The best part about having a toddler? Watching them explore their world and soak up all the new sights, sounds, and activity around them!
I loved watching my daughter learn and grow her way through the toddler stage. (She still keeps me on my toes!) It’s such a fun age, usually considered years 1 through 3. Most consider 4- and 5-year-olds “preschool age.”
These few years are so important for your child’s growth and understanding—and kids are super silly and playful at this age! They’re learning new words, developing new skills and discovering how the world works. And one of their favorite ways to learn? Spending time with you.
The good news is that creating special moments with your toddler doesn’t require expensive toys, elaborate outings or a Pinterest-perfect activity. Some of the best toddler activities use things you already have around the house.
Here are 10 educational, fun and simple bonding activities to try with your toddler!
1. Baking
My daughter loved baking with me. (She still does!) It might get a little messy, but that’s how memories are made!
Toddlers can help pour pre-measured ingredients into a bowl, stir batter, sprinkle toppings or use cookie cutters. As you work, talk about what you’re doing: “We need two eggs,” or “Let’s stir until everything is mixed together.” You’re introducing numbers, new vocabulary and following directions without making it feel like a lesson.
And don’t worry if the finished product isn’t bakery-worthy. Your toddler will probably be far more excited about the fact that they helped make it!
2. Sort Items
Find a bunch of safe, toddler-friendly items and show your child how to sort them by color, shape or size. Blocks, large craft pom-poms, toy cars, plastic cups or even socks from the laundry basket can work.
Start by demonstrating: “Let’s put all the red ones here and all the blue ones there.” As your child gets the hang of it, let them take over.
Sorting helps toddlers begin recognizing similarities and differences while developing early math and problem-solving skills. And here’s a bonus: eventually, you might be able to turn sorting socks into a household chore!
3. Play Simple Games
Remember Red Light/Green Light or Duck, Duck, Goose? Simple, lightly structured games like these are perfect for toddlers.
Games can help your child practice listening, taking turns and following directions. Try Simon Says, Follow the Leader or a toddler-friendly version of Hide-and-Seek.
Keep the rules simple and expectations low. Your 2-year-old may not play the game exactly the way you remember—and that’s okay! At this age, giggling and running in the wrong direction may be half the fun.
4. Create a Sensory Bin
The options for sensory bins are nearly endless. Depending on your child’s age and what is safe for them, you can use materials such as rice, corn or dried beans to create the bulk of the sensory bin. Then add scoops, cups and different textured items for your child to uncover, pour, scoop and bury.
Sensory play gives toddlers an opportunity to explore different textures and practice fine motor skills. You can even give your bin a theme—farm animals, dinosaurs, colors, seasons or whatever currently fascinates your toddler.
Important: Choose materials that are appropriate for your child’s age and stage of development, avoid choking hazards, and supervise sensory play closely.
5. Finger Paint
Messy? Yes. Memorable? Absolutely. Guaranteed to add a new piece of artwork to your home? Bonus!
Finger painting allows toddlers to experiment with color, texture and creativity without worrying about staying inside the lines. Put down an old tablecloth or newspaper, dress your toddler in clothes that can get messy and let the masterpiece begin.
Talk about the colors they’re using and what happens when colors mix. And resist the urge to “fix” their artwork. There’s something wonderful about displaying a completely toddler-created masterpiece on the refrigerator.
6. Have a Picnic or Prepare a Meal Together
Toddlers love doing new things with you, and sometimes changing an ordinary routine just a little bit can turn it into an adventure.
A picnic doesn’t even have to be outdoors. Spread a blanket on the living room floor and serve lunch picnic-style. Your toddler may think it’s the highlight of the week!
You can also invite your toddler to help prepare dinner. Give them simple jobs such as carrying napkins to the table, tearing lettuce, stirring ingredients or placing safe items on plates.
Making dinner with you for Mommy, Daddy or their siblings? Watch your toddler beam with pride as the family chows down. Children love knowing that they contributed.
7. Plan a Treasure Hunt
Turn your home or backyard into a toddler-sized adventure!
Because toddlers may not be able to read clues yet, use pictures. Take or draw a picture of the couch, for example, and hide the next clue there. Continue from one familiar location to another until your child reaches the treasure.
Along the way, offer hints and encouragement while giving your toddler a chance to figure things out. It’s a fun way to practice problem-solving, memory and persistence.
And the treasure? A cookie, sticker, small toy or other special treat, of course!
8. Have a Dance Party
Toddlers love a dance party!
Put on some upbeat music, clear a safe space and get moving. Dance parties are an easy way for toddlers to burn off some of that seemingly endless energy while practicing balance and coordination.
You don’t need any special dance moves, either. Jump, clap, march, spin or let your toddler make up the moves while you follow along.
GoNoodle, Danny Go!, Ms. Rachel and other kid-friendly online creators can provide plenty of inspiration, but sometimes your toddler’s favorite songs and your own silly dance moves are all you need.
9. Create an Obstacle Course or Pillow Fort
Turn your living room into an adventure zone.
Use couch cushions, pillows, blankets and other safe household items to create a simple obstacle course. Your toddler can crawl under a blanket, step over a pillow, walk around a chair and toss a soft ball into a basket.
Or skip the obstacle course and build a good old-fashioned pillow fort. Add books, stuffed animals and a flashlight, and you may have created your toddler’s new favorite hideaway.
Activities like these encourage movement, imagination and problem-solving—and they’re especially helpful on rainy or cold days when getting outside isn’t an option.
10. Read Books Together
Of all the activities on this list, this may be one of the simplest—and one of the most valuable.
Research has shown that children who are regularly read to are exposed to significantly more words before they enter kindergarten than children who are rarely read to. Reading together helps build vocabulary and language skills while introducing children to new people, places, ideas and emotions.
But there’s another reason to read together: closeness.
Let your toddler choose the book, even if it’s the same one you’ve already read 47 times this week! Ask questions about the pictures, make silly voices for the characters and let your child turn the pages.
You aren’t just helping your toddler become a future reader. You’re creating a comforting ritual and memories that may last long after the toddler years are over.
The Most Important Activity? Being Together.
Whatever you choose to do, spending uninterrupted time with your toddler is important to their emotional, mental and physical growth.
That can be difficult in an ultra-connected, super-busy world. There’s always another text to answer, email to check, load of laundry to fold or task waiting to be completed.
But remember: you are your child’s world.
You don’t have to entertain your toddler every minute of every day, and you certainly don’t need to create elaborate activities. Sometimes the simplest moments—baking cookies, dancing in the kitchen, building a fort or reading the same favorite book one more time—become the memories you both treasure most.
So put the phone down for a little while, embrace the mess and take the time to have a little fun together. The toddler years don’t last forever!
Need more inspiration? Attend our free parenting classes and Moms or Dads groups for ideas and support, while you earn points to shop with in our amazing Baby Boutique!
Source
Child Mind Institute. “Why Is It Important to Read to Your Child?”