Do you need a few fresh ideas of how to keep your little ones busy?
When our toddlers get bored, or when left un-attended (for even a few minutes), they find trouble and created messes!
I’ve learned this the hard way…
I’m here to help! I’ve gathered a list of 30 fun things to do with your toddlers. Each of the activities are kid and parent-approved!
30 fun things to do with your toddlers:
-
Stacking Cereal
Stack Fruit Loops or Cheerios on spaghetti noodles stuck in play dough.
2. Fingerprint Characters and Stamps
- Put their little fingers on a stamp pad, then onto paper.
- Turn their finger prints into fun little characters!
3. Take a spin on a Plasma Car
My oldest son received a Plasma Car for his first birthday – and each of my boys have been riding it ever since. This “bike” is almost 12 years old, and still one of their favorite toys. We use this in the basement during the winter, and outside on warmer days.
4. Balloon fun
When I visit the Dollar Tree, I almost always get a bag of balloons. They provide so much entertainment for such a low cost.
You can just bounce it back and forth or try to keep two in the air at the same time.
Click here for some fun balloon games for toddlers.
5. Balloon Rockets
If you want to step it up a notch, my kids love this Balloon Rocket. They have so much fun watching balloons soar around the room or back yard! We purchased our Balloon Rocket set about 8 years ago and my boys still have fun with this! I recently bought replacement balloons to keep them entertained during the winter.
6. Fill the Bottle
Set out Q-tips and a parmesan cheese container, and let them fill it up!
7. Don’t Eat Pete
My kids love this simple game.
What you need:
Any small snacks (cereal, candy, tiny crackers, peanuts, raisins)
1 piece of paper and a writing utensil
To do:
- On a sheet of white paper, draw a large grid – nine squares.
- Put a number on each square.
- Put a small snack on each square.
- Have ONE person leave the room.
- Have another person choose which square is “Pete.”
- Ask the person who left the room to come back. He or she eats one snack at a time. When they grab the snack that is “Pete,” everyone screams: “DON’T EAT PETE!”
- Their turn is over.
Repeat as many times as your kids are interested!
8. Chalk Art
Inside – use your sidewalk chalk with construction paper.
Outside – Create a “road” for their cars. Draw out hop scotch, train tracks, or write the alphabet!
9. Play with water
Inside:
- Put any toy that can get wet into the bathtub and have them ‘wash’ their toys.
- Fill a large bin with a little water, measuring cups, and bowls.
Outside –
1. Pour water down a sloped path or driveway to see where it goes.
2. Put their toys in soapy water and have them give them a “bath.”
10. Mess Free Coloring Book
My son loves the ‘mess free’ coloring books.
.
11. Pots/Pans and Spoons
Let your kids bang away. (Put in earbuds to keep it from driving you crazy!)
Another parent mentioned this idea:
Giving your toddler pots and pans to bang on is a classic parent move, but here is a less noisy idea. Sit your toddler down with a pumpkin, melon, or squash and let them pound the vegetable to their heart’s content with a toy hammer. Most toddlers aren’t strong enough to do real harm with their hammer, so you can still make soup with your butternut squash once they’ve had their fun. She also says this works if you swap the hammer for stickers.
.
12. Hide and Seek
Why do kids love this game so much? Playing with your kids (for even 5 minutes) might help you see why. I’m often laughing harder than them when they find me.
You can also hide a toys, stuffed animals, or plastic eggs and let them search!
.
13. Have a Dance party
Go Noodle is a good website to use to burn some energy
.
14. Paint Nails
Use a grocery sack or old box, draw fingers and toes and let them paint away!
15. Blow Bubbles!
Bubbles always make kids smile!
16. Take a Drive
Strap your kids in to their carseats, drive around and listen to music or an audiobook.
.
17. Walk through a different neighborhood
After you take a drive, stop at a new spot and take a walk. See new things!
.
18. Sing together
Singing to and with your child builds a unique bond with them. And just like reading to your child, singing songs with them helps to boost their vocabulary and language skills.
.
19. Sticker fun
Kids can put stickers over large letters to “trace” their name, or put sticker dots on a line you draw for them!
Click here to follow the “Busy Toddler” on Instagram for lots of fun ideas for toddlers.
This sticker book has over 5000 5-star reviews! I got this for my son for Christmas and I see why it has so many positive reviews. We love it! The pictures turn out so pretty you could frame them. Best for ages 4 and up.
20. Exercise together
My mom started exercising with me when I was a toddler, and now I exercise with my kids. Set the timer for 20 minutes and MOVE!
21. Play Dress Up
We keep a container of “Dress up” clothes for our kids. My boys have dressed up and saved the world thousands of times!
22. Create with PlayDoh
.
23. Lay in the grass and watch the clouds
Ask them what they see!
24 . Build with MegaBlocks
This bag of plastic blocks have given my kids hours of fun.
25. Play a simple Game like Memory or Spot It
This is a fun game for kids ages 4 and up!
26. Clean together
- Smaller things kids can do – wiping baseboards, lower cabinets, all door handles, pulling weeds, folding and putting away laundry, helping clean the bathroom, bedroom, their closet, putting toys away, and unloading the dishwasher.
- Click here to read about the benefits of giving your kids chores, as well as how to assign and organize the chores.
27. Play bean bag games
- Toss back and forth
- Toss in buckets, pans, or boxes
- For bean bag toddler games, CLICK HERE.
.
28. Have fun with ice!
Freeze toys and let them excavate.
29. Go on a Scavenger hunt
- Print the picture above for an indoor hunt
- Write a list of things to find or print a list from Pinterest for an outdoor hunt
- Kids can create their own hunt around the house with “clues”
Click here for a spring scavenger hunt printable!
30. Memorize a verse together
It’s the SWEETEST thing to hear your little ones quoting Scripture!
The first verse I had my kids learn was 1 Timothy 4:12 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Another powerful verse for kids is 2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. NLT
Scripture memory is something that will benefit your children throughout their ENTIRE lives!
.
Thanks for reading! Leave a comment with your own ideas for toddlers.
Love,
Kathryn Egly and the Help Club for Moms
.
.
Disclaimer: Some of the links are affiliate links.
- Enjoying Motherhood Day 5: Enjoying Motherhood - April 27, 2024
- Six Simple Ways to Encourage Your Husband - January 13, 2024
- Mom to Mom with Kathryn - December 30, 2023