages
2 to 6
Where
Living room floor

What you need

  • A block or small toy to be the remote
  • Painter's tape and a marker to draw buttons on it
  • A couch cushion or pillow for the "charging spot"

Before you start

  • Clear a lane. Pick up toys, push sharp-edged furniture back and keep the game away from stairs. AAP advises keeping sharp-edged furniture out of the room where toddlers play.
  • Dad moves, nobody flies. No lifting, swinging or tossing kids overhead in this game, least of all near furniture, ceiling fans or hard floors.
  • Slow near little ones. When you fast-forward, take small quick steps, not big ones, and stop well short of the kid holding the remote.
  • After a hard fall, watch them. If they don't act normally afterward, call their doctor.

Steps

  1. Make the remote. Tape a block and draw Play, Pause, Rewind and Fast-forward buttons on it together.
  2. Show what each button does. Act out each button: Play walks, Pause freezes, Rewind walks backward, Fast-forward takes tiny quick steps.
  3. Hand over the remote. Let them press any button and obey right away. Ham it up for five minutes.
  4. Give them a mission. Name a target and let them steer you there with presses and turns.
  5. Swap and steer them. Swap: you press, they move. Use lots of Pause, and slow Rewind steps.
  6. Power off. Press Off. Lie down on the cushion for five slow breaths to "recharge."

If it stalls

  • If they mash buttons too fast to follow, add a rule: you only move once they say the button's name out loud.
  • If they won't give up the remote, make a second one. Two remotes, two bosses, one very busy dad.
Missions completed · best new button
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date