activities for toddlers

99 Fun & Easy Activities for Toddlers to Stay Busy at Home

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Toddlers might be easily entertained, but they also have a short attention span. So keeping them entertained for very long takes a lot of work! We have compiled a list of 99 different activities for toddlers that they can do from home with things you probably already have at home. 

All of these activities are excellent for toddlers and preschoolers. They are easy to set up and clean up and require minimal adult involvement, for the most part. We hope your child enjoys these fun activities. 

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In this article, you will find:

  • Outdoor Activities
  • Independent Play Activities
  • Interactive Activities
  • Educational Activities
  • Arts & Crafts 
  • Holiday & Seasonal Activities

Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

toddler playing

1. Fun With a Tub of Water

Set a tub of water in the backyard and fill it with plastic cups, funnels, sponges, sieves, etc.  You can add a little dish soap so they can wash their plastic toys or blocks for added fun.  The child has fun while you get a cleaning chore done!

2. Paint With Water

Fill a bucket with water and give your child a paintbrush.  They can practice writing their letters and numbers or just paint the sidewalk. The sun acts as the eraser!

3. Magnifying Glass Fun

Toddlers love looking closely at things.  Layout a blanket on the grass and give them a magnifying glass so they can look closely at the blades of grass or a bug creeping by.

4. Shadow Art

On a sunny day, have your toddler stand on the sidewalk or driveway.  Then you or an older child can trace the toddler’s shadow with chalk!  The ‘art’ can come out very amusing!  What other objects’ shadows can you find around the house for them to trace?

5. Make a “Kite”

Have the child decorate a lunch bag, then staple a couple of crepe paper streamers to the bottom of the bag.  Attach a 3 feet length of string to the open end of the bag to form a long handle. The kite will fill with air and float behind your child when they hold onto the string and run.

If you’re looking for a high-quality toddler scooter, check out this Micro Mini Scooter review! This scooter is a great outdoor activity for young kids.

Independent Play Activities for Toddlers

toddler playing

6. Open the Mail

Instead of throwing out junk mail, let your child open it. Opening an envelope develops motor skills, and your child will love anticipating what is inside- hopefully, a colorful ad with lots of pictures!

7. Pull Out the Tissues

For a big treat, give your child their very own box of tissues.  Pulling each tissue out one by one will be tons of fun to fill the day.

8. Stack Measuring Cups

Plastic measuring cups that fit inside each other are a fun alternative concept toy to teaching size.

9. Eyedropper Fun

An eyedropper and some colorful liquid can keep your child entertained for quite a while.  Plus, squeezing the eyedropper develops strength in their fingers and hands to hold a pencil. 

10. Bring on the Stickers

Children, especially toddlers, love stickers!  Give them a page or two to practice taking off and sticking onto other pieces of paper for a time-consuming activity.

11. Easy Clean Up Fingerpainting

Finger painting doesn’t have to be messy!  Put 3 or 4 tablespoons of chocolate pudding OR 3 or 4 tablespoons of fingerpaint into separate Ziplock baggies.  Be sure the baggie is zipped up tight, and have your child push the pudding or paint around in the baggie without getting it on their fingers. A bonus is you can take the baggies while you are out and about to help entertain your toddler!

12. Endless Fun With a Balloon

There are tons of ways to stay busy with a balloon! Here are a few: 

  • Have the child put it between their knees and try to walk across the room without dropping it.  
  • Try to keep it airborne for as long as possible.
  • Tie a string on it and see if the child can punch the balloon while holding onto the string.
  • Add an empty paper towel roll and play a safe game of baseball.
  • Have the child try to pop it by sitting on it.
  • Put two tablespoons of rice in a balloon before blowing it up, then shake it to make a fun sound.

13. Tossing Skills

Sharpen your toddler’s tossing skills by lining up three clay flower pots or any other containers that do not tip over easily.  Have the child stand at one end of the pots and try to toss a ping-pong ball or bean bag into each pot.  Then have the child try tossing embroidery hoops over the leg of an overturned stool or some other homemade ring toss!

14. Pop Goes the Bubble Wrap

Save sheets of clear plastic air bubbles used for packing large appliances or fragile items. Lay a sheet of ‘bubbles’ on the floor and let your toddler jump on it! Jumping is a good exercise, and they will love the popping sound it makes!

