Oh, the creativity begins! Encouraging toddlers to explore the right things and not get into too many of the wrong ones is a challenge! Attention span plays a part.
Try these activities with your toddler to engage them in developmentally appropriate learning activities at home. Click on the images to visit that activity.
Many of these activities for toddlers can be done by older and younger toddlers together, but you have to know your child’s abilities. There is such a wide range of developmental abilities in the toddler age group. Each of my children have shown different strengths at different ages.
This list of toddler activities is created for children ages 18 months through 3 years old. Many preschoolers will enjoy them too.
Toddler Activities
![A beach ball punching bag or tether ball makes a great backyard outdoor activity for kids so they can FuelUptoPlay60 every day and stay healthy with @RealCalifMilk. [AD]](https://thestay-at-home-momsurvivalguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/BEACH-BALL-COLLAGE.jpg)
You can find even more activities for toddlers here!
Have an infant? Check out the infant page.
Have a preschool child? We have activities for preschool too.
For more information about Toddlers, check out Crash Course in Child Development: Toddlers
These toddler activities are featured in A Complete Guide for Stay-at-Home Moms: Kids Activities.
This page was included by Healthline.com on their list of the Top Sites for Toddler Activities!
Pin this image so other parents can try these activities with their kids!
Thank you for your suggestions! I can also suggest reading books.
Thank you so much for putting together this list! I have a very active toddler and it can be really difficult to think of different ways to keep him entertained throughout the winter months.
I am so glad it will be helpful for you.
Glad to read this article. These ideas are really cool to teach the toddler about color and keep them busy. Thanks for sharing this post.
This is such a fabulous blog with an elaborate list of interesting activities. I must say that keeping a little child engaged in a wide range of activities is never easy. Children have a lot of energy and you need to make sure they are able to explore their full potential through fun activities. Great share!
Thank you!
Wow what a great list of activities! I particularly like the science float one 🙂
Thank you!
Most parents have a tough time keeping their toddlers busy. The toddlers are full of energy and action and to keep them active can be tough. So, by listing these 150 activities, I am sure you have helped many mothers make sure their kids are busy and active. Thanks for sharing!
I surely hope so! They have helped me so I want to share with others too.
Great blog post. It’s useful information. There are a lot of good resources here. I am sure I will visit this place again soon. I think it may be help all of us. Thanks.
Yay! This is perfect for my twin toddlers and our sanity, because toys get old quick! Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks your a lifesaver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is so kind of you to say. 🙂
Fantastic Post! I totally agree and have given the same advice to many of my friends who have asked the same question. Drawing on the right side of the brain is great. My mom read it when I was young and a budding artist to help guide me. Thanks for your terrific information.
Excellence Article!!!….
Thanks! 🙂
Just came across this list! Lots of fun and interesting activities to choose from. Looking forward to trying the summer 🙂
Thanks for sharing your ideas. Keep posting
Great ideas! I had two boys and their wooden train tracks provided hours of play. You can easily incorporate learning into playing with a train like we did here https://youtu.be/hrUDkLkEABg.
My hearty thanks for sharing your ideas in public. Great compilation.
Thanks so much!
Wow! Lots of activities to choose from! Will surely try some of these to my daughter too… Thank you for sharing these, it's a great help especially for Moms like us… 🙂
You bet, Miah! I hope they are helpful. Thanks for stopping by!
Wonderful guide thank you!! My kids love 'mummy and me' activity time which I should do more often with them. Recently the kids were having a 'feral' day and we played musical bums – sort of like musical statues but they had to sit on their rear when the music stopped. Certainly all the up and downs wore then out – winning!
Sounds fun! Great game…and great that some energy was burned! Those games are a win-win in my house too. 🙂
These are great! I can't believe I've never been to your site before. We have a lot in common. 🙂 I'm always looking for new ideas for keeping my little ones busy and entertained!
Well, I am happy that you were finally able to find me here. 🙂 It's nice to hear that we have things in common. Fun, fun! I hope this list helps out with great learning for your little ones. Stop back again.
Thank you, great ideas!
Thanks so much, Esmeralda!
I have so much fun looking through your sight and finding fun ideas to take back to my class! Your willingness to share is awesome and what makes teaching such an inspiring job! Thank you, you are much appreciated!
Thanks so much! Thank YOU for teaching some of the youngest ones!
