Your Sanity-Saving Guide
Toddlerhood. That magical age where your little one discovers the joy of shouting “NO!” and suddenly turns into a mini tornado of energy. Your heart swells with pride as they take on new milestones, but you also secretly yearn for just a few moments of calm amidst the chaos. Trust me; I’ve been there. The sofa’s turned into a trampoline, there’s a cereal storm in the kitchen, and you can’t remember the last time you had a peaceful cup of coffee.
Fear not, beleaguered parents and caregivers! I’ve got your back. Enter the world of super easy toddler activities that require minimum prep and promise maximum fun. We’re talking activities so simple you might be left wondering, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Well, that’s what I’m here for!
The No-Stress Prep Principle
Look, I get it. The last thing you need is a complicated setup with 50 different materials when you’re already juggling a zillion things. That’s why this list is all about low-effort, high-reward fun.
Skills They’ll Sharpen
Every one of these activities is more than just play; it’s a learning opportunity. Here’s a sneak peek into some skills your toddler will develop:
- Cognitive Development: Activities like sorting, matching, or simple puzzles challenge their brains.
- Fine and Gross Motor Skills: From pinching to jumping, they’ll be refining those muscle movements.
- Creativity and Imagination: Every game is a canvas for them to paint their stories.
Golden Tips for Success
- Stay Flexible: If an activity isn’t a hit today, it might be tomorrow. Kiddos’ moods and interests can change like the wind!
- Safety First: Always ensure activities are age-appropriate and avoid small parts for little ones who still like to explore with their mouths.
- Join In: Sometimes, your involvement can spark their interest. Plus, it’s more fun together!
So, the next time your little bundle of joy (and energy) has you on the brink, just pull up this list. With these super easy toddler activities in your arsenal, you’re well on your way to turning “Oh no, not again!” moments into “Wow, they’re actually entertained!” times. Here’s to more joyful moments and fewer toddler-induced headaches!
Super Easy Activities to the Rescue
Here are just a taste of the fun ideas to come!
- Sticky Wall Art: Grab a roll of painter’s tape and let your toddler stick and re-stick pieces on walls or floors. It’s a sticky adventure minus the mess!
- Colander Pipe Cleaners: Hand your kiddo a colander and some pipe cleaners, and watch them hone fine motor skills by threading them through.
- Nature’s Paintbrush: Step outside, pick up some leaves or twigs, and use them as paintbrushes for a new sensory painting experience.
WILL YOU TRY ANY OF THESE TODDLER ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR LITTLE ONE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
Easy Toddler Activities
Color Sorting Box with Popsicle Sticks
Create a color sorting box using a cardboard box, markers, and colored popsicle sticks to help your toddler practice learning colours.
Super Easy DIY Edible Paint Recipe for Babies & Toddlers
Are you ready for a safe and creative adventure with your little artist? Look no further than this easy edible paint recipe using cornstarch!
Jello Ice Painting: A Tasty Twist to Process Art Fun
Get ready to add a burst of color and creativity to your child’s art time with the delightful and edible Ice Jello Painting activity!
Cotton Pad Art Water Table: Easy STEAM Activity
The Cotton Pad Color Diffusion Art Water Table is a fantastic and simple craft that combines art and science.
Ice Rubber Ducks: A Fun Summer Sensory Activity
This adorable and unique playtime will captivate your little ones’ imagination as they explore the magic of ice and water and rubber ducks.
Taste-Safe Water Beads
Step into the enchanting world of insects with a sensational bug sensory bin that will captivate your little ones’ imaginations!
Foil Painting – Easy Process Art Activity for Kids
Unleash your child’s creativity and embark on an artistic process art adventure with Aluminum Foil Painting!
Make Your Own Nature Paint Brushes for Kids
Making your own DIY nature paint brushes is a fun and unique way to create art while also getting outside and exploring the world around you.
15 Super Simple Crafts for 1 Year Olds
Crafting with your baby is a great way to stimulate creativity and develop fine motor skills. Check out these easy crafts for 1 year olds.
LEGO Finish the Animals
LEGO finish the animals is one of my favourite ways to play with LEGO DUPLO without building! Complete the animals using LEGO!
Sock Caterpillar Craft for Kids
This easy sock caterpillar craft for kids is a fun craft for kids of all ages to make in spring or when learning about caterpillars.
Cotton Pad Heart Craft for Toddlers
Use cotton pads to create this fun cotton pad heart craft with your toddler or preschooler this Valentines’s Day.
Taste-Safe Bubble Foam for Babies & Toddlers
Check out this soft taste-safe bubble foam sensory play idea perfect for babies and toddlers who like to put things in their mouths.
Taste-Safe Playdough Recipe for Babies and Toddlers
Want to play with playdough with your baby or toddler? Check out this taste safe playdough recipe that’s perfect for babies and toddlers.
