Outdoor exercise is great for toddlers, but sometimes you have to take the fun inside. Whether it’s too chilly to go to the playground or you’re expecting snow, there are still plenty of fun and healthy activities you and your little one can do in the home. The following indoor activities for kids are tried and true favorites for the entire family. Some of them get the body moving, while others are creative outlets and boosters for the brain. Find the right ones to fit your child’s play style and personality. Once you discover the types of play you like, you can enjoy these activities year round and if you are looking for more ideas, check out this article
Toddlers love to dance—and the exercise is good for parents, too. You can start an instant dance party by clearing some space in your living room or your child’s bedroom. Turn on a playlist of holiday tunes, kids’ songs or uplifting instrumental beats. Make it more exciting by incorporating scarves, hats and other costume props.
If you plan on being indoors for much of the winter, you can plan family dance parties with interesting themes. Boogie to the different decades or explore a variety of genres. The goal is to get the body moving and enjoy a few laughs together!
Next time you’re at your grocery store or drugstore, grab a few bottles of unscented shaving cream. This unassuming men’s product is one of the best tools for indoor toddler play. When you’re ready to have some fun, place a beach towel, old blanket or stack of newspapers flat on the ground. Put your toddler in their highchair or let them sit directly on the towel.
Squirt several dollops of shaving cream onto their highchair tray or a rounded cookie sheet. Let them use their hands to spread the cream around. They can even use their fingers to draw on the surface. Incorporate some color by mixing the shaving cream with food coloring. Choose your child’s favorite shade or a few different options.
When it’s too cold to go to the pool, your toddler can still enjoy the water inside. Pick a few toy animals you don’t mind getting wet. The best kinds are made of waterproof materials like plastic. Fill a baby bathtub or storage container with room temperature or lukewarm water and then help your little one place them safely inside.
Squirt some of your child’s bath soap into the basin while you’re filling it up to make a fun bubble bath. Let the toy animals swim and encourage your toddler to use their imagination. Join in with them by playing pretend with the different animals. When the water gets cold, dry the toys off and drain the basin until next time.
Sensory bins let your child explore different textures and discover new objects without being outdoors. All you need to do is fill a medium-sized plastic storage bin with a filler such as uncooked rice or playground sand. The objects you place in the bin after that are entirely up to you and your child! The possibilities are endless. One idea is to place magnetic or plastic letters of the alphabet on top of the sand. Let your toddler use beach tools such as sand shovels or rakes to pick up and drop the letters. They can also use their fingers to relocate the letters among the sand. Place a beach bucket or small storage bin next to the sandbox in case they want to put the letters inside.
Other kid favorites include Easter basket grass and colorful plastic eggs, sand and aquarium rocks or colored rice with toy trucks. You can also use dry beans, birdseed or fake snow as the foundation. Autumnal gourds, feathers and packing peanuts are fun to explore. It’s also interesting for toddlers to play with cotton balls, small toy animals and seashells.
Homemade play dough is fun, safe and non-toxic. Spend one activity session making the dough and then the following ones playing with it. Start by gathering the ingredients for the DIY play dough recipe, which include kitchen essentials like all-purpose flour, kosher salt and vegetable oil. Cook the mixture according to instructions and then knead the dough until it’s smooth and pliable. Divide the dough into a few different balls and then squirt a few drops of food coloring on top. Knead the color into each ball and place each of them inside their own airtight container with a matching lid.
When your dough is ready, head to a clean table or countertop. Take out your child’s favorite colors and let them go wild! Show them how to make skinny snakes or shapes. Allow them to mix different shades or keep them separate by playing with one ball at a time. When the dough seems too dirty or dry, make a new batch and continue the fun.
If it’s super early or the sun has set, you and your toddler can use the darkness to your advantage. Grab a couple of flashlights, turn the lights off and play a game of flashlight tag. Sitting at least a few feet apart, take turns finding each other with the light. Tag each other on the chest, tummy or legs.
If your little one is scared of the dark, you can help them see with a nightlight or set of string lights. You can also play as a family. Team up by dividing your clan into pairs or triplets. Have your toddler sit next to you while your partner and older child work as a team.
When you’re itching to get out of the house, you can still plan a fun indoor activity. Search the Internet for an indoor play center for toddlers in your area. Most of them are very affordable—and many of them offer soft, safe playgrounds or jungle gyms, as well as interactive classes. You may even be able to attend a theme night or weekend dance party.
Visit for a day, invest in a winter membership or reserve a section of the gym for a play date. Some businesses even allow you to rent the entire establishment for a birthday party. Make sure everyone brings safety essentials like socks and play clothes for toddlers. Foot coverage is necessary to avoid falls. Spending time at the play center will keep your child interested and stimulated. You may even discover new ideas for having fun at home.
Discover and Explore with Fun Indoor Activities
All it takes to enjoy the indoors with your toddler is a little imagination. Take a look around your home or visit the store for a few basic items and then get busy learning and playing. By now, you’ve also learned you can explore inside while you’re away from your home. Change up the supplies and activities every so often to keep things interesting. You’ll be amazed at how much fun you can have without leaving the house or spending too much money!