Awesome list! Thanks so much for taking the time to compile such an amazing array of activities. I can't wait to try them all 🙂 Julia
Julia, I appreciate that! I hope it is all going well. 🙂
This is amazing!!! Thank you for sharing! I am a young 1st time mom and finding things to do with my 23 month old is hard!
Thanks so much, Shaniqua! I am so glad you find them helpful.
Do you do pinterest? I would love to pin this so I can use it!
Love these ideas and can't wait to use them with my two busy bodies 🙂
Yes, I am on Pinterest! I hope you were able to use the "Pin It" button to save them for later. They are up on my boards too-and I am revamping some images for many so they will be added along the way. 🙂 Thanks for asking.
What great ideas! SO glad I found your site. My 13 month old sat and played for 30 minutes using the activity table idea. I had to tell her it was time to stop! I just sent a link to your site to some friends…..
Thank you! I am so glad to hear that your child had a good time. I appreciate you sharing the link to this site with others. I hope it can help as many moms as possible. Take care!
These are fantastic! Definitely this will workout for my kid. Please keep update these kinds of nice ideas.. Will be very useful for many parents.Thank you so much for sharing your ideas! Regards, Bhuvana
Thanks, Bhuvana. I am so glad that they can work for you in your home. Enjoy!
These were awesome! My 21 month old daughter LOVED balancing on the pillows! Great activities when we're snowed in!
Great, Jessica! I am so glad to read that it was a fun activity for you both. Stay warm!
Hi! This might be silly, but could you tell me how you clean your egg cartons? And is there a trick to being sure bacteria isn't lurking in the pores of the Styrofoam? I'm afraid of using them and having my boys get sick from improper cleaning. I appreciate your help! Also, thank you for this fabulous list of ideas! 🙂
Lynda, that is not a silly question at all. First off, I always seem to leave the egg carton sitting around so any residual egg white is dried by the time I ever use it with the kids. Then it just flakes away, and you can wash with warm soapy water if you like, but I have to be honest, I have not usually done more than wipe the dry carton out. My kids never really put the cartons in their mouths, and I made sure to tell them not to if they tried. Do what you feel comfortable with-wiping it out with a wet soapy rag or even a baby wipe could work well. Then let it dry completely before using. Take care!
Thank you! We can't afford preschool at the moment for when our son turns 3 soon (the cheapest is $450/month) and I had been worried about just letting him not go to preschool and then go to kindergarten and being behind. This site is going to be a huge help in making a plan to teach him. Even if it's only an hour at a time, 3 times a week right now. This will be a huge help.
I bet you will be amazed by what he learns just from being with you and engaging with you at home. The simple things are what really instill learning. These are the same activities I used to "homeschool preschool" when my son was 3 and 4 years, so I know they work! 🙂 I wish you well.
I love shaving foam, especially using it in the bathtub as it its easier to clean and turns the bathwater all different colours. The pom magnet board is also an excellent idea. Thank you for this fantastic list.
It is so easy to use the shaving cream in the bath. We usually just use it then as well due to the ease of clean up like you mentioned and the fun colors. I appreciate your kind words and thanks for stopping by!
I am now home with a seventeen and a three month old. I was feeling guilty because I am not very creative when it comes to finding things for my kids to do. Since I found this site feel so much better. Thank you so much.
Don't feel guilty! The best things that you do are the regular household things that your children get to see you do. They learn so much just from your presence and interaction. I wish you well and am glad this site is helping a bit!
So many great activities for our super active little friends.
I am very glad you think so! Toddlers are so very active, aren't they!?
Too good. It has great ideas to keep the terrible toddlers busy 🙂
Thanks so much for that kind comment. I am glad that you like them! Take care.
These are fantastic! Thank you for sharing. These will be great to keep our busy 18-month preoccupied with me, daddy or our nanny! Thank you so much for sharing your ideas!
Jennifer, I am so glad that they can be helpful! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I wish you and your family all the best.
What great ideas! I look forward to using many of these with my toddler during my winter break when we are stuck at home because of inclement weather. Thank you for sharing!
Katie, I hope you had a great time using these ideas in your home!
So many wonderful ideas, with winter now here i cant wait to try some of these out with my kids, thank you for sharing, now following you
Sheena @ http://thekeeperofcheerios.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for sharing that, Sheena! I will stop by your blog and check it out. I appreciate your kind words. I hope you and your kids have fun with them!
