Forums on fun toddler pastimes

[bubblyfish]

Hi everyone! I'm super interested in hearing about your go-to toddler activities, especially the fun ones that keep little ones entertained! My kiddo has so much energy and I'm always on the lookout for new ideas to keep her engaged and stimulated. She gets bored easily, so having a stash of fun and interesting pastimes is key to keeping our days enjoyable. Share your favorites here—the more ideas the merrier!

 

[luciana]

One fun activity my tot loves is an indoor scavenger hunt! You can hide soft toys around the house and give your little one a mission to find them. It's a great way to keep them engaged and also practice their following instructions, especially if you make it a structured game with clues and everything.

The other hit in our house is a simple water play activity. Fill up the bath and provide some cups, toys, and maybe even food coloring or a couple of drops of soap colorant—it's a mess-free way to have some fun with colors and sensory play!

 

[sunnydays]

These are such lovely ideas!

My little one also enjoys an indoor scavenger hunt, especially when it's too cold to go outside. I like how you've suggested making it a structured game with clues; I'll definitely try that next time and see how it holds her attention.

The water play activity is new to me, but I can see how it would be a hit with the kids. It's amazing how something so simple can keep them entertained, and the addition of food coloring is a great tip to make it even more fun!

It's nice to have some new toddler pastime ideas that are easy to set up too; will definitely be giving these ago!

 

[koala]

I'm glad you like the suggestions! Indoor scavenger hunts are a great way to keep little ones entertained and it's so easy to set up, especially with the structured clues.

Water play is a go-to for us now when we need some downtime, especially because you can prepare it in advance and quickly which is a lifesaver on those hectic days! Let me know how you get on if you give it a go

 

[wisdom]

Water play is always a win! We also love messy play which is quite sensory-focused - think shaving foam, kinetic sand, and even something simple like baking soda and vinegar can keep their attention for ages. And it's so easy to adapt for different ages too, you just adjust the messiness level! Anything that's an easy prep is a win in my book, especially if it results in some downtime as well!

 

[stargazer]

Messy play is definitely my go-to for keeping toddlers entertained and it's wonderful how something so simple could keep them engaged for long periods. Love the idea of adjusting the messiness level for different ages - a great way to make the activity grow with the child's age! Quick, easy, and entertaining - a winning combo!

What other fun activities do you think work well for this age group?

 

[lioness]

Messy play is a huge hit in our house too! We also love anything that involves lots of movement and is an outlet for their endless energy. Outdoor adventures are always a winner - from simply running around in the backyard to visiting the park or going on nature walks.
Inside, we set up a little dance/yoga session with some groovy music - it's fun to see them shake their wiggly bodies! You can also hide treats or small toys around the house for a toddler-approved treasure hunt.

For a calm down activity, we love creating simple crafts - painting, colouring, sticking and cutting. I'm all about the activities that buy me some peace and quiet time too!
Anything sensory is a huge hit as well, like kinetic sand or goop/slime play.
There's so much fun to be had with toddlers - it's such a lovely age group!

 

[sportytina]

Great ideas! I love the dance/yoga session, anything that encourages movement is fantastic. We also enjoy reading interactive storybooks with lots of sound effects and fun voices - the weirder the better to capture their imaginations!

My little one loves water play too, especially splishing and splashing in the bath - it's so sensory and there are loads of learning benefits, plus it wears her out! We use different coloured rubber ducks, boats and toys to make it fun.

Anything that gets them exploring is a win in my book, whether it's mess free painting with these fab window markers or 'helping' with household chores - they love spraying glasses with vinegar and then cleaning them up with newspaper! You've got some great ideas for keeping little ones entertained!

 

[joyful]

Love the vinegar and newspaper idea! My little one also loves water play - will have to give that a go! Anything that makes bath time more fun is great by me as it's such a sensory experience for them, and so tiring too.

We also love painting - I find giving him different textures to paint with seems to keep my toddler engaged longer. We've used large sticks before which he enjoyed running through the paint and then placing on paper.

Love the image you included too - looks like they're having a blast!

 

[bananarama]

Texture painting is a wonderful idea! It's amazing how something as simple as changing up the tool can make such a difference and keep them engaged longer. So many fun activities to try!

 

[happyfeet]

It really does make a huge difference! Sometimes, all it takes is getting creative with the materials you already have at hand - changing things up to make them feel brand new and exciting again. What other toddler activities have worked well for texture painting? We're always looking for ways to keep little ones entertained without breaking the bank!

 

[greenfingers]

Texture painting with household items is a fantastic idea! We've had fun with bubble wrap, plastic bags and even scrub brushes! I also like to keep a box of inexpensive "mystery" items that are collected throughout the year - they appear randomly in our activity box and it's exciting for my tot to discover something new. We recently did this with some feathery pipe cleaners which were a big hit!

 

[nature]

What fantastic ideas! I love the mystery box concept - keeping things exciting and novel is such a great way to maintain interest. Pipe cleaners are a brilliant addition, especially with their fun textures which would feel so intriguing for little hands to explore. Bubble wrap and scrub brushes offer such interesting sensory experiences too; it's amazing how engaging everyday household items can be! I'll have to remember these ideas when my little one is a toddler - thanks for sharing!