Engaging Toddler Activities

[koala]

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well!

I've been feeling the need to switch up some of our go-to toddler activities lately, so I'd love to hear what fun, engaging activities you've been doing with your little ones lately!

I'm especially interested in sensory play ideas and ways to encourage their imagination and creativity. What have you been finding most effective recently? Any simple, cheap, accessible resources that have provided hours of fun are also very welcome!

I'll go first: Arthur has been loving our cloud dough tray this week - it's such a simple activity but he plays independently with it for ages, which is a godsend some days! I just mix flour and baby oil to make a fluffy, mouldable dough. This time I added some blue food colouring too so it looks like a big tray of 'snow.' He calls it his 'special sand' and enjoys burying his toys in it!

What are your go-to's?

 

[luciana]

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well!

I've been feeling the need to switch up some of our go-to toddler activities lately, so I'd love to hear what fun, engaging activities you've been doing with your little ones lately!

I'm especially interested in sensory play ideas and ways to encourage their imagination and creativity. What have you been finding most effective recently? Any simple, cheap, accessible resources that have provided hours of fun are also very welcome!

I'll go first: Arthur has been loving our cloud dough tray this week - it's such a simple activity but he plays independently with it for ages, which is a godsend some days! I just mix flour and baby oil to make a fluffy, mouldable dough. This time I added some blue food colouring too so it looks like a big tray of 'snow.' He calls it his 'special sand' and enjoys burying his toys in it!

What are your go-to's?

My kids love the good old cardboard box! I keep some crayons, markers and safety scissors on hand, and they spend hours drawing and cutting up the box. A great way to encourage imagination, especially when they pretend the box is a house or cave, or even a robot costume! It's easy to set up, and clean up is just throwing away the mess after their creative fun.

 

[travelmum]

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well!

I've been feeling the need to switch up some of our go-to toddler activities lately, so I'd love to hear what fun, engaging activities you've been doing with your little ones lately!

I'm especially interested in sensory play ideas and ways to encourage their imagination and creativity. What have you been finding most effective recently? Any simple, cheap, accessible resources that have provided hours of fun are also very welcome!

I'll go first: Arthur has been loving our cloud dough tray this week - it's such a simple activity but he plays independently with it for ages, which is a godsend some days! I just mix flour and baby oil to make a fluffy, mouldable dough. This time I added some blue food colouring too so it looks like a big tray of 'snow.' He calls it his 'special sand' and enjoys burying his toys in it!

What are your go-to's?

My 5 year old enjoyed playing with our homemade kinetic sand lately. It's such a simple activity but the texture fascinates toddlers. I just mix flour, sand, and dish soap with water to make a mouldable sand that feels almost like a slimy wet beach sand. He likes to dig and bury things too and often spends hours playing independently with his sensory play sets me up with.

 

[greenfingers]

My kids love the good old cardboard box! I keep some crayons, markers and safety scissors on hand, and they spend hours drawing and cutting up the box. A great way to encourage imagination, especially when they pretend the box is a house or cave, or even a robot costume! It's easy to set up, and clean up is just throwing away the mess after their creative fun.

Cardboard boxes are a classic! I should dig out some of Arthur's old crayons and let him go wild. Thanks for reminding me of this simple yet effective idea!

 

[doctormama]

My kids love the good old cardboard box! I keep some crayons, markers and safety scissors on hand, and they spend hours drawing and cutting up the box. A great way to encourage imagination, especially when they pretend the box is a house or cave, or even a robot costume! It's easy to set up, and clean up is just throwing away the mess after their creative fun.

Yes, I find that toddler attention spans vary so much, it's helpful to have a couple of staple activities up my sleeve!

My daughter loves art, so I've been keeping a stock of inexpensive paints and construction paper. Recently, I've introduced liquid watercolors which she enjoys because the vibrant colors are so different from regular paint. They're a hit when I need some uninterrupted me-time, too! Set-up is quick, and the easy clean-up involves mostly just washing off her hands and the table.

 

[bananarama]

Yes, I find that toddler attention spans vary so much, it's helpful to have a couple of staple activities up my sleeve!

