The good thing about kids, especially toddlers, is that they get entertained easily. You don’t have to spend a lot of cash to make them happy. Sometimes, a simple box can light up their mood in an instant.
The bad thing with us, adults, however, is that we easily run out of ideas when it comes to the activities we can do with them at home. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. There are other moms and dads (including myself) who seem to have a hard time thinking about how we can improve playtime. The good news is that I created a list of indoor toddler activities that are almost fool-proof, your husband will even love them!
Just a quick note: We have created a community for us moms and dads so we can share our stories, find answers to our concerns, or simply build a relationship. It’s a good place to go whenever you need a helping hand — virtually — or you just need tips or ideas whenever you want to kick off new activities with your little one. See you there!
10 Indoor Activities For Toddlers
Cardboard Box + Imagination
Spongebob once said: “all you need is a box and… imagination.” So be sure to save that empty cardboard box (don’t toss it away this time) and let your kids’ creative juices flow. They can turn it into anything they like: a spaceship, a train, a house — you name it. To make it more exciting, role play and/or play music or sound effects to make it look like it’s a real thing.
Build A Sensory Bin
This is one of my son’s favorite activities and it’s surprisingly easy to make. All you need is a small box, measuring cups, truck diggers (toys), plastic bottles or jars, and sensory “bases” which could be anything like rice, beans, kinetic sand, etc. Not only will this stimulate your child’s senses, but it will also buy you some time so you can finish the household chores.
Indoor Bowling
We, adults, love this and without a doubt, our little ones will adore this activity, too! Create your own indoor bowling competition by getting pop bottles (make sure it’s plastic), toilet paper tubes, or even their robots/dolls and a ball. Now, make a team or compete 1-on-1 and enjoy this friendly game at the comfort of your own home.
Dance Party
Because who doesn’t love to dance? Let the entire family unleash their inner artists and dance the night (or day) away. Just play some music — a little louder if you want — and put on some disco lights. You can also dress up for fun!
You can also read 9 Activities That Would Make Your Child Physically And Mentally Active This Summer for more awesome ideas!
Balloon Hockey
What if I tell you that your fly swatter is not just an ordinary tool for swatting the flies? It’s a vital tool when you want to play hockey with your toddler but instead of a hockey puck, you’ll be using balloons. The mechanic is simple: just keep the balloon in the air by hitting it. Or, if your toddler just wants to have fun, you can let them hit it for a while.
Ring Toss
For this activity, all you need are pipe cleaners and a basket or bucket. What you need to do is twist the pipe cleaners to make a ring and once it’s done, your toddler can toss it in the box. When nothing’s left, you can count all the rings/pipe cleaners inside the bucket. Now, if you want to make it more challenging, you can ask your kid to toss the rings into the plastic bottles just like in an amusement park. This is difficult but you can do this if you want to make this activity extra fun and exciting.
Another Tip: Instead of letting your kids toss the rings, you can do it instead but before you do that, you can ask them to guess how many round pipe cleaners you can place around the bottles. If they win, you can give them a small price but if they lose, you can ask for a kiss or a cuddle. Win-win, right?
Slots Drop Using A Card
Told you that old jelly bean container has a use! This activity is simple but it can take away your little one’s boredom. All you need is a transparent plastic container and a few playing cards. Now, make a slot on top of the container’s lid and it should be big enough for the card to fit in. Once it’s done, just ask your little one to put cards in it. If your child’s extra competitive, you can set aside a specific number of cards (let’s say 10 cards), set a timer (perhaps up to 1 minute) and ask your child to insert the 10 cards in the soonest possible time.
DIY Car Ramp
Did your child talk about the car ramp he sees in the TV endlessly? Don’t worry. Just tell them that you got something even better. Just take a cardboard, colored pens, and a few creative skills. Create a DIY car ramp by drawing lanes on the cardboard and once it’s done, let your child race their cars down on it.
Which indoor activity do you like the most? Can you suggest more activities? If yes, please feel free to share it in our community or you can comment your thoughts below.
Thank you!