It may not seem like it, but there are so many fun activities you can do with your toddler. Even though they can’t really participate just yet, activities like playing outside and reading books are fun for everyone.
Here are some 10 fun activities to do with your toddler
Make Playdough
Making homemade playdough is such a fun activity, especially when you and your child do it together. If you’re getting your kids interested in cooking early, this is a great way to teach them about nutrition and food safety as well. First, get all the ingredients together. You’ll need flour, oil, water, salt, and yeast. You can use any kind of flour, but whole wheat flour produces a better dough. You can also use cornstarch or baby cereal as a thickening agent.
You can also buy some ready-made, non-toxic Play-doh specially made for kids if you plan on reusing it. Here is the product I found on Amazon that my kid loves to play with.
Go to a park
If your child is even a baby, take them to a park and let them get their feet dirty. Let them splash in the water, explore the trails, and climb trees. Leave the stroller at home and let them walk around, run around, and play alongside other kids. A baby who is old enough to walk is only a few months old, so this will be a great activity for them. Let them explore the park, meet other kids, and spend time outside.
Jump in puddles
Kids love to jump in puddles, and even as they get older they may enjoy doing it. Puddles can be a great way to cool off on a hot day, or a refreshing way to end a long day. Let your child jump in the puddles, or even go through a mini waterpark in the house. Let them splash in the bathtub or use buckets and sponges to create fun water activities.
(Checkout a Multipurpose bathtub which we reviewed earlier)
Watch the sun rise
Get your child up at the crack of dawn one day and watch the sun as it rises. This is a great way to bond with your child as you both watch the sun come up. You can even talk about the colors, what the sky looks like, and what the weather will be like that day. This is a great bonding activity for moms and dads who may have jobs that keep them away from home for long hours.
Draw with sidewalk chalk
Let your child draw with sidewalk chalk, or do simple reproductions of things they’ve seen outside. Shuffle the chalk around and make sure they don’t draw on any walls or in any restricted areas. You can even let them draw on the driveway or sidewalk so that it’s a temporary drawing, rather than permanent.
Hide and seek
Let your child hide in plain sight, or hide in a place that makes it harder for them to be found. You can set up a challenge for your child where they have to find a hidden object before their timer runs out. You can even set up a challenge with other family members.
Look up at the stars
Kids love to look up at the stars, and this is a great activity for all ages. You can let your child look up at the sky and spot the moon and stars with you or let them use a telescope to look further into space.
Help in the kitchen
Kids love to help out in the kitchen or play with kitchen vessels, especially with taking the vessels out and spreading them across the house 🙂 Let them help with simple kitchen tasks like arranging the vessels, and washing the vegetables, and help them learn that one person can make a difference in cooking and cleaning.
You can also equip them with a Kitchen set and let them cook for you. My daughter loves to wash, chop, cook and serve all by herself. Check this Kitchen set on Amazon
Hide snacks around the house
This is a fun activity that is great for kids who are still little, as well as young kids. You can hide snacks around the house for your child to find, or hide small gifts for your child to find. Try hiding objects in different places, or consider putting small presents under the pillow or in a plant pot.
Walk to the grocery store together
This is a great activity for families, especially if you have kids who are picky eaters. Take your child to the grocery store and let them pick out their own items to eat, while you pick out what you want to eat.
Conclusion
Children are surprisingly independent, and can do so many things by themselves as long as you create an environment that is safe. It’s important to know how to protect your child, and avoid hazardous situations. When they are old enough to use common household items safely, try some of these activities to spend time together.