My daughter loves art, so I've been keeping a stock of inexpensive paints and construction paper. Recently, I've introduced liquid watercolors which she enjoys because the vibrant colors are so different from regular paint. They're a hit when I need some uninterrupted me-time, too! Set-up is quick, and the easy clean-up involves mostly just washing off her hands and the table.

Arthur seems to enjoy open-ended art activities too, as he loves painting and drawing. Liquid watercolours sound like the next fun thing to try!

I'm discovering that toddler activities that keep them engaged for a while are usually those with some sensory element involved. Arthur loves the feel of sand and messy play, so I'll continue exploring textures he might enjoy. Thanks again for sharing!

 

[queenie]

Arthur seems to enjoy open-ended art activities too, as he loves painting and drawing. Liquid watercolours sound like the next fun thing to try!

I'm discovering that toddler activities that keep them engaged for a while are usually those with some sensory element involved. Arthur loves the feel of sand and messy play, so I'll continue exploring textures he might enjoy. Thanks again for sharing!

It's true; sensory plays are engaging for toddlers because they learn about the world through their senses. You've reminded me that I should explore more messy textural experiences with my kids. Sand and water play is always fun and it's amazing how long they can be entertained with a simple setup! Thank you!

 

[sunflower]

Yes, I find that toddler attention spans vary so much, it's helpful to have a couple of staple activities up my sleeve!

My daughter loves art, so I've been keeping a stock of inexpensive paints and construction paper. Recently, I've introduced liquid watercolors which she enjoys because the vibrant colors are so different from regular paint. They're a hit when I need some uninterrupted me-time, too! Set-up is quick, and the easy clean-up involves mostly just washing off her hands and the table.

It's wonderful how creative one can get with simple tools and resources at hand. Have you ever tried letting your kiddo paint with other interesting textures like bubblewrap or sponges? It's a fun twist to the regular painting activity. Toddler activities often don't need to be elaborate after all!

 

[queenie]

My 5 year old enjoyed playing with our homemade kinetic sand lately. It's such a simple activity but the texture fascinates toddlers. I just mix flour, sand, and dish soap with water to make a mouldable sand that feels almost like a slimy wet beach sand. He likes to dig and bury things too and often spends hours playing independently with his sensory play sets me up with.

That's an interesting one! Homemade kinetic sand is new to me. I've been wanting to introduce some sandy, grainy textures for Arthur to explore, so I'll give this a shot. Thanks for sharing!

Do you usually add any essential oils or fragrance to the mix, or keep it scent-free?

 

[greenfingers]

Arthur seems to enjoy open-ended art activities too, as he loves painting and drawing. Liquid watercolours sound like the next fun thing to try!

I'm discovering that toddler activities that keep them engaged for a while are usually those with some sensory element involved. Arthur loves the feel of sand and messy play, so I'll continue exploring textures he might enjoy. Thanks again for sharing!

Yes, toddlers can get really creative with art especially when it involves sensory play! The good thing about liquid watercolours is that they're not too expensive and a little goes a long way, perfect for some toddler fun! You might want to supervise Arthur though, as these paints can stain clothes and surfaces

 

[doctormama]

Arthur seems to enjoy open-ended art activities too, as he loves painting and drawing. Liquid watercolours sound like the next fun thing to try!

I'm discovering that toddler activities that keep them engaged for a while are usually those with some sensory element involved. Arthur loves the feel of sand and messy play, so I'll continue exploring textures he might enjoy. Thanks again for sharing!

You're welcome! I think most toddlers are fascinated by the sensory experience of mess - it's us parents who have to learn to let go of our fear of messiness, haha!

TexturedMess fun fact: Sand and shampoo foam make a fantastic sensory play combination that will keep them busy for a while. It's a hit with my kids, though clean-up is inevitably a little more involved. Still, watching the enjoyment and knowing the educational value makes it worthwhile! And some soap suds are a good excuse to get kids into the habit of washing their hands too.

 

[musical]

That's an interesting one! Homemade kinetic sand is new to me. I've been wanting to introduce some sandy, grainy textures for Arthur to explore, so I'll give this a shot. Thanks for sharing!

Do you usually add any essential oils or fragrance to the mix, or keep it scent-free?