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE THEM ALLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you! That is quite the powerful comment. 😉 I appreciate you stopping by and I am so glad that you can use these ideas. All the best to you!
Nice ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I appreciate that.
Hi, Im a french new teacher and your blog is just awsome ! It helps me a lot throught my work! thanks!
I am so glad that it has been a helpful resource for you! I wish you the best with teaching-enjoy those little ones and all that they can learn! 🙂
too good..
loved all of them.. keep sharing
Thanks so much! I will keep posting. I have a few stored up just waiting to get added to the list. 🙂
Here's a really fun and cheap activity…We paint exterior walls with water. So get the normal paint things for outside that house that you probably have already, and use water instead of paint. Painting brick or stucco is best bc it is easier to see. They can see where they are painting, and then it just dries up when they are done, no cleanup!
That is one of our favorites too! It has been one that is a 'go to' for me since I was teaching preschool. Kids love the simple activities, don't they?
Here's a really fun and cheap activity…We paint exterior walls with water. So get the normal paint things for outside that house that you probably have already, and use water instead of paint. Painting brick or stucco is best bc it is easier to see. They can see where they are painting, and then it just dries up when they are done, no cleanup!
Yes! That is such a common activity to do outside. I first learned of it when teaching preschool. My own children really enjoy painting with water and you are right there is very little cleanup necessary.
Wow! I love how easy and affordable these activities are! Very frugal!
http://xoxofrugalmomma.blogspot.com/
They are frugal-I wouldn't want it to be any other way. Thanks for stopping by to check them out.
Simple and perfect! I have a 1 year and 9 months son and there´s always that moment in a raining cold day that you have no ideas anymore… Thank you for sharing!
Very true, Ana. It can be hard some days to figure out what to do next. I am glad to know this list can be helpful!
Hi> my son is 6 yrs and he gets bored very easily. any suggestions for keeping him busy on weekends apart from studies. it will be a great help. Thanks in advance.
Nitin, I have a page of activities just for Early Elementary-aged kids. You can click on the "Early Elementary Activities" tab at the top of this page. I hope some of those ideas can work for you!
This is awesome tips!! Thank you! l have a 16 month old son, Jackson and l have been trying to think of creative, fun, educational activities. These are very financially reasonable or FREE. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Great ideas!
I am so glad that they will work for you in your home. Have fun with your toddler!
fair play some great ideas thanks for the help :)x
You bet! Glad they could be helpful.
Great Work!! This helped me a lot to teach colours to my 18 month old boy…
Amazing creative work!!!
Great to know! I am glad you shared that with me. Take care!
THIS IS AMAZING! I have pinned almost every activity. So simple to create. I stumbled on this last night and have already tried the ice scooping activity this morning. He was anxious to play again after his lunchtime nap. Can't wait to explore the other games and the rest of ur page with my 21 month old and 3 month old boys.
You are so sweet to share them! Thank you. I am so excited that you are using the activities! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me.
Thank you so much for writing all of this out and putting pictures! I thought I could handle staying home with my LO (after all he IS my second and I have a background in early childhood education) but he is now two and terrorizing and my brain is FRIED. I had run out of ideas to keep him entertained and content, while still learning. Thanks again!
Toddlers have a tendency to fry our brains, don't they?! I completely understand. 🙂 I am glad that this page can be helpful. I know it helps me with my 2-year old. Take care!
Hi, I just found your this page and I have to say, I am very amazed by the ideas that you have. Thank you soo much for sharing
Thank you and you are very welcome. Can't keep the activities to myself! I hope they will work for you in your home.
I love your blog! I just wanted to let you know that I've added you to my blog roll: http://www.amyroachsenter.blogspot.com
Thanks for posting!
Amy Senter
ASpoolofThread
http://www.aspoolofthread.etsy.com
Thanks so much, Amy. Any way I can share with other moms is welcomed by me. Thanks for spreading the news. 🙂
Found this on Pinerest. I LOVE these ideas! I have most of the supplies in my home already. These are great ideas to keep my 2 year old busy while I homeschool my 7 year old. Thank you for posting!
Sounds like a great plan, Holly! I hope that homeschooling your 7 year old…and engaging your 2 year old in some learning games works well for you all. All the best to you!
Wow! This is great! I have an infant and a toddler and really needed something to keep me from losing my mind today. Your suggestions worked! You are a Godsend! Thanks for the info!
I appreciate that and am so glad to hear that this list could be helpful. We all have rough days and need some support, that is for sure!