15. Stack It Up

Toddlers love to see how high they can stack things!  Some suggestions are empty shoe boxes, checkers, blocks or empty butter containers, or other Tupperware.

16. Dress-Up

Keep a box of ‘grown-up’ clothes, shoes, and jewelry around for playing dress-up.  Hats seem to amuse toddlers the most!

17. Unwind the Thread

When you clean out your sewing basket or when you are at a craft supply store, remember that preschoolers can have a wonderful time unwinding a spool of thread!

18. Folding Fan Fun

Have a toddler color a design on a piece of paper, then teach them how to fold it back and forth into a fan.  Folding is good practice for a preschooler or toddler.

19. Look at the Cute Baby

Let your child look through baby magazines.  Most toddlers are fascinated with pictures of other small children and especially babies.  Pediatricians’ offices usually have samples of baby magazines, so pick up a few at each appointment.

20. Baby Pictures

Show your older toddler or preschooler baby pictures of themself and, if possible, of yourself!  Children find this great fun, and it promotes the concepts of change and growth.

–> A really great toddler activity is jumping on trampolines! Check out these indoor/outdoor toddler trampolines! These require minimal supervision, and they are a great way to help your kids get in some physical activity.

Interactive Activities for Toddlers

toddler activities

21. “Kitchen Play”

Let your toddler explore the kitchen!  You’ll need measuring cups, bowls, spoons, etc.  Pour water, then pour and mix dry foods, such as beans, rice, popcorn.  Sprinkle cinnamon on apple slices and squeeze oranges.  Then get your camera ready and let them sift flour!  It’s a little messy but oh so fun and teaching your preschooler how to dump, mix, squeeze, etc.

22. “Restaurant Play”  

Give the child empty food containers (milk carton, egg carton, pancake box, butter tub, etc.) along with paper plates, plastic spoons, and cups.  Get all of the stuffed animals or dolls gathered around the table or blanket.  Your toddler has the perfect setup to ‘cook’ for his favorite friends.  For a real treat, add popped popcorn, Cheerios, or goldfish to “cook” with.  Watch and be amazed at how much your child talks and copies what they’ve seen you do in the kitchen!

23. Decorating Fun

If you have cake icing tools at home, decorating cupcakes or graham crackers is a lot of fun for toddlers. Spread icing on a large cookie and let the child make a smiley face on it with raisins, Life Savers, sprinkles, string licorice, etc.

24. Meal Time Placement Prep

Create a positive attitude toward mealtime by having your toddler make themself a placemat for any meal.  Use a piece of colored construction paper for the background.  For an ‘everyday’ placemat, cut out a circle for the plate and have the child glue it to the center of the paper.  Glue a real napkin to the left of the plate (cut it smaller if needed). Then glue a paper spoon and fork in the correct places and a smaller circle at the top right to show the child where the cup should go. Then cover the entire front and back of the placemat with clear contact paper or lamination so it can be wiped clean when necessary!  Another variation could be making holiday placemats and decorating with seasonal colors, stickers, or other decorations.

25. Soap Bubbles

Simply mix a solution of ½ dishwashing liquid and ½ water in a plastic cup.  Use an old Easter egg dipper or bubble wand as the bubble blower.  Dip the egg dipper or bubble want in the solution, then hold it up and blow!  Endless hours of fun with cheap bubbles!

26. Indoor Snowball Fight

Simply give each child a piece of white tissue paper and have them wad it up into a ‘snowball.’  Say, ‘ready, set, go!’ and let the safe fight begin!

27. Shoe Box Relay

Have a shoebox relay game!  Have two toddlers stand in empty shoe boxes.  (If more than two children make up teams.)  Say ‘Go!’ and have the children shuffle across the room with their feet in the shoeboxes.  The first one to the finish line wins! This is a great exercise and lots of fun!

