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Combine a global pandemic with a pregnancy and a cold winter and it adds up to spending a lot of time indoors. And since I have a 2.5 year old, I’ve done a lot of researching and brainstorming trying to come up with unique yet easy indoor toddler activities. And today I’m sharing them with you! Keep reading to check out our favorite projects to pass the time during those long days inside.
Easy Indoor Toddler Activities Using Water
Painting On Ice
This is one of those projects that takes a traditional project like watercolor painting and takes it a step further… this time by painting on ice! Just freeze water in a shallow plastic Tupperware container and put it on a plate. Let your kid go to town with watercolor paints.
Extend the project by putting it in the sink and letting them drip warm water on top to watch the colorful melting process.
Parent Setup Time: 1 minute (plus a couple of hours of freezing time)
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes
Colored Water Play
This one is great for younger toddlers who are working on their grip strength. Collect a few empty bottles and fill them with water and a couple of drops of food coloring. There’s no need to buy much here… just use a few empty squeeze bottles (think shampoo, bubble bath, etc.), spray bottles and pump bottles. Provide a large plastic bin to contain the bottles and water. And here’s my favorite food coloring.
Parent Setup Time: 2 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Chalkboard Water Painting
This is one of those crazy easy ideas that my toddler just loves. If you already have a chalkboard that has chalk all over it, grab a paint brush and a plastic cup of water and let your kid “paint” with water on the chalkboard!
Parent Setup Time: 30 seconds
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes
Easy Indoor Toddler Activities For Sensory Bin-Loving Kids
Pasta Play
This might be the easiest project of them all. First things first… PLEASE choose a type of pasta that’s appropriate for your child. Do not use shells if your little one is still mouthing because it could pose a choking hazard. Try bow ties or something larger and not round as safer options for younger toddlers. Just pour a box of uncooked pasta into a bin and toss in a few non-breakable kitchen utensils and containers and let your kid go to town!
Sidenote: I love this collapsible bin because it can be stored easily and the hole allows you to hang it up to dry. You can buy it here.
Parent Setup Time: 30 seconds
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes
Colored Spaghetti
This one’s great for the younger set. Cook up a batch of spaghetti and portion it out into a few different ziplock bags once it’s cool. Put a splash of water and several drops of food coloring into into each bag, seal them up and gently move the spaghetti around until thoroughly saturated. Let them sit for a few minutes. Then rinse each one separately in a colander and let them go to town playing with it. Add some kid-safe kitchen utensils for them to use if you like.
Be sure to put them in old clothes and on a washable play mat for this one.
Parent Setup Time: 15 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Indoor Snow Play
Too cold to go outside? Or maybe you’re like me and you’re super pregnant and don’t feel like getting all the gear on again…? Bring the outside in with this snow sensory bin. Just fill a couple of empty squeeze and pump bottles with colored water (all you need is one or two drops of food coloring) and then scoop up some snow in a bin and let them have at it! This might be the winner as far as time-consuming activities… my toddler will spend an hour on this sometimes, and she’ll do it day after day.
I also like to have a couple of plastic bowls of varying sizes around so she can pour, transfer and scoop. Once they’re slowing down with this, you can also have them pour sprinkles in the snow to extend the play time and add a different element.
Parent Setup Time: 2 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 45 minutes and up
Easy Indoor Toddler Activities During The Holidays
Bake Sugar Cookies
Be sure to get your ingredients out ahead of time for this one because your child will be excited to get started right away. I like this recipe (which we halved) and it came out great.
This is a two part project with an hour break in between for the dough to chill. Part one involves the measuring, mixing and kneading and part two involves rolling, cutting out shapes and adding sugar sprinkles (which my little one did for probably half an hour!). And here’s the most important part, a hack that will make your life so much easier: put some tape over most of the holes on the sprinkles container. This will prevent your toddler from using them all up in 2.2 seconds flat, and more importantly, keep them busy for a lot longer.
Parent Setup Time: 10 minutes
Toddler Play Time: At least 60 minutes (with a break in between for the dough to chill)
Handmade Painted Ornaments
Pour washable non-toxic kid paint into small squeeze bottles and grab a few of these plastic ornaments. Remove the metal top and have your little one pour different paints into the ornament. Put a piece of scotch tape over the top and move it around so the paint drips around inside. Remove the tape and let it dry. Put the top back on and voila – beautiful handmade ornaments! These make great gifts too.
