Keeping a toddler entertained when it’s too wet or cold to go out can be a challenge. It’s not easy to keep a toddler in for long periods, especially when they have a lot of excess energy to burn off! Here, we take a look at five great indoor games and activities to do with toddlers, sure to keep them amused for hours.
1. Board Games
There are a range of great, easy to play board games for preschoolers which are perfect for those rainy days when you can’t get out and about. Toddlers will love to sit down with mom or dad and enjoy a few matches of their favorite game. Something like simple picture dominoes or a lotto matching style game is perfect for a child aged 2 or 3 years old.
Building jigsaw puzzles is another great activity for parents and toddlers to enjoy together indoors. Games and puzzles are great for promoting cognitive development, as well as being a lot of fun! You can read more about great board games for different ages at whooopsadaisy.com. Of course bigger kids have games they can exhaust their energy and thinking in, like the Rubik’s cube, chess, and such minds games.
2. Make a Sensory Box
This is a great activity to keep your toddler happy when they have to stay indoors. Get a large cardboard or plastic box and fill it with polystyrene pellets, shredded paper or other similar materials. Then, choose a range of small objects or toys with different shapes and textures. Toddlers can have fun rummaging through the bin and trying to guess what’s inside before they pull it out. Alternatively, have your child put on a blindfold and pick items out of a box and try and guess what they are. You could even make it a competition to see how many they can correctly guess!
3. Indoor Bowling
This is a great game for toddlers who love to be active even when they are stuck indoors. Save some old water or soda bottles and line them up. Then, your child can use a small, soft ball to roll (or throw!) at them to see how many they can knock over. To make it more challenging, put some water, sand or uncooked rice into the bottles to weigh them down a bit.
4. Homemade Play Dough
Making play dough is a fun activity for parents and children to enjoy together! Kids will love getting involved in making the dough – they can help mix ingredients and they can choose which color to make it. You can even make the dough scented or add glitter to make it even more fun to use! Dough will keep for a few weeks as long as it is tightly wrapped or kept in an air tight container.
5. Have a Dance Party
Toddlers love music and dancing, so a great way to help them stay active indoors is to pop on some of their favorite tunes and let them dance like crazy! It’s even more fun if mom and dad or older siblings join in too. Let your toddler decide what music they want to dance to, and you can show them some moves. You could even find a children’s music video such as the Wiggles, which toddlers can sing and dance along with!