Hi there, I'm a SAHM too, I just love this blog, I've tried several activities from here and they all worked very well. Thanks a million. This blog is 'inspiration' to me.
Thanks so much for sharing that! I am so glad to hear that the activities worked in your home too. That makes me happy!!
Great Idea, Thanks for sharing
Thank you! I appreciate that.
Brilliant ideas.I will apply gradually all of them.Thanks very much for sharing.
You are very welcome. Take care!
You have some great ideas!
Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate that! I hope you found some you can try.
This is excellent! After ISP i was trying to find way to educate my little Star.
These are excellent and simple one which i can try at home.
Thanks will share my experience with you!
Regards,
Priti
Thank you, Priti! Please let me know how they work for you. Take care!
This list is fantastic! Thank you so much for posting it! My husband and I have decided to not have children. However, my nephew is turning two next month, and he absolutely loves to do art-related activities with his mom. This post has *tons* of ideas that I can use as jumping off points for presents! For his first birthday, I gave him a bunch of hand-made items, and it will be great to be able to continue the tradition.
Heather, I have done that for a friend's daughter! I love the idea of making learning games and packaging them up for birthdays. I am so glad that you are doing that as a tradition with your nephew. What a devoted aunt! I am so glad that you found some inspiration on this list!
Thanks for all the great ideas.! I was a pre-school teacher for 17 years and had used quite a few of these types of activities but you had a lot I had never seen or used before. These will be great for my almost 1 year old grandson as he grows.
I am so glad to hear that! I wish you the best and enjoy your grandson.
Yay! I was needing inspiration for my very busy little 13 month old boy who loves to play but gets frustrated with his usual toys and activities these days. Some of these are a little beyond him still, but some are perfect for his age!! I want to keep him learning and enjoying time at home…thanks for sharing!
I am so glad that they can be a starting point for you. Try the activities on the Infant page as well-the activities vary from birth to age 12-15 months and then this page starts off about 13-15 months and goes up to almost age 3. Lots of ideas for him to grow into. Take care!
thank u jaimi for giving me such a wonderful ideas. i got an answer for so many questions.
Good to know. Thank you for sharing such a nice comment here. All the best!
THANK YOU!!! I am in desperate need of ideas for my 17 month old. I wish I was as creative as you!
-SAHM
You are creative/skilled in your own way! I am glad you found this list and I hope you stop back-I try to update about once a month. So glad you found some ideas that will work for you. Take care!
Thank you Jaimi for your super creative sharing of ideas! Thanks also for sharing the 'science' behind the ideas. We're in Indonesia, but your ideas are quite general and useful here too.
Do you have any thoughts about teaching a 2nd language early on? 🙂
Rosita, I appreciate your comment. I am glad that the activities will work for you in your home. As far as 2nd languages, I think teaching both as early as possible is key. Speak them interchangeably. Initially, when children learn 2 languages at once, there can be more confusion or a longer period of time needed for the vocabulary to "stick". This eventually opens them up to being more capable language learners because the brain gets primed to connect the vocab from one language with another. Your child may speak a little later than 1-language children, but his/her vocabulary will be much larger once mastery of both languages occurs. Just be patient and take it slowly. I think teaching 2 languages in the home is an enriching experience. Go for it!
Thank you Jaimi for your guidance. We'll give it a go 🙂
Thank you! I love ALL of the activities!!! I will use them with my 21 month old boy! 🙂
Sounds great! Thank you for the nice comment. All the best to you and your family!
This is such an amazing list! I have been looking for new learning activities for my 22 month old and as I read down the list I kept saying "she will love that!" or "what a great idea!" It's such a comprehensive list, full of simple activities that aren't too complicated to set up or explain. Thank you so much for sharing them all!
You are very welcome, Ashlea. I am so glad to hear that they will work for you and your child! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Take care!
I still come back time and time again to remind myself of these ideas! You are so creative. Did a couple today. I have two boys: 2yr4mo and 10mo… keeping the older "busy" with anything at all is my biggest challenge so finding this list has been a huge help. Thanks! Please share ANY future ideas you have!
Hi Lindsey! I will be updating this list very soon. I hope you have fun with the new activities when you get a chance to try them! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate reading that the activities are working in your home. There is more to come!! Take care.
Great tips and tricks. I liked them all. I am going to try today itself.
Thank you! Enjoy them.
Im not a stay at home mom , Im a married dad .