28. Play the Popcorn Game!  

Have 4-6 toddlers stand in a circle and hold on to the edge of a round tablecloth or old sheet cut into a circle.  This is the popcorn ‘popper.’  Drop several soft, lightweight things on the tablecloth such as Nerf balls, yarn balls from old winter hats, or even small stuffed animals.  This is the ‘popcorn.’  Say ‘Go!’ and have the children move their arms up and down very quickly to ‘pop’ the “popcorn”!  Continue until all of the items have popped off the tablecloth. Toddlers and preschoolers love to do this, and it helps them release energy!

29. Flashlight Tag

With two or more toddlers, give each child a flashlight and turn out the lights. Take turns being ‘it.’  Whoever is ‘it’ must try to touch the other circles of light with their circle of light.

30. Hot & Cold

Hide an object and guide the child by saying ‘hot’ if the child is near the object and ‘cold’ if far away from it.  As the child moves about the room, say ‘hotter’ or ‘colder’ until they find the object. This game also helps children earn to follow directions!

31. Handmade Toy

Help your toddler make a toy out of an empty toilet paper roll!  First clever the roll with construction paper and decorate.  Next, tie one end of an 18” piece of yarn around a jumbo cotton ball.  Squeeze a 4” square piece of aluminum foil around the cotton ball. Put the other end of the yarn through a hole punched near one end of the roll and tie a knot. Have the child hold the ‘toy’ in front of them with the ball hanging down.  Instruct the child to try to swing the silver ball up and down into the roll!  Once it’s made, your toddler can play over and over!

32. Let’s Go on a Fishing Trip!

Have your child paint an empty paper towel roll and let it dry.  Attach a piece of yarn to the pole for the fishing line.  Attach a small magnet to the other end of the yarn.  Put a paper clip on a paper fish shape and you’re all set to go fishing!  Have the child ‘fish’ using their pole by dangling the fishing line right over the first.  The magnet will stick to the paper clip on the fish when they ‘catch’ the fish!

33. Toddler Parade

Toddlers and preschoolers love parades!  Let your child march with a baton throughout the house or backyard!  Decorate an empty paper towel roll by stapling several 12” strips of crepe paper to each end of the roll.  Then cut each strip into thirds up to where it is attached.  Scrunch the crepe paper into your fingers to make it look fuller.  Your child will love holding the ‘baton’ and shaking the streamers!

–> If you are looking for more activities for your toddlers, check out Hands On As We Grow! They have a ton of easy, pre-planned activities for kids of different ages. This is great if you homeschool, or if you’re just looking to help your kids be more hands-on and exercise their minds!

Educational Activities for Toddlers

educational activities for toddlers

34. Ice & Water Experiements

A melting ice cube on a highchair tray or in a plastic toy will fascinate your child until it’s gone! Or give them a bowl of warm water and a bowl of cold water and have them see which ice cube melts first.  It’s a great way to teach about solids and liquids!

35. Write Your Name

What could be more personal to a child than their name?  Teaching a toddler or preschooler to print all or part of their name gives the child a feeling of accomplishment.  If possible, have the child use a jumbo-sized crayon or marker as they are easy for little fingers to control.  

36. Plant Seeds in Egg Cartons

Fill the sections of an empty egg carton with potting soil.  Have the child poke a hole in the soil of each section with their finger.  Put one seed (any kind- beans, pumpkin, flower, etc.) in each hole.  Let the child keep the seeds watered and see if anything grows. Extension- Plant it in a bigger pot or an outside garden with your child after the seed has sprouted and been growing for a week or two.  Now the fun continues throughout the summer.

37. Grassy Friend

Fill a styrofoam cup with dirt.  Have your child decorate one side of the cup with facial features.  Then plant grass seed in the cut.  Keep it watered and in a few days, the ‘cup face’ will be growing ‘hair’!  They can practice their scissor skills and cut their plant’s ‘hair’ every week!

38. Grow Roots Grow!

Watch roots grow!  Fold a wet paper towel so that one end is folded up about 1 inch.  Put 4 or 5 popcorn kernels in the fold and put the paper towel in a ziplock baggie.  In about three days, roots will begin to appear!

39. Pop Bottle Terrarium

A terrarium can be made from an empty two-liter plastic bottle. Using an empty two-liter plastic pop bottle, cut the bottle so one-third of the bottle is on the bottom, and two-thirds is on the top.  Fill the bottom of the bottle and fill it with soil, rocks, and a plant.  Water the plant well, then put the top of the bottle back on and tape around the seam between the bottom and the top.  The plant will continue to be watered inside the terrarium.

