Indoor Activities
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Enjoy the warmth of indoor bonding with your toddler as the cold weather sets in! When the temperatures drop, it’s the perfect time to engage in enriching actvitities that not only keep your little one entertained but also foster a world of learning.
From imaginative play to sensory exploration, I’ve created a listed to stimulate your toddlers curisority and promote valuable educational experiences.
Let the chilly days outside be the perfect backdrop for cozy, educational adventures indoors!
Monster Color Matching (Visual Perception Skill)
Prep: You can cut out your own clipart, make it as easy as a circle or if you have one its the perfect time to put it in use- your Cricut and cut out a monster out of each color of construction paper. Prep Time: 10 Minutes.
- Save the cutout outline and place them into a container then arrange all the monsters on a tray.
How We Play: Show your child the monster tray and invite them to carry it over to your worktable.
Step 1: Pick up a monster and tell your child you are going to match it with the cutout. (They may suggest the answer, if so ask them if they would like a turn)
Then: Your toddler can take the cutout and match it to the correct color – TIP: If they don’t get the color correct, try to avoid correcting them in the moment – instead observe, see if they correct the color and if not start with that color first the next time you play!
Lastly: Have your toddler return all the materials to where they belong.
rEADING & painting:
2. Homemade Playdough
We make our own playdough because its cheap, and fun to make together!
4 Ingredients: 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup baking soda and 3/4 cup water and food coloring. We put our playdough into a tuber ware container to use for later.
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- In a pan without heat, add the cornstarch, baking soda, water and stir.
- Turn heat to medium.
- Start stirring the mix constantly, it will start to bubble/turn into a solid. Once a ball starts forming in about 5 minutes take pan off the heat.
- Now that your dough is hot, be careful but place your dough onto a silicone surface and knead it until it starts cooling.
- Then you can add in your food coloring and that’s it! Super easy and quick.
How We Play:
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- Let your toddler use a rolling pin and cookie cutters. They can cut out all sorts of fun shapes and animals.
- Animal foot print stamps are a win! Our toddler will make the sounds or imitate the animals as he smashes them down.
- Smash the playdough with kitchen utensils – spoon, fork, potato masher, or a whisk. Get this wooden kitchen set, they will be able to practice their cutting skills too.
- Teach them how to roll the playdough into little balls, we then put a hot wheels track on a incline and roll the balls down the track. That keeps him entertained and we come up with creative ways to make the track inclined.
3. Homemade Kinetic Sand
It’s very easy to make. Mix 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of coconut oil and add in the food coloring.
Make sure to knead out any balls that may form and place the sand in an air tight container.
How We Play:
- We bought this sand castle kit. It has everything you’ll want for sand playing.
- Pushes his cars and construction trucks through the sand.
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4. Oobleck, AKA Magic Mud
I love this stuff – from Dr. Seuss’s 1949 children’s book, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, It follows the adventures of a young boy named Bartholomew Cubbins, who must rescue his kingdom from a sticky green substance called oobleck.
Its a fluid consistency that temporarily thickens when a force is applied.
How To make:
- Add about 5 drops of food coloring to 1/2 cup of water if you want color. Add the food coloring to the water before adding it to the cornstarch, it will help distribute it evenly.
- Once you are ready, stir 1/2 cup of water into the cornstarch. To test out the oobleck try to form a ball, if you aren’t able to then add more cornstarch.
If it isn’t runny like a liquid when picked up, it is too thick. Add more water.
To store the oobleck, put it in an airtight container. Do not throw it in the sink, it will clog your drain – throw it in the trash. - Prepare for a mess by laying down a plastic table cloth.
How We Play:
- Grab some containers and pour the oobleck. This can get pretty messy but just prep the area and prepare for the fun!
5. Pom-Poms
We use these pom-poms because their larger so I feel like its less tempting to put in his mouth, they come in a reusable bag and there are plenty for any activity.
How We Play:
- Cut a few holes in the top of a yogurt container and have your toddler push them through the holes.
- Scooping the pom-poms up with a plastic shovel.
- Pouring the pom-poms into other containers.
6.Our little one loves this musical set. Although, we lost one maraca down the toilet, so be careful of that!
7.This is a great little game, the prompts are fun, game play and duration is quick, and the parts of the game included are durable, cute and easy to clean up!
After reading this book, my little guy was all about getting outside and collecting bugs! Even in the rain.
Very fun and easy to create other games on the windows. Plus easy clean up!
My toddler loves pouring beans, water, pretty much anything into other containers. This helps with fine motor skills and keeps them entertained for a while!
We love this pretend sink. My toddler loves to help with the dishes in the regular sink so when we don’t have dishes he can always play with this sink. He really enjoys cutting the veggies and cleaning the plates with the running water. Its easy clean up too after play is done.
11. Melting Ice Cubes
Mix food coloring in the ice cube tray and put multiple colors together into a zip lock baggie. We use silicone dinosaurs and star ice cube trays.
This is entertaining for them to see the colors blend together and we also work on naming the colors that we put in the bag.
12. Shape Sorter
Take a box and cut out shapes with an exacto knife. You can either use the cut out pieces from the cardboard, cut other shapes out of colored paper or use wooden blocks if you have them in those shapes. This helps your tot learn their shapes, colors and they have fun putting things into one other things.
13. Sheet Forts
Sounds simple enough, take some sheets and drape them over your furniture. I threw some books in there and a flash light and he thought it was the most fun!
14. Container Fun (practice opening containers)
Put random objects into tuber ware, old tins and different bins we can find laying around.
15. Masking Tape Roads (Strength/agility skill)
We created roadways for his car and decorated the surrounding areas with his plastic animals, and toy people.
Remember that these indoor activities are not just about keeping your toddler busy; but moments of growth, laughter and bonding.
Embrace the mess, cherish the giggles and savor the joy of discovery as you explore the wonderful world of toddlerhood indoors.
Happy playing!
should you start a blog?