These are really cool , i especially like the pillow trail. My rowdy 2 year old boy will love it
Dads are welcome here too! 🙂 I am glad you stopped by and am even more happy that you like the activities. Thank you for sharing and I wish you the best with your boys! Have fun!
What fun ideas. I'll definitely try them out with my little guy.
I would love it if you would come link up on our Artsy Play Wednesday kids' craft linky. http://bit.ly/11V6JvV
Thanks, Kristen! I will definitely link up. Thanks for the offer. Take care!
Hi,
I have a 22-month old daughter and I work 40 hours a week from home. I do not have any help and try to take care of as much as possible Is there any specific activities that I can indulge her in? She usually watches TV and cries a lot ad recently, she has started putting things in her nose. I am so terrified I find it hard to concentrate on my work. Can you please advice me? My email id is menon.is.r@gmail.com
Your above article is well-written and very informative!
Regards,
Rashmi
Rashmi, The list above is a place to start. I would encourage you to try to find a balance between spending one-on-one time with her and spending time on your work. She may need more time with you right now. It always helps to introduce an activity to her with you present and then the next time she will be better able to try it out on her own. I hope that helps! Best to you!
Thank you from accross the globe in South Africa. Lovely and fun ideas!
Wonderful to hear! I am glad you found this page and I hope the activities work out well for you in your home. Take care and thank you for the nice comment.
Hi.. tried out a couple of ideas and worked like magic! Thank you!
Great, Devi! I am so glad to hear that. Enjoy your time with your children and thank you for the feedback. It's always nice to now how the activities work out when readers try them in their homes. Take care!
Thank you for sharing all of these great ideas. They're also nice because they're CHEAP! lol
You are very welcome! Cheap is good. Learning and fun do not have to be expensive. Enjoy!
I love this. I will be doing alll of these with my 16 Mo old!! I am also starting to baby sit sn 18 mo old!! So I am excited for some new learning activities for the littles!
Great, Rosa! I am so glad to see that it has given you some ideas to use. Thanks for letting me know this list was helpful! Take care!
I was starting to feel like my nearly 18 month old was getting thoroughly bored with her regular toys, and took to the web for inspiration. This is the most fantastic site I came across, and have made a long list of things to do and play with – most of which are already in the house somewhere. I can't thank you enough for sharing your wonderful parenting skills with those of us who are definitely not as creative! Hannah x
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I am glad that this site can be helpful for you. I am sure you have your own areas of creativity! Enjoy your time with your child.
For those of us who aren't the most creative when it comes to childrens activities – or just need somewhere to start sometimes – you are a lifesaver!!! Thank you!!!!!!
That's great! You are very welcome.
So glad I came across your site…i'm a stay at home Mum with my nearly 2 year old son who has energy to burn and a gorgeous and insatiable curiosity about our world. it's joyful and special to be able to spend these formative years with him but exhausting and challenging at times nonetheless! your blog had reignited my inspiration to continue nourishing my son with rich and varied experiences…thank you for taking the time to put this all together for your readers. Your children are blessed to have such a wonderful mother & teacher. Thank you, Rebecca. xo
I am so glad you found this too! I can completely relate to the "2-year old with energy to burn"-my daughter is two and it is amazing how she just goes all day long! You are right that it is so important for us to be present for our young ones and it is challenging at times…that is for sure. I am excited for you to try some of these. Let me know how it goes. I appreciate your kind comments. You are so sweet. I just try to make the best of every day while I have an opportunity to be home with my kiddos. You take care and enjoy your family! All the best!
You've done an amazing job with posting all these great ideas on your site. Have been going a little stir crazy with my 27 month old and 15 month old, from being stuck inside with all the rain we have been experiencing up here in sunny Qld, but I'm sure the activities you have posted will definitely keep them happy and me sane. Thank u.
Thank you, Esther. I do hope you are able to try a few activities from this site and I wish you all the best! I bet they will help keep your two little ones occupied with learning and exploring to allow you a moment to breathe!! I appreciate you sharing. Take care!
My husband and I are fostering a 3 year old little girl. We don't have any children of our own so getting tossed into having a toddler was a bit CRAZY to say the least. I had no idea what to do with her ALL day long. I stay home with her everyday so I am so happy to have come across this site. Saying you are clever is an understatement. I can't thank you enough for posting these ideas and helping us other mom's out!!!! I can't wait to try all of these. We are doing the beans, oats, and noodles tomorrow!!!!