40. Magnet Fun

Help your cold draw a road on a piece of paper.  Then slip the paper between 2 attractive magnets.  Holding onto the bottom magnet, the child can move the top one along the road.  This is a great activity to teach eye-hand coordination.

41. Bird Watching

Wash out a milk carton and cut a hole in one side.  Fill the ‘bird feeder’ with birdseed or bread crumbs and hang it from a tree branch near a window if possible so the child can watch the birds at any time.

42. Make a Bird Feeder

A bird feeder can also be made by covering an empty paper towel roll or pinecone with peanut butter or any type of nut butter.  Then have your child roll it in birdseed.  Attach a yarn handle on one end.  Be sure to hang it so the birds can reach it while standing on a branch!

43. Colorful Piggy Banks

Toddlers love to drop coins into a piggy bank.  Make a ‘color bank’ to teach your child colors!  Simply cut a coin slot in the top of an empty butter or cottage cheese container. Then cut several ‘coins’ the size of a quarter out of colored folders or poster board.  Associate the coin’s color with an object as they drop the particular color into the ‘color bank.’  For example: “red like an apple.” “Orange like a pumpkin,” etc.

44. Lollipop Colors Game

Play this lollipop game to teach your child colors.  Cut out colored circles the size of a jar lid and glue them onto Popsicle sticks or straws to make lollipops.  Hold up one lollipop at a time and say to your child: 

“Child’s name wants a lollipop, 

They’re as yummy as can be.  

I will let you hold it, 

If it’s the color, you tell me!”  

Toddlers love holding the lollipops, so they tend to learn the colors quickly!

45. The Hungry Pumpkin Game

Play ‘The Hungry Pumpkin’ to teach shapes and colors!  Put a plastic trick-or-treat pumpkin and an assortment of different colored circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles in front of your toddler.  Say to your child: 

“Oh, Child’s name, I’m hungry, 

I need something to eat.  

Please feed me a color shape, 

For my treat!”  

Ask for a different colored shape each time.  If the child picks out the correct one, they can feed the hungry pumpkin by putting it through the hole in the top. Toddlers love this game!

46. Match the Shapes

Have your child practice matching shapes.  Cut several shapes out of colored construction paper.  Trace all shapes onto one white sheet of paper and place it in front of your child.  Then give them the colored shapes and see if they match them to those on the white paper.

47. Classification Practice

Classify things by shape, color, or type!  Have your child sort pieces of cereal (use cereal that contains different colors or shapes) into a cupcake tin either by its color or by its shape.  Then have your child sort coins by their type.  You can repeat this activity with buttons, toys, etc.

48. Cut Out The…

Give your toddler a magazine, the grocery ads work great too, and child-proof scissors.  (Remind your child to ‘keep thumb facing up to the ceiling’ while cutting.  You can even put a marker dot on their thumb as a reminder.)  Choose a category such as red things, blue things, things that begin with the letter B, etc.  Have the child cut out several pictures in a category and then paste them onto a piece of paper.  Great cutting and gluing practice as well as thinking exercise!

49. Will it Sink or Float?

Have your child drop household items such as carrots, corks, paper clips, erasers, nuts, sponges or blocks, etc., into a tub of water or in the kitchen sink. Can your child predict whether the item will sink or float before they drop it in the water!  How many can they guess, right?

50. Five Senses- Sight

It’s never too early to make a toddler aware of their five senses!  Explain how sight is one of our senses.  We use our eyes to see things.  Then play ‘What’s Missing?’  Place 4 or 5 objects in front of your child and allow them to study them briefly.  Then have the child cover their eyes while you remove one object.  See if the child can tell you which object is missing.

51. Five Senses- Smell

Explain how smell is one of our senses.   We use our noses to smell with.  Then play a smelling game.  Put several different ‘smells’ in a piece of cotton so your toddler can’t peak!  Hold each container under your toddler’s nose and see if they can guess what it is!  Some smells: candy cane, playdough, coffee, soap, cinnamon, banana, apple, peanut butter, etc.

