52 Things to Do With Toddlers at Home

Alexandra F. said:  This is a great age to introduce simple puzzles. Puzzles with larger pieces are best for little hands, and 24 pieces or even up to 50 pieces will be enough to keep toddlers busy without too much frustration!

Alexandra F. said:  I’m not even joking. I mean, you won’t get all those hours at once, but it’s incredible how long the scooping, excavating, digging and dumping will hold their attention - especially if your toddler loves trucks!

Alexandra F. said:  And whenever possible, use a video app like Zoom, FaceTime or Skype so your toddler can see Grandma face to face! If everyone has time, consider playing a game during your video chat like 20 Questions, Headbanz or Simon Says. Or, have a special virtual read aloud of a favorite picture book.

Alexandra F. said:  Your toddler is probably starting to learn some simple songs, so turn on your favorite album of kids music and sing along!

Vanessa M. said:  When my kids were toddlers, one of our favorite indoor activities was taping markers to the back of toy cars or trains. Roll out butcher paper or poster paper and let the little ones draw fun designs as they roll the cars and trains over the paper!

Alexandra F. said:  If you are okay with a little mess (hey, you have a toddler, mess comes with the territory!), let your toddler take everything out of a safe kitchen or other drawer (pots & pans, clothes, spoons, etc), and then put everything back in.

Alexandra F. said:  Then knock it down! Use Duplos, blocks, Magna Tiles, cups - anything your toddler can stack, then knock over.

Alexandra F. said:  Boogie down to your favorite kid-friendly tunes. Your toddler will definitely still be dancing long after you’re ready to sit down!

Amy S. said:  Toddlers arrange geometric shapes into forms and figures. Most puzzles come with patterns varying in difficulty, so even little ones can work on shape identification and visual-spatial reasoning. It also can be fun for kids to come up with their own designs!

Lisa R said:  Painter's tape can be used on all types of floor (even carpet) to temporarily make hopscotch grids, obstacles, or pretend roads. For a long time we had a tape circle, two lines, triangle, square and pentagon going down a hallway. We had a little dance (turn around in the circle, jump feet apart on the two lines, etc.) that reinforced shapes and counting. It also just made going down that hallway more fun.

Alexandra F. said:  This is a great way to help your toddler build her vocabulary, and even sneak in some color recognition and counting practice! Set them on a hunt to find and gather objects they will recognize, such as three yellow Legos, five blocks, a red apple, a pillow, and two blue socks. Another fun variation is to draw pictures of different objects on individual post-it notes and hide each note. I make a "map" of the hidden items by drawing them all on a single post-it/paper, which my toddler loves.

Kelly R said:  Give your toddler an old house painting brush you're ready to retire and set them up in the driveway with a container of water. They can dip the brush and "paint" designs all over the driveway, the sidewalk, or the outside of the house.

Alexandra F. said:  Those shape sorter toys are great but you don’t need special toys for a fun sorting activity for toddlers - just sort any toys you have at home by color or shape. You’ll be surprised by how long this holds a toddler’s attention. It's great for developing fine motor skills, too! Of course, be sure to keep a close eye if you use any small objects that could end up inside a curious toddler’s mouth.

Alexandra F. said:  I don't think there is anything in the world more exciting for toddlers than bubbles. Chasing these magical floating spheres around and popping them is the height of fun! Bubbles are most fun outside, but can also work inside depending on your space and flooring - and comfort level with getting a little soap on the carpet and furniture. And, if you go through bubble solution as quickly as we do in our house, consider making your own - it's another fun and easy activity to do together!

Alexandra F. said:  Sure, toddlers can't do much real cooking yet, but that doesn't mean they don't love to help where they can! One of my 2-year-old's favorite activities is to measure, scoop and dump ingredients when I am cooking or baking. Mixing spices is his specialty, so he often helps prepare the taco seasoning when we make salsa chicken.