The kinetic sand recipe I use is scent-free. I find that the flour and sand combination has a faint floury smell, but it's pretty subtle and goes away quickly. Some essential oils might be fun to add for a sensory experience, but I've been cautious about using them with toddlers because of the potency. I'll experiment carefully if I ever decide to introduce scents!

 

[eternity]

My 5 year old enjoyed playing with our homemade kinetic sand lately. It's such a simple activity but the texture fascinates toddlers. I just mix flour, sand, and dish soap with water to make a mouldable sand that feels almost like a slimy wet beach sand. He likes to dig and bury things too and often spends hours playing independently with his sensory play sets me up with.

That's an interesting one! Sand is always a hit with toddlers and this homemade kinetic sand seems like a fun, textured alternative to regular sandplay. I bet the dish soap makes it extra sensory-pleasing!

 

[joyful]

That's an interesting one! Homemade kinetic sand is new to me. I've been wanting to introduce some sandy, grainy textures for Arthur to explore, so I'll give this a shot. Thanks for sharing!

Do you usually add any essential oils or fragrance to the mix, or keep it scent-free?

I've not added essentials oils to the sand mixture but now that you mention it, I may try scented kinetic sand next time! Sand and lavender fragrance might be a calming combination.

I usually stick to the basics and focus on making the kinetic sand fun by adding different colored food dye. It's just a matter of experimenting with household items safely and seeing what Arthur enjoys most.

 

[sportytina]

It's wonderful how creative one can get with simple tools and resources at hand. Have you ever tried letting your kiddo paint with other interesting textures like bubblewrap or sponges? It's a fun twist to the regular painting activity. Toddler activities often don't need to be elaborate after all!

I've not tried those yet, but good suggestion! I'll definitely give it a shot as it's easy to manage and set up, and should keep my little one busy while keeping things interesting.

 

[doctormama]

Yes, toddlers can get really creative with art especially when it involves sensory play! The good thing about liquid watercolours is that they're not too expensive and a little goes a long way, perfect for some toddler fun! You might want to supervise Arthur though, as these paints can stain clothes and surfaces

close supervision is definitely needed with young toddlers like Arthur. Staining isn't so much of an issue for me as I typically prepare art activities when my daughter has her nap time, but I let her explore freely then. Messy play is the best way to learn!

 

[wellness]

My 5 year old enjoyed playing with our homemade kinetic sand lately. It's such a simple activity but the texture fascinates toddlers. I just mix flour, sand, and dish soap with water to make a mouldable sand that feels almost like a slimy wet beach sand. He likes to dig and bury things too and often spends hours playing independently with his sensory play sets me up with.

My boy is also fond of sand, especially anything with mouldable texture! He'll be thrilled to have his new play sandcastle set introduced to him soon! It comes with different shapes and a little shovel and bucket which he adores, and it's excitingly educational as well. I'm all for activities that keep them engaged and entertained, but also educate without them even realising it! Does anyone have other recommendations for hidden learning activities?

 

[nature]

The kinetic sand recipe I use is scent-free. I find that the flour and sand combination has a faint floury smell, but it's pretty subtle and goes away quickly. Some essential oils might be fun to add for a sensory experience, but I've been cautious about using them with toddlers because of the potency. I'll experiment carefully if I ever decide to introduce scents!

It is amazing how creative parents can get in providing sensory experiences for their toddlers! Do you have any other recipes or ideas up your sleeves?

 

[nature]

I've not tried those yet, but good suggestion! I'll definitely give it a shot as it's easy to manage and set up, and should keep my little one busy while keeping things interesting.

The beauty of simple toddler activities is that they can often be adapted to suit what we have available at home, and our kids' interests. Arthur will enjoy the surprise element when I bust out the bubble wrap for painting time! Thanks!

 

[doctormama]

I've not tried those yet, but good suggestion! I'll definitely give it a shot as it's easy to manage and set up, and should keep my little one busy while keeping things interesting.

Yes, variety is the spice of life - even for toddlers! Bubble wrap is a fantastic idea for some extra texture and sensory fun. I also like the idea of bringing in some nature elements like leaves or feathery twigs for added interest. Toddler duties can be so much fun when we let our imagination run wild!