52. Five Senses- Touch

Explain how touch is one of our senses: We use our hands and fingers primarily to feel things. Then develop your toddler’s sense of touch and curiosity by playing a feeling game!  Place an everyday object in a pillowcase and see if the child can guess what it is simply by feeling it!

53. Five Senses- Taste

Explain how taste is one of our senses.  We use our tongues to taste our food.  Then play a tasting game!  Either blindfold your toddler or have your child close their eyes.  Then put small pieces of different foods in the child’s mouth.  See if the child can guess what they are.  Possible food options are apple, cracker, popcorn, cheerio, pineapple, banana, etc.  To make the game more challenging, have the child hold their nose!  Point out that it is more difficult to taste our food without sight and smell!

54. Five Senses- Hearing

Explain how hearing is one of our senses.  We use our ears to hear with.  Then play a hearing game!  One at a time, put several ‘sounds’ in a shoebox.  Shake the box and see if your child can guess what’s inside just by hearing it!  Possible objects to use are jingle bells, woodblocks, marbles, pennies, cotton balls, etc.

–> If you are looking for more activities for your toddlers, check out Hands On As We Grow! They have a ton of easy, pre-planned activities for kids of different ages. This is great if you homeschool, or if you’re just looking to help your kids be more hands-on and exercise their minds!

Arts and Crafts for Toddlers

toddler crafts

55. Homemade Playdough

Make this Homemade Playdough for an endless supply of playdough fun! Here’s a recipe we like: Mix 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt, two teaspoons of cream of tartar, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan.  Cook over low heat and continually stir until a ball forms and pulls from the sides of the pan.  Remove the dough ball from the pan and place it on a cutting board or clean counter to cool slightly. When cool enough to touch, knead until soft.  Break apart smaller chunks and knead in food coloring to each chunk for multiple colors.  Store dough in airtight baggies.  A few cookie cutters and soda straws for poking can make playdough even more fun!

56. Homemade Modeling Clay

Toddlers also love playing with modeling clay!  Mix 1 cup of cornstarch, a one-pound box of baking soda, and ¼ cup of water in a pan.  Cook to mashed potatoes consistency.  Remove pan from heat to cool.  When cool enough to touch, knead until soft.  Break apart smaller chunks and knead in food coloring to each chunk for multiple colors.  Store clay in airtight baggies.   

57. Home Fingerpaints

Make homemade ‘fingerpaints for your toddler or preschooler.  Boil 3 cups of water in the top bowl of a double boiler.  Add ½ cup sugar and 1 cup flour and stir until hot.  Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of boric acid powder and liquid cloves as a preservative.  Add food coloring to tint and store in airtight containers.

58. Sponge Painting

Painting with a sponge is a lot of fun for toddlers!  Cut a household sponge into simple shapes.  For example, a heart, shamrock, Christmas tree, etc.  Have the child dab the sponge in some paint and then onto paper.

59. Cardboard Instruments 

An empty paper towel and an oatmeal box can make a drum authentic enough for a toddler yet soft enough for grown-up ears.  Cardboard guitars using rubberbands also make for a fun instrument to play.

60. Homemade Tambourine

Make a tambourine simply by putting Cheerios or dried beans between two paper plates and stapling them together all the way around.  Let your child decorate the plates with crayons, markers, etc.  Now they can shake and play with their tambourine all day!

61. Trace Your Hand

Children love tracing their own hands with a crayon.  You may even want to show the child how to transform this figure into a turkey.  This simple work of art will usually bring a sense of pride as the child feels like they made a ‘good’ picture!

62. Scribble Art

Show your preschooler how to make a “scribble” design.  Have them scribble on white paper with a crayon, using big circular motions to form loops.  Then the child can fill in each loop with a different color.  The results can be very pretty. 

63. Introduce Sewing 

Use a hole punch to punch holes in a piece of lightweight cardboard.  Wrap a small piece of masking tape around one end of a strand of yarn or a shoelace- this is the needle.  Teach the toddler how to poke the ‘needle’ in and out of the holes to ‘sew’ a pattern!  This activity is great for good eye-hand coordination, and it’s lots of fun! 

