I’ve been scoping out Pinterest and trying to compile a big list of activities to do with my 18 month old. Some of these ideas I’ve borrowed, some friends have shared with me, and others I made up on my own. I haven’t tried them all, but hope to check them all off pretty soon…
- String cheerios on pipe cleaners (bonus: snack!)
- Take them to the park, my guy’s favorite thing in the world to do is swing!
- Glue velcro to colored craft sticks, let your child stick and unstick them to their heart’s content
- Use little pom poms and separate them into colors in a muffin tin/ice cube tray
- Cut a pool noodle into rings and string onto a rope (a bigger version of the cheerios)
- Let your child string pipe cleaners through the holes in a big kitchen strainer (good to keep them occupied while cooking dinner!)
- Make a playhouse out of a big box and let them help you color it (or get one of these).
- Pour rice or beans in a big plastic container and hide farm animals, practice saying their names/making their sounds
- “Scoop” objects with a big wooden spoon
- Let them write with sidewalk chalk
- Cut a photo into pieces, and glue to craft sticks=travel puzzle
- Cut fabric squares and let your littles pull them out of a tissue box
- Make “rainbow spaghetti” by putting food coloring in with the boiling water. I’ve heard kids love it, I might try filling a baby pool with it- squishy goodness!
- Get “water beads” or those squishy vase filler beds. Put them in the bathtub and let your kids go crazy.
- Get an old cookie sheet and let your kids play with magnets until their heart’s content. You can even paint the cookie sheet so it doesn’t look so dingy.
- Fill a plastic container with rice, dry beans, popcorn kernels, etc. Let your child scoop it with cups and spoons.
- Make jello jigglers- then let them get their fingers all squishy and mushy. And, hey- snack!
- Buy or make some playdoh and let them go crazy with some old cookie cutters.
- My kid loves to take a paper towel roll or wrapping paper roll and put his matchbox cars in them, and watch them speed out the other end. My older nephews even loved doing this- they would race the cars.
- Make a “car wash” for their toy cars. Let them get all soapy and wet. Makes bath time a heck of a lot easier 😉
- Blow bubbles and let them go crazy popping. My son loves this! It’s sometimes the simple things!
- Make rice krispies and let your kids “build” with them. We did this with our youth group teens, and they even loved it!
- Let your child help “clean” with a handheld vacuum or small broom. Or give them a washcloth and let them help “dust”. They may not get a lot of actual cleaning done, but it’ll help them learn that cleaning is important.
- Take them on a walk and describe all of the trees and flowers, sounds and smells. My little guy loves taking walks and seems to soak in everything I am saying.
- When at the grocery store, hand your toddler (unbreakable) items that you’re purchasing. My little man loves to place the items in the back of the cart. You can also try to get them to say what the item is.
- Put small objects/toys (big enough that they won’t swallow them) in a cup and let them dump out the contents.
- Get a big piece of butcher paper, construction type paper, etc and tape it to the wall or floor and let them color until they can’t color anymore!
- Get a big cardboard box, sit them inside, and let them go crazy with some crayons!
- My little guy loves to just play underneath a big blanket. We play peek-a-boo, or he drags a few toys underneath. It’s like his own little world. Build a fort!
What are some of your favorite toddler activities?!
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