Thanks again!
Congratulations to you and your husband for offering this child such support! I pray it is a rewarding experience and I am so glad you have stopped by for some resources! I appreciate your kind words and I hope trying these out in your home goes really well. Check out the Preschool page as well (tab at the top) since a 3-year old really is moving into 'preschool-ability' so both pages should be beneficial to her and you! Take care!
Wow, so great!! You are so clever, I was running out of ideas for my daughter but now I can't wait to do all this stuff! Thank you so much!!
Thanks, Chelsea! I am glad that you found this list. Hopefully many of the ideas will work for you in your home. All the best!
This is great, thank you! I have been going a little stir crazy with my little ones. Thanks!
Little ones can keep us guessing on what to do next, that is for sure! It's often our patience that becomes the best skill to utilize or develop. I am glad that you will be using some of these ideas and I hope they will be helpful! Take care!
Thanks for putting this site together. It gave us tons of tips for a stay at home dad with a 2 1/2 year old son. Keep up the good work.
Great! I am so glad that you found it helpful. What a great experience for a son to have dad at home! Enjoy your time and all the best!
Thanks for sharing this! I will definitely use some of these activities in the classroom where I'm student teaching with 18 month olds!
I am so glad that you are going to use them with your class of toddlers. That age group is so challenging, but so fun as well. Take care and enjoy teaching!
Thank so much for creating this! I've decided to stay home with my son this summer because of our changing daycare situation 🙁 I tend to run out of ideas for him! Thank you thank you!
I am so glad that they will be helpful to you! Take care and all the best.
What a great list of activities! But for the paint and shaving cream – well, I can tell you don't have twin boys with hyperactivity disorder! 🙂 Know where I can get free plans to build a cage?
Batyah, I am sure your boys keep you working hard every day! Even in my house, we save the shave cream ideas for days when I am really in the mood to deal with a lot of clean up. Maybe outside in the warmer months when you can hose them off with water to clean them up?? I am sure with active kiddos you are always finding ways to keep them burning off energy. All the best to you and your twin boys!
Just come across your site, lots of great ideas. Thank you.
I have also done shaving foam on a baking tray. sprayed it in a line downwards with drops of food colouring from top to bottom then my daughter moved the shaving from side to side and made a rainbow! the food colouring washed off great as it was mixed with the shaving foam. Made other pictures with different colours, sea, grass etc etc. Endless opportunities once you start!
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing that. Sounds like the experience was great fun!
Thank you for all your great resources!
Thank you for the nice comment! Take care…and you are VERY welcome! 🙂
Thank you for such wonderful ideas. Some of them that I have never even thought of doing. I am definitely going to use the sock toss in my classroom. They're really into taking off and putting on socks =)
That's great! I am so glad to hear it. All the best to you as you wrangle and teach those toddlers.
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
You bet, and thank you!
I am a mom that is now home part time with an 18 month old, who gets bored easily. Thank you so much for these great ideas to keep him entertained! And they are so easy!
Kelly, I hear ya! My daughter is 18 months, and I think it's more than being bored-it's their developmental stage of wanting to explore and try everything that they see. Self-control (or lack thereof) for toddlers is developing, so they really are impulse driven. Simple activities are great so that prep time is small on your end and there are a lot of productive options for your son to keep him 'busy' and learning. I am glad that you can use some of them in your home.
I love the shredded paper idea! Will be using in my classroom this week 🙂
Whitney, that is great! Thanks for letting me know. I love hearing when others find the ideas useful. All the best to you!
I discovered this post via Pinterest and have already decided on two for my toddler to try tomorrow 🙂 Fab ideas and different to the same ones that frequently pop up. Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing! I am glad to know that you can use a couple. I plan on updating this page over the next week, so stop back from time to time and check for new ideas. I will post them on Pinterest too. Take care!
My son will be 12 months in a week… I know he would love all these activities but I also know that everything would end up in his mouth! For example the tape activity.. he would love peeling it off but he would also want to chew on the tape… Do you have any tips? I swear he is well fed, he loves food, but he wants to chew on everything. These activities are great and thank you for sharing!
