52 Things to Do With Toddlers at Home
These easy toddler activities will provide you with inspiration for keeping that bundle of energy entertained at home after you feel like you’ve run out of ideas. The good news is that even though our tots are always on the go, they are also captivated by the simplest things. So, it's not hard to come up with ways to keep toddlers busy - it's just that keeping up with them is another matter entirely!
What are your go-to ideas for keeping your toddler entertained at home? Share them below so we can add them to the list, and find more inspiration for all ages on our list of indoor activities for kids!
Obstacle Course
Kelly R: Use cushions and other household objects to create an obstacle course with things that kids can go over, under, through and around. Time them and see if they can beat their own times!
Make Play Dough
Kelly R: In a large pot, combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup salt, and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar. Mix together and add 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon oil, and food coloring until you reach your desired color. Cook over medium heat and stir for about 5 minutes until the mixture forms into a ball. Remove from the pot and knead on a floured surface until the play dough is nice and smooth. Store in a container with a lid.
Play Dress-Up
Kelly R: Few things delight a child more than seeing grown-ups wearing a ridiculous variety of wigs, masks and accessories, so join in on the fun!
Decorate a Cardboard Box
Alexandra F.: Save a cardboard box or two from the recycling bin for your toddler to transform into a rocket ship, a playhouse, a truck cab, a doll's crib...anything she can imagine! You'll keep your toddler busy and she'll have a fun new toy to play with, too.
Make a Town on Your Floor
Kelly R: Use painter's tape to create city streets along your floor, make buildings out of LEGOs to place around the different blocks, and drive hot wheels around the town.
Make a Home Movie
Alexandra F.: As the mindboggling success of toy review and unboxing videos have demonstrated, kids love to watch kids playing and doing everyday activities. Make your toddler the star of his own video by recording him playing or just being silly - toddlers will love watching themselves over and over (and over) again!
Bubble Bath
Bubble baths are a fun and practical indoor activity for toddlers at home. If your kiddo is bored, take a midday bath or just put on a swimsuit for a little bit of splashing fun. Break out the bubble bath and bath toys and have an indoor "pool" party!
Build a Blanket and Pillow Fort
Kelly R: You can make an epic pillow fort with couch cushions, sheets, and chip clips to hold things in place!
Balloon Bounce
Alexandra F.: This minute-to-win-it game is a great boredom buster for all ages. All you need to do is to keep a balloon in the air without touching the ground - it's one of the easiest things to do with toddlers at home to keep them entertained!
Read Together
Alexandra F.: Choose a board book or three and cuddle up for some reading time.
Do Laundry
Alexandra F.: Dumping stuff out is a favorite toddler pastime, so put it to good use and let them help you take clothes in and out of your washing machine and dryer!
Hammer Golf Tees
Kelly R: Poke small holes into a cardboard box and let your toddler pound golf tees into the holes with a toy hammer. This is also a good use for a spare piece of styrofoam you might have lying around.
Car Ramp Races
Kelly R: Take a length of cardboard, draw a couple of lanes and set it on an angle (the bottom of the stairs works well for this). Toddlers can release toy cars at the top of the lanes and watch them race down.
Make a Simple Craft
Alexandra F.: Simple crafts like crayon leaf rubbings, decorating paper plates, and outlining letters or numbers with stickers are all fun things to do with toddlers at home. So many ways for little hands to create art, learn, and have fun!
Pretend Play
Alexandra F.: Prepare a meal, take care of a baby, mow the lawn...toddlers love to mimic the things they see us do, and it is a great way for them to develop language skills, too. And, while there are plenty of toys to encourage pretend play, toddlers are just as happy to use whatever you have at home for their games!
Primary photo: Tatiana Syrikova on Pexels
Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.
