AHEAD: 50+ Fun and easy no- and low-prep toddler activities! If you are looking for the best and easiest ways to entertain your toddler you have come to the right place. Check out these super simple to set up and clean up toddler activities that they will love!

Keeping a Toddler Busy is HARD Work!

First off, we all know how hard it is to keep a toddler busy. Why? Because they have the attention span of a fruit fly moreover they are just as busy. If your toddler is anything like my twin toddlers (!!) you know that your day will go by much smoother if they are occupied.

Above all, toddlers love staying active. In addition to that they also need repetition so remember an activity that they love and do it again and again in a week or two. For instance, you can try changing it up slightly by adding a new challenge or doing the same type of activity with a different toy. As a result, the time they spend doing the activity will be longer and it will also help to solidify the learning!

Before we get to the amazing activity ideas check out this amazing post HOW TO START DOING ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR KIDS. I provide a detailed list of all the supplies you need to get started doing activities with your kids as well as answer common questions form parents about doing activities such as:

How do I get my child to play independently with an activity longer?

How do I contain the mess with sensory bins?

Do you have any suggestions for excited kids who end up knocking/dumping/splashing/throwing the sensory bin contents all the time?

What do I do if my child is uncooperative and just wants to destroy the activities I set up for her?

What do I do if my child doesn’t want to get their hands dirty?

Easy Toddler Activities

1. Book Drop: An Easy Toddler Activity (Happy Toddler Playtime)
2. Aluminum Foil Surprise: A Fun Toddler Activity (Happily Ever Mom)
3. Pick A Colour: Fine Motor Game for One-Year-Olds (Days With Grey)
4. Colourful Pom Pom Wall (Toddler Approved)
5. Clean the Dishes (Twin Mom Refreshed)
6. Duplo Color Matching Activity for Toddlers (Happy Tot Shelf)
7. Toddler Scooping Activity with Garbanzo Beans (Busy Toddler)
8. Icy Grab: A Fun and Easy Toddler Activity (Happily Ever Mom)
9. Toddler Tape Roads: A Low-Prep Toddler Activity (Days With Grey)
10. Pete the Cat Button Drop (Toddler Approved)
11. Wooden Block Match (Toddler At Play)
12. Sidewalk Paining with Water (Mama.Papa.Bubba)
13. Hammering Golf Tees (Hands As We Grow)
14. Pouring Station Activity for Toddlers (Busy Toddler)
15. Green Pea Sensory Bag (Happy Toddler Playtime)
16. Feed the Fish Colour Sort (Happy Toddler Playtime)
17. DIY ABC Puzzle (Happy Toddler Playtime)
18. Free the Musical Instruments (Happy Toddler Playtime)
19. Feed the Animals (Little Ones Learn)

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FEED THE ANIMALS 🦁 I love this scooping and transferring activity to help my little animal lover further develop his fine motor and early math skills 🤗 This fun sensory activity is a quick setup for your toddlers! 👉 Create two separate spaces with storage bins: one with a sensory filler of choice to use as the “animal food”, and another with toy animals and small cups or bowls to use as their food dishes. Encourage your littles to scoop, transfer and pour the “animal food” and fill up each animal’s bowl! ••••••••• We used our stash of dry beans as a filler but oats, rice, or pom poms would work great as well. Will you try it at home with your littles? 👇 More in stories! . . . . . . . #sensorybin #sensorykids #toddleractivities #sensoryplay #sensorytable #preschool #kidscrafts #prek #homeschoolmom #homeschool #motherhoodunplugged #finemotoractivities #finemotorfun #finemotorskills #montessoriathome #childhoodunplugged #nannylife #sahm #preschoolactivities #toddlermom #igteachers #montessori

A post shared by Molly | Little Ones Learn (@littleoneslearn) on Feb 20, 2020 at 9:45am PST

More Toddler Activities

1. Painting with Water & Cotton Balls (Happy Toddler Playtime)
2. Feed the Caterpillars (Happy Toddler Playtime)
3. Magnetic Tile Colour Sorting Boxes (Happy Toddler Playtime)
4. Pom Pom Colour Construction Site (Happy Toddler Playtime)
5. Pouch Cap Drop (Happy Toddler Playtime)
6. UNO Playing Card Colour Sort (Little Ones Learn)

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UNO Playing Card Color Sort • My toddler loves to get his hands on a deck of playing cards! When my kindergartener and I play UNO, he’s always dying to help but can’t quite get the hang of the game 😉 so I’ve set up a little color sorting activity with the deck. •••••••••• ✂️ Cut a few slots in the side of a paper bag (or top of a box depending on what you prefer) and label with a marker in each card color. 👉 Encourage your littles to color sort, dropping each card into its slot while working on those fine motor skills 👌 •••••••• More of this in action is in my stories today. Do you have a deck of UNO cards to try this at home?! 👇 . . . . . . . #toddlercrafts #preschoolcraft #toddleractivities #recycleandplay #montessoriinspired #playbasedlearning #kidscrafts #childcare #igteacher #preschoolathome #homeschoollife #homeschool #actividadesparaniños #finemotoractivity #finemotor #finemotorskills #diymom #childhoodunplugged #sahmlife #preschoolactivities #toddlermom #teachersofig #montessorikids