First off, happy birthday to your son! I am glad to hear that some of the activities here will work for you, but I do understand that many older infants and young toddlers are still putting A LOT in their mouths. I would suggest two things: #1, you can wait until he is less 'oral' to try some of the questionable ideas listed above, or #2, supervise and interact with him while playing with these ideas (such as the tape peel idea) and use the interactions as a teaching opportunity to reinforce that the tape does not go in the mouth. If you try the tape pull off, and he puts the tape in his mouth, I would say, "We peel the tape and stick it on the paper (or table), but we don't put it in our mouth. Yuck!" If he does it again, I would then say, "Ok, if you are going to put it in your mouth you are all done playing with it," and take the tape away. Eventually he will grow out of it. The third possibility, is feed him while he is playing-if he tries to put the tape in his mouth, offer him something he CAN put in his mouth and reinforce that the tape is not for eating, but a cracker is, for example. I hope those ideas can help!
Such amazing ideas! Thank you. You will be my saviour! Feeling very inspired.
Vicki, I am so glad to hear that you are getting inspired by these ideas! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and I wish you all the best with your child(ren).
Great ideas! Thanks
Thanks so much. I am glad that you found some that will work for you!
for the sensory being messy, I have a very small blow up pool that I put sensory materials in. Right now there are dry beans and spoons and scoops. Works great at maintaining the mess and easy to clean up!
-Jennifer
http://myyoungfamilylife.blogspot.ca/
That is a great idea. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for these & for the preschool activities, as well. I homeschool my 4 yr old son and niece (also 4), and will be using several ideas from that page for them. I'm "stealing" ideas from this page for my 2 yr old son to keep him included in our activities. Many of the preschool ideas can be modified for him, as well. Thank you!
Feel free to "steal" away. 🙂 I am glad that you can use a few of the ideas. You are absolutely right that many of the ideas on each age page can be modified for other age groups. All the best!
I found your post via pintrest and I'm so glad I did! These are fantastic ideas! I just started home schooling my older two and have been at a loss of what to do to keep my little one busy. Definitely going to be trying a few of these ideas next week.
Great, Tasha! I am so glad to hear that your children will be getting so much of your time. How wonderful for them! I truly hope these activities can be helpful for keeping your little one busy (and learning) while you are teaching the older ones. All the best!
These are amazing ideas! Can't wait to explore them with my little one. Thank you for sharing!!
You bet and thank YOU for the kind words! I am glad that you have found some ideas that you would like to try. Enjoy your time with your child.
That is a great list of ideas. Please stop by and link this post (and any other arts, crafts and play posts) to Artsy Play Wednesday on Capri + 3. I found your blog on Pinterest.
: 0 ) Theresa
http://www.multiples-mom.com
Theresa, thank you for the kind comment. I looked back at your site, but the linky list was closed already. I will try my best to look out for your next list and link up! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
what an awesome list! thank you so much for sharing!!
I appreciate that kind comment. I am so glad you can use some of the ideas in your home!
I babysit for a 13 month old and I am going to print this out, assemble some supplies in by "babysitting bag" and have them at the ready! He is a little love, exploring everything. I am really happy to add your hints to my arsenal. Thanks so much.
Well, the family you babysit for is so blessed to have a sitter that seeks out creative and educational activities for their child! Good for you! I am so glad that you commented here. Babysitting was my first experience caring for the children of others and it taught me so much about children. All the best to you as you care for that baby!
So practical, simple and all in one place on a list! I love it…will definitely be trying these out with my 21 month old 😉
Zarena, thank you so much for sharing such kind words. I hope you and your toddler have a fun time trying them out and learning together!
These are really great! I can't wait to try them on my 13 month old. 🙂
Melanie, I really appreciate reading that these ideas will be helpful for you. Enjoy your growing toddler!
Fantastic ideas and so simple to put together. Thank you I am off to "plan" some for mummy days this week. The junior teacher in me needs this inspiration for my children I am afraid to say!
Sarah, I am so glad that you have found some ideas that will be helpful and easy to use. I hope the 'mummy days' went well. Never be afraid to seek out new ideas…we all need some inspiration at times. 🙂 Enjoy your children!
Awesome, I'm definitely going to try some of these with my son! Thank you!
Great! Thank YOU for the nice comment. Have fun!
These are fantastic! Thank you so much for writing them all out.
You bet! No sense in keeping them all to myself. 🙂 I am glad that you find them useful. Thank you so much for your kind words!
Great ideas, great site, thanks for sharing. This will help with my 2-year old grandson.
Thanks, Lea Ann! I hope it will be helpful. I remember your comments on the FB page. Enjoy your grandson!