Broccoli Painted Tree Craft with free printable
Broccoli Painted Fall Tree Craft is a fun and easy way to craft this Fall. Create a colourful tree using broccoli!
Cardboard Nature Puzzle For Toddlers
One delightful activity that combines the beauty of autumn with a fun and educational twist is the Fall Natural Puzzle.
How to Make Colored Spaghetti for Sensory Play
Colored Spaghetti is a taste-safe sensory bin filler that is simple to make. A great sensory play and fine motor idea for kids of all ages!
How to Make A Bubble Wrap Road
Bubble wrap road is a fun and easy activity for toddlers! It makes a wonderful way to keep an active toddler busy indoors!
Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment for Kids
Looking for a quick way to entertain your child at home? Try this baking soda and vinegar colour experiment! And get set for amazing explosions of colour!
Mega Block Jumping
Mega Block Jumping is a fun and easy way to keep your active toddler entertained at home! A great gross motor activity for little people!
How to Make a Pool Noodle Racetrack
Need a fun idea to keep your kids busy this summer? Make a pool noodle racetrack and let the games begin! This is a fun gross motor activity that your car fan will love!
How to Make Taste-Safe Kinetic Sand
Taste Safe Kinetic Sand is a fun and versatile sensory play recipe that is perfect for toddlers! Sand that sticks to itself and not to you!
Rainbow Pouring Station Sensory Bin for Kids
Rainbow Pouring Station is one of those amazing sensory bins that your kids will love. Easy to set up and great for indoor or outdoor play!
Paper Bag Fox Puppet Craft
This Paper Bag Fox Craft is an cute craft for preschoolers and toddlers! Create a fun fox hand puppet using a brown paper bag.
Cotton Pad Turtle Craft for Preschoolers
Create cute turtle craft using cotton pads and coloured water. This turtle craft is a fun activity that you can do anytime of the year.
Snail Sticky Wall Craft for Toddlers
Snail Sticky Wall Craft is a fun and easy sticky wall craft for toddlers and preschoolers and a great way to create a snail.
More Activities for Toddlers
Book Drop: An Easy Toddler Activity
Green Pea Sensory Bag
Feed the Fish Colour Sort
Free the Musical Instruments
Painting with Water & Cotton Balls
Feed the Caterpillars
Magnetic Tile Colour Sorting Boxes
Pom Pom Colour Construction Site
Pouch Cap Drop
Dot Sticker Hide & Seek
Spaghetti Drop
DIY Flip Book for Toddlers
2-ingredient Taste-Safe Finger Paint Recipe
Drop Anything Sensory Bin: The Activity you set up when you just need a minute
Tubes and Caps: A Quick Toddler Activity
Magnetic Tile Shape Match
Post-it Push
Create an Aquarium
Peek-a-Boo Puzzle
Alphabet Drop Fine Motor Toddler Activity
ABC Stacks
Pom Pom Water Transfer
Magnetic Fridge Letter Alphabet Match
Rescue the Sea Creatures
Wine Cork Drop: A Fine Motor Toddler Activity
Cardboard Box Wash & Paint
Vegetable Soup Bath
Free the Zoo Animals
Even More Toddler Activities That I Love
- Aluminum Foil Surprise: A Fun Toddler Activity (Happily Ever Mom)
- Pick A Colour: Fine Motor Game for One-Year-Olds (Days With Grey)
- Colourful Pom Pom Wall (Toddler Approved)
- Clean the Dishes (Twin Mom Refreshed)
- Duplo Color Matching Activity for Toddlers (Happy Tot Shelf)
- Toddler Scooping Activity with Garbanzo Beans (Busy Toddler)
- Icy Grab: A Fun and Easy Toddler Activity (Happily Ever Mom)
- Toddler Tape Roads: A Low-Prep Toddler Activity (Days With Grey)
- Pete the Cat Button Drop (Toddler Approved)
- Wooden Block Match (Toddler At Play)
- Sidewalk Paining with Water (Mama.Papa.Bubba)
- Hammering Golf Tees (Hands As We Grow)
- Pouring Station Activity for Toddlers (Busy Toddler)
The Best Toddler Activities from Social Media
Formula Tin and Straws (A Crafty Living)
Rainbow Roads (Microwaved_ Coffee)
Shape Discovery Bags (Little Ones Learn)
Rolling Pin Art (A Crafty Living)
Paper Plate Sort (Little Ones Learn)
Simple Toy Transfer Activity (A Crafty Living)
Age Suitability
These activities are perfect for toddlers aged 2 years and up, with adult assistance.
Mess Level
The mess level for these activities varies.
Difficulty to Create
Varies.
Skills Developed
Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids
Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.
Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!
Shop our ready made play kits here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
WILL YOU TRY ANY OF THESE TODDLER ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR LITTLE ONE? PIN IT FOR LATER!