A post shared by Molly | Little Ones Learn (@littleoneslearn) on Feb 19, 2020 at 8:00am PST

7. Dot Sticker Hide & Seek (Happy Toddler Playtime)

8. Spaghetti Drop (Happy Toddler Playtime)

9. Pom Pom Whisks (7 Days of Play)

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✨ POM POM WHISKS // Pom pom filled whisks make for a perfect hand strengthening activity! 🤗 I filled three varying sized whisks with small, medium, and large pom poms, and then positioned them so they stood up vertically. 👌 Baby girl enjoyed the challenge of picking them out while I spoke to her about the size and color of each. 🙌 Swipe 👉 to see more of the set up, and read on below 👇 for the simple how-to. Any questions at all? Drop them in the comment section below? – ⚠️ Caution: Pom poms are choking hazards. Adult Supervision Required. ⚠️ – WHAT YOU’LL NEED • Whisk(s) • Pom Poms • Piece of recycled cardboard or styrofoam • Tape – (1) Fill your whisk with pom poms, or combine several whisks to include the small, medium, and large component of this activity! (2) Poke the whisk through a piece of cardboard or styrofoam, using a sharp knife if cut out a hole if necessary. Using cardboard is best, as some styrofoam can break apart leaving a mess of small bits! (That happened to us!) (3) Secure the whisk with tape on top and the bottom. – #finemotorskills #toddlerplay #toddlerplayideas #playideasfortoddlers #finemotor #learningthroughplay #earlylearning #playbasedlearning #montessori #finemotoractivities #earlychildhoodeducation #earlyyears #earlyeducation #kidsactivities #homeschool #occupationaltherapy #learnthroughplay #playtolearn #eyfs #handsonlearning #toddlerlife #preschoolactivities #playideas #toddleractivities #invitationtoplay playathome #montessoriathome #toddlerlife #montessoritoddler #toddlerfun

A post shared by 7 Days of Play (@7daysofplay) on Apr 24, 2020 at 6:00am PDT

DIY Flip Book for Toddlers (Happy Toddler Playtime)

2-ingredient Taste-Safe Finger Paint Recipe (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Formula Tin and Straws (A Crafty Living)

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Formula tin + (paper) straws = inexpensive activity for Babies & Toddlers developing Fine Motor Skills, Hand-Eye Coordination & Colour Recognition. 👍🏼 #acraftyliving_baby #acraftyliving_toddler

A post shared by A Crafty LIVing (@acraftyliving) on Apr 25, 2018 at 2:17am PDT

Drop Anything Sensory Bin: The Activity you set up when you just need a minute (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Tubes and Caps: A Quick Toddler Activity (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Rainbow Roads (Microwaved_ Coffee)

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RAINBOW ROADS 🌈🚗⁣ ⁣ 🚨Not everything you see online is perfect glitter and rainbows. In fact this activity started out a complete and total sh** show. ⁣🚨 ⁣ Ellie is trying to stick her finger in a electrical outlet every time I turn around. 😠⁣ ⁣ Then she’s trying to knock over a lamp. I eventually remove the lamp. 😑⁣ ⁣ I set out markers for them to color while I set up their activity. Then they are now fighting over the markers. 😤⁣ ⁣ Ben is screaming for more snacks even though he just ate an entire breakfast and had snack 🤬⁣ ⁣ I turn around and now they have dumped all the toys out. (I really think they like torturing me) 🤦🏼‍♀️⁣ ⁣ I finally finished drawing the roads only for Ben to rip it up soon as I start to tape it to the ground.. My head literally exploded 🤯🤬⁣ ⁣ I want to thank my husband for coming and saving the day and letting me go work out for 20 minutes to cool off. ⁣ ⁣ I came back to find the playroom clean and the kids playing together and no fighting 🙌🏻⁣ ⁣ Our days right now are long and hard. We all need a break. We are all struggling so don’t be fooled by social media ❤️⁣ ⁣ After I cooled down we tried again. Ben actually did enjoy the rainbow roads that I taped back together 🎉⁣ ⁣ Join me this week as I am the guest host for #craftytransportation ⁣ ⁣ #craftytransportation is all about TRANSPORTATION themed CRAFTS & PLAY! 🚉🚛✈️ Want to play along with your little vehicle lover⁉️⁉️⁣ ⁣ ••••⁣ ⁣ ☑️ Follow along with and TAG @craftymothering and @microwaved_coffee⁣ ☑️ ADD #craftytransportation to your post involving THINGS THAT GO! 🚃🚘🛵🛰🛬🚑⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ❤️ I love seeing your activities! Don’t forget to tag me! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ 🌟 Save this idea for later! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ 🌈 Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook @microwaved_coffee⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ 👋🏻 Send to a friend that would enjoy this one! ⁣ #quarantineactivities #stuckathome #rainbowactivity #caractivities #cardboardcrafts #diycrafts #diy #nervousbreakdown #strugglebus #stressedout #sahmproblems #toddlertantrums #learningcolors #learningthroughplay #toddleractivities #toddleractivitiesathome #rainydayactivities

