Keeping a toddler entertained can challenge even the most energetic, creative and imaginative of us.
With short attention spans and games often lasting no more than 5 minutes at a time, you might be at a loss of what to do next especially if you’re a stay at home mum.
If you feel you’ve run out of ideas to keep your little one stimulated, read on for some toddler activities that will help keep your little ones busy!
Encouragment is Key
- Playing With Play-Dough – Encourage your toddler to get creative by making shapes (you can make the dough yourself from store cupboard ingredients).
- Drawing and Painting – These are really enjoyable ways to stimulate your toddler whilst fine-tuning motor skills (washable paints and crayons are recommended, unless you want your toddler to redecorate your home).
- Making Pictures - Present your toddler with brightly coloured paper, non-toxic glue, glitter and pictures cut from magazines, and they’ll love making pictures for Daddy, Granny, Aunty Sue etc. Displaying these around the house will also give your toddler an ego-boost.
- Rocking Out – Encourage your toddler’s inner rock star by dancing around the lounge together to your favourite music, or doing the actions to nursery rhymes; your child will love you joining in.
Tips:
- If your toddler seems to bit bored of their toys, rather than constantly buying new toys, which can be unsustainably expensive, find out where your local toy library is.
- Many libraries and children’s centres have a toy library facility, but if you can’t find one, why not arrange a toy swap with a group of friends or other mothers you’ve met at playgroups?
What Do They Love?
- Water – Children love playing with water so I bought my daughter some pouring cups. She loves pouring the water from cup to cup, meaning I can go and make myself a cup of tea whilst she improves her hand to eye coordination.
- Problem Solving – Toys and games that involve problem solving are a sure way to get your toddler engaged, as your little Einstein will want to rise to the challenge a particular toy presents. Jigsaws and shape sorters are perfect for this.
- Images – Your toddler will enjoy you showing them picture cards with images on (you can make your own by cutting pictures from magazines or printing images off the computer).
- Books and Libraries – Children love books so point out the dog, sky, flowers etc., and what’s happening in the story. You don’t have to go out and buy lots of books, visit your local library and let your child pick out which books they want.
- Creativity – Children have wonderful imaginations so let them be creative by giving them the opportunity to do creative play. Toy teacups and plastic food give them the opportunity to host tea parties with their teddies/dolls. Give them clothes for their soft toys and let them play dress up with them.
- 7 Boxes - A great tip passed on by a friend is to put all your toddler’s toys in seven different boxes, and let them play with one box of toys each day. By rotating your toddler’s toys, they remain fresh and exciting to your kiddo. If a toddler is surrounded by all their toys everyday, they will lose their appeal.
Outside of the Home
- Mornings and Afternoons – Getting out and about is a great way to keep your toddler busy and happy. Try to plan one morning or afternoon activity every day, as children (and adults!) get cabin fever if they stay indoors all day. Going out of the house will give you both something to look forward to and help break up your day.
- Visits – Activities outside the house toddlers love include going to the park, visiting a zoo or museum, going on playdates with other children, swimming, going to soft play areas, and local playgroups at children’s centres (visit your local council’s website to find your nearest children’s centre).
- Libraries – Libraries often host regular playgroups and singing sessions so check out what’s on at your local library.
These toddler activities will help ensure optimum entertainment for the little ones and less stress for moms.
Do you have any more ideas you want to share? Contribute by leaving a comment below!
Author Bio:
Alice, who is based in the UK, loves talking about toddlers and helping people understand their pregnancy week by week!
Love this list, I have incorporated some of those things already with my almost 2 year old.
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Glad you liked them! Alice did an awesome job writing this post.
These are such sweet and encouraging ideas! My four sweeties are beyond these now but I’m tucking away the info for the joy of grandchildren!!!
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Twitter: shanmilholland
It’s always good to have this list handy for grandchildren, nieces, nephews or your friends’ kids. I can tell you are excited to have grandchildren especially since babies add a lot of laughter to a home. Thanks for leaving a comment, Shannon.
Great tips.
I like the 7 boxes one. I have tried something similar, you sort the toys in half, and place them in 2 boxes. And every week you switch between boxes. Although 7 boxes would sure keep things more interesting! 
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I have yet to rotate toys! Hopefully I get to sorting the millions of toys in the kiddo’s room. Glad you already do this great trick, Sarah and as always, thanks for dropping by.
Good ideas.
Some ideas I just read about were to take rice and corn; mix together and the child has to separate them with tweezers (developing fine motor skills).
Another idea was to color rice different colors, then mix them together. The child then separates them according to color. He also could make a picture and glue the colored rice onto it.
I’m an big advocate of reading to your child. They LOVE it!
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You gave really good activities to improve motor skills. Will head out now to get more food coloring so I can make rainbow rice. Thanks for stopping by, Elisabeth.
Great tips! I was going to bring up the toy rotation thing, but it’s already there. Toddlers are so hard to keep busy! Even my preschooler is hard to keep busy.
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Yes, children are difficult to keep busy especially when you’re a working mom. It’s why summer activities keep their idle hands and minds busy. Thanks for stopping by, Michelle. And I still remember your funny post about the things your teenagers said.
This is a wonderful resource for mama’s with toddlers. I’ve just recently left this stage with my daughter, but she still loves many of those fun joys!
Blessings,
~Rosann
Twitter: ChrstianSuprMom
Glad you like it! Really grateful that Alice wrote this post because we really want to help moms keep the little ones as busy as possible.
Thanks for the ideas sis! Lagi tayong nagtatagpo sa SP forum =)
– SP Mommyangel/Irene –
The School year that was…
Twitter: angelirene0411
Hi Irene! Love SP forums and meeting more moms from there
Thanks for dropping by and am glad you liked the ideas. How many kids do you have and how old are they again?
5yr old girl Anne. =)
Twitter: angelirene0411
We call water play at our house “The Pouring Game.” My kids can spend long periods of time just pouring water from one bottle to another.
We love pretend play too and actually have a costume box where we keep costumes and accessories.
I’m including here part of an old blog post about our Costume Box
Here are four easy steps to make pretend play even more magical:
1. Get any box and clean it up to be your child’s Dress Up Box
2. Ask relatives and friends for hand-me-down costumes from their children’s school plays etc… don’t be shy now!
3. Get your hubby’s old neckties, ribbons from past Christmas presents, hats, bags, etc. Go crazy! Your child will surprise you with the stories and characters she will come up with even with the most ratty accessories.
4. Declare a Dress Up Day and let your child choose a costume to wear the whole day.
Read more: Make Magic: Create a Dress Up Box – The Learning Basket http://www.thelearningbasket.com/2011/04/make-magic-create-dress-up-box.html#ixzz1qP2SPwiT
Twitter: learningbasket
Thanks for that great tip and link! Sounds like a lot of fun in your home, Mariel.
Oh I love this! and I love how other great ideas are coming in through comments. I am totally listing down these activities so I’d remember to do these with my little one when the right time comes.
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Glad you enjoyed the posts as well as the comments. It’s really great when moms start sharing their little tips and tricks