Entertaining a toddler can be one of the easiest or trickiest things to get right. You not only want them to have fun, but you also want them to stay engaged and also not hurt themselves. You also don’t always want to stick them in front of a TV or iPad.
Whether it’s throwing on a pair of boys’ trainers and heading outside, making art, or relaxing in a fort, here are the best activities to do with a toddler.
1. Make Sensory Bags
Sensory bags can be created by filling ziplock bags with water, sand, fiddly bits and bobs, or all of the above. These bags can be used as a tactile toy of sorts, offering new sensations and feelings you may not find anywhere else.
You can also make them as big or as small as you want, and you can make multiple kinds depending on what your child feels like that day.
2. The Floor is Lava
The floor is lava is one of the oldest games in the book; whether you’re young or old, we all enjoy playing it. Depending on the age of your child, you may not want them stepping along the couch or some chairs.
Using colored paper or shapes stuck on the floor, you can create a “safe path” across the floor that will keep your child occupied for ages.
3. Baking
While you shouldn’t give your child full reign over the kitchen, allowing them to take part in the baking process is not only fun but also a great bonding experience. Letting them sift flour, pour in the milk, or stir are all easy tasks they can manage.
Decorating the cakes or whatever you bake afterwards is also a time for them to get creative and enjoy the fruits of their labor when they get to eat.
4. Clay Art
Clay may be messy, but it’s something that can’t break, and no matter what you do to it, you will have created something. Children can use it to make a car, their favorite animal, something they can wear, or something they can paint.
5. Make a Fidget Board
A fidget board will require a bit of DIY and possibly spending some money; however, what you end up with is something your child will enjoy for hours. A fidget board is a plank of wood that you attach things to play with, such as a chalkboard, a place to fit shaped blocks, etc.
You can also add more unusual things like a steering wheel, an old telephone, and even a door deadbolt can be fun for a child. Whatever you think could be fun to play with, add it to the board.
6. Exploring
If you live in the suburbs or near a park or forest, going for a walk or hike somewhere your child has never been is like discovering a new world for them. Depending on where you are, they can run around, be loud, and not have to worry about messing something up.
7. Build a Fort
Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, even adults still enjoy building a fort. Throwing in some huge cushions, a few blankets, and some books and snacks can transform a corner of their room or your lounge into your child’s little hideaway.
An outdoor fort or treehouse will require a bit of work, but if your child enjoys spending time outside, it is well worth the effort.
8. Collecting in Nature
Nature is packed with new and exciting things to discover. Joining your child on a hunt to find a cool tree, a massive stick they can use as a sword, or maybe see a wild animal or two, all these can be exciting for someone young.
9. Make Fluffy Slime
Fluffy slime has taken over the internet over the past few years due to how easy it is to make and how it feels. Combining shaving cream, glue, water, baking powder, and contact lens solution, you end up with one of the most unique feeling things you have ever touched.
The ingredients you need are also very cheap, and you can add colors, buttons, beads, or whatever else you want.
10. Finger Painting
Finger painting is another simple art activity that requires just a few bottles of paint and some bare hands. Finger painting is also great for any age as you don’t need any “talent”, just some time and imagination.
11. Obstacle Course
If your child is active and likes to try new things, you can create an obstacle course inside or in the garden. Gathering some chairs, cushions, boxes, or whatever else you can find, you can create a very fun and intense obstacle course.
If your child has siblings or you’re having a playdate, an obstacle course will almost always turn into a competition where you can hand out prizes to everyone.
12. Make a Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts require nothing except some time hiding what your child must find; you can make a map and hide clues around your house and garden. Once again, a scavenger hunt is another great idea when you have multiple children to entertain.