A post shared by 𝐇𝐢, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞 👋🏻 (@microwaved_coffee) on Apr 1, 2020 at 8:26am PDT

Magnetic Tile Shape Match (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Shape Discovery Bags (Little Ones Learn)

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SHAPE DISCOVERY BAGS 🟩🟡🔷 My two year old has really started to notice his basic 2D shapes, and recognize them when exploring his world. These brown paper lunch bags filled with objects in each shape were perfect for him to dig through and further explore those shapes! ••••••••••• Draw or glue a paper cutout of each basic shape on the front of paper bags (or any type you have available). Collect blocks, puzzle pieces, toys, etc. in each shape and put together your discovery bags! Encourage your child to pull out one object at a time, discussing and noticing that each matches the shape on the front of the bag. •••••••• Will you bookmark this one and try it out?! 👇More video of this in action in stories today! . . . #toddlercrafts #sensoryplay #kindergarten #montessorikids #teachermom #finemotor #momswhoblog #childhoodunplugged #sahm #montessori #kidsactivities #homeschoolmoms #toddlermoms #preschool #preschoolathome #homeschooling #actividadesparaniños #preschoolteacher #wahm #preschoolactivities #toddleractivities #igteachers #playmatters #totschool

A post shared by Molly | Little Ones Learn (@littleoneslearn) on Feb 4, 2020 at 10:58am PST

More Easy Toddler Activities

Are you convinced yet that entertaining your toddler at home doesn’t need to be complex or difficult. The best activities that I have tried with my twin toddlers are in fact the easiest to set up! Here are more easy to set up Toddler activities!

Post-it Push (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Create an Aquarium (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Peek-a-Boo Puzzle (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Rolling Pin Art (A Crafty Living)

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Rolling Pin Art! 🎨 Can you tell I’ve been to IKEA a lot this week? 🤣😭💸 • Have you ever made your own wrapping paper? Such a sweet way to add a personal touch to a Birthday present or for Christm… (is it too soon to talk about 🎄🎁🎅🏼???) All you need is foam stickers, washable Paint (we use @montmarteart), a rolling pin & a roll of paper! Pop on some foam stickers, roll it through the paint, and roll it out on the paper! I like the @ikea_australia rolling pin for little ones because the handles stay in place as the middle section rolls; making it easy for Toddlers & Preschoolers to control it. 🙌🏼 #acraftyliving_art

A post shared by A Crafty LIVing (@acraftyliving) on Aug 25, 2018 at 2:30am PDT

Alphabet Drop Fine Motor Toddler Activity (Happy Toddler Playtime)

ABC Stacks (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Paper Plate Sort (Little Ones Learn)

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PAPER PLATE SORT • This saved me with my littlest guy the other day 👌🙌 I cut a quick hole in paper plates, made a colored circle around them with marker, and taped them to the door (painter’s tape will work best to protect your walls/doors). My little guy pushed and sorted his pom poms into each hole. The paper plate left just enough space to hold the pom poms against the wall. Leave a space without tape at the bottom to open and release the pom poms to do it again! ••••• Tap 🔖 to save this for your toddlers! ⚠️ children under 3 must be supervised with pom poms at all times. Do not attempt with mouthing babes. . . . . #toddleractivity #toddleractivities #preschoolactivities #montessori #montessoritoddler #montessorikids #preschooler #homeschoollife #toddlermom #finemotorskills #totschool #montessoriathome #twoyearsold #threeyearsold #childcare #earlychildhood #homeschooling #playbasedlearning

A post shared by Molly | Little Ones Learn (@littleoneslearn) on Jun 29, 2019 at 6:48am PDT

Pom Pom Water Transfer (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Magnetic Fridge Letter Alphabet Match (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Rescue the Sea Creatures (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Simple Toy Transfer Activity (A Crafty Living)

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Simple Transfer activity for Babies with tubs of water & plastic toys. 🌈 Everything is more fun with a bit of water! Lots of learning opportunities in this easy, no prep activity – Miss16m is super into colours at the moment, so this activity saw us naming the colours as she transferred from tub to tub! You’d be surprised how something this simple can be so entertaining for little ones! 💦 Playmat: @mikro_australia #acraftyliving_baby

A post shared by A Crafty LIVing (@acraftyliving) on Mar 7, 2018 at 12:42am PST

Wine Cork Drop: A Fine Motor Toddler Activity (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Cardboard Box Wash & Paint (Happy Toddler Playtime for Toddler Approved)

Vegetable Soup Bath (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Free the Zoo Animals (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Stuck at home and still need more quick ideas? I have you covered! I have tons of roundups of toddler and preschooler activities and crafts. Find them all here.

Pre-order your copy of my new book of sensory bins: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids: 60 Easy Creative Play Projects that Boost Brain Development, Calm Anxiety and Build Fine Motor Skills coming out October 27, 2020!