Parent Setup Time: 3 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes (or more, depending on how many you make)
Easy Indoor Toddler Activities For Crafty Kids
Bubble Paint
Mix one part washable non-toxic paint with one part water with a healthy squirt of dish soap. Stir it vigorously and give your kid an eye-dropper or pipette to squeeze the paint mixture onto paper. Thicker watercolor paper works best.
Parent Setup Time: 3 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Straw Necklace
Threading activities are great for hand-eye coordination and focus… my two year loves this project and will spend lots of time on it. Cut about two feet of thin elastic (I love this set of colored elastic) and chop a few disposable paper or plastic straws into one inch pieces. Smoothie straws are wider and easier for little hands to work with. Tie one straw onto the end of the elastic to keep the rest from slipping off and have them thread more straw pieces onto the other end. Once they’re finished, untie that first straw and tie the ends of the elastic to each other. Then watch your kiddo show off their new necklace!
For older kids, you can make this more challenging by cutting the straws into smaller pieces and using thinner straws.
Parent Setup Time: 1 minute
Toddler Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Flower Petal Suncatchers
This project came about when I ran into the other room to grab something and came back to find my toddler shredding my bouquet centerpiece on the floor. Gotta turn lemons into lemonade, right?
Grab some chrysanthemums or a similar type and a package of these self-adhesive laminating sheets. Tape one laminating sheet down on your work surface with the sticky side up and have your toddler sprinkle the flower petals all over. Place another laminating sheet on top and press firmly. Cut out a shape, punch a hole in the top and tie a piece of ribbon in a loop. And you’re done!
To extend the amount play time, use any extra petals to play “sink or float” in a bowl of water and then scoop them out with a slotted spoon.
Parent Setup Time: 1 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes
Edible Whipped Cream Paint
Here’s another great project for the little ones who are still putting everything in their mouths. Whisk heavy whipping cream and a couple of drops of food coloring together in a bowl and repeat for each color. Pour them into a muffin tin and sit your little one down on the floor on a big piece of paper and let them experiment.
Again, be sure to use one of these great splat mats.
Parent Setup Time: 10 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Glued Paper Collage
Elmer’s School Glue is non toxic and washable, so you can actually use it with very young kids if they’re interested. My little one started to enjoy playing with it a little before age 2 once she had the hand strength to squeeze the bottle. Tear up scraps of paper and let them just have fun with it! Don’t be too concerned about what it looks like or where the glue is going… put a splat mat or a piece of newspaper underneath if you want.
For older kids, give them some kid-safe scissors so they can cut up the pieces of paper themselves.
Parent Setup Time: 1 minute
Toddler Play Time: 15-30 minutes
Easy Indoor Toddler Activities For Kids Who Love To Be In The Kitchen
Fizzy Color Reveal
If your kid likes bubbles and/or science experiments, then they’ll love this one. I found this genius project by Forward With Fun on Pinterest and adapted it a bit. Grab a muffin tin and put 4-5 drops of different colored food coloring in each hole. Put a tablespoon or so of baking soda on top and then have your kiddo use an eye dropper or spoon to pour white vinegar over the baking soda. The more vinegar added, the more you’ll see the surprise color reveal itself underneath!
Extend the project by putting the whole thing in the sink and have them play around with water – rinsing, mixing, etc.
Parent Setup Time: 2 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Make Play Dough
Here’s the absolute best glitter play dough recipe that I’ve found (and adapted to be perfect):
- 1 cup flour
- 1/3 cup salt
- 2/3 tablespoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Food coloring
Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in a large nonstick sauce pan. Pour the dry ingredients into the pan, whisking as you go. Heat the mixture on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spoon. Stop once mixture has just formed a loose ball. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Your little one can take part in all of the measuring, pouring and mixing… then have them take a break while you heat it over the stove (it only takes a couple of minutes).
Parent Setup Time: 2 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes to make it (plus additional time playing with it afterward!)
Bake Something
I didn’t realize how early you could start cooking and baking with kids… the key is to choose simple recipes and keep your expectations low. Don’t pick a two page recipe that you’re making for Thanksgiving dinner – grab a mix at the store that only requires a few extra ingredients and have a backup in case something goes awry. They can measure, mix and pour the batter… and it’s a good opportunity to learn about following directions (not that they’ll understand right away). And they’ll love eating the final product once it’s finished cooking!
Parent Setup Time: 3 minutes
Toddler Play Time: 15-20 minutes (plus cooking time)
As you can see, there are tons of easy indoor toddler activities that can keep your little ones busy during the depths of winter (or quarantine, or whatever has you cooped up at home). And if you feel like doing a little shopping, check out this post I wrote about toddler products that will make your life easier.