64. Make a Puzzle

Have the child select a full-page picture from a magazine or print off a full-page picture.  Glue it to construction paper or lightweight cardboard.  Then cut the picture into 6 or 8 pieces.  See if the child can put it back together again!  Depending on the age of your child, you can make the puzzle pieces more difficult.

65. Introduce Braiding

Tie three long strands of think yarn or cloth together and loop them over a doorknob.  Instruct your child to bring the left strand over the center strand, then the right strand over the center strand.  Continue to alternate until a long braid is made.  When they are ready, they can practice on a doll’s hair, or better yet, your hair!

66. Handprint Art

Your child’s handprints are something you’ll treasure forever!  Simply cover your child’s palms with white paint and press them onto a piece of colored paper or use colored paint and press them on white paper.

67. Handmade Puppet Show Stage

Before you throw out that huge box the new washer or TV came in, cut out a window towards the top of one side to make a stage for a puppet show!  The child can hide inside and make the puppets move in the window.  Puppet Shows encourage toddlers to use their imagination and allow them to express their feelings.

68. Paperbag Puppets

A puppet can be made from a lunch sack.  Keep it flat and draw a face on the bottom of the sack or paste a face out of construction paper on the bottom.  The child can put their hand in the sack and move their fingers up and down to make the puppet talk.

69. Sock Puppets

Two large buttons- for eyes- sewn on an old sock or a mitt style pot holder create lovely puppets!  You can draw a mouth on the sock puppet with a marker or sew a felt tongue inside the mitt to add character.

70. Cardboard Puppets

Puppets can also be made by cutting characters out of cardboard or paper and taping them on soda straws.  The child can hold onto the bottom of the straw and make the characters move around! 

71. Make a ‘Baggie Book’

Staple 5 or 6 Ziplock baggies together at the bottom, opposite where you zip them closed.  Open the baggies and insert pages your child has made, then ziplock the baggies closed.  Pages can be made by cutting construction paper the size of the baggies and having the child draw pictures on them or having the child cut out pictures from magazines and pasting them on the pages.

72. Rice Art

Dye uncooked rice in several different colors.  (For each color, soak a cup of rice in a bowl of water.  Three tablespoons of vinegar and several drops of food coloring for about 5 minutes.  Drain well, then spread rice on paper towels to dry overnight.)  Draw or trace a large simple picture on cardboard.  If you drew a picture of a large flower, first cover the stem only with glue and give your child green rice to cover the glue with.  Then shake off excess rice over a trash can.  Next, cover the center of the flower with glue and give your child yellow rice, etc.  Toddlers love doing this, and the picture always turns out great!

73. Veggie Prints

Have your child dip the ends of several vegetables into paint and then press them onto a piece of white paper.  You might try a potato with a shape carved in it, celery, green pepper cut in half, carrot, etc.

74. Spaghetti Pictures

Boil some spaghetti until it is just limber, and let your child make a picture or design with it on colored construction paper.  The spaghetti sticks to the paper when dry!

75. Modern Art Creation

Introduce your toddler to modern art by having them glue colored sequins, macaroni, buttons, Cheerios, soda straws cut into short segments, pieces of yarn, etc., onto a piece of paper.  This gives the child a chance to be creative while working with different shapes and textures.

76. Tissue Paper Picture

Cut different colors of tissue paper into small 1” squares.  Have the child scrunch the squares into little balls and glue the balls onto a picture.  The result is very pretty and has a nice texture.

77. Ocean Picture

Glue decorated fish shapes onto a styrofoam meat tray or sturdy cardboard piece.  And Cheerios for bubbles and green pipe cleaners for seaweed.  Glue blue paper at the bottom for water.  Then cover the entire meat tray with clear plastic wrap to give the picture a ‘wet’ look. 

78. Macaroni Bracelets and Necklaces

Dye one cup of macaroni by putting it in a bowl with two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and several drops of food coloring.  Stir, drain, and dry overnight on paper towels.  Make several colors.  Show your child how to string the macaroni on a piece of yarn by tying a bobby pin on one end of the yarn to serve as the needle.  When the yarn is almost full, take off the bobbi pin and tie the ends of the yarn in a knot to make a necklace.  Cheerios and Fruitloops are another fun alternative to this activity.

79. Kleenex Flower

Fold a tissue in half and then fold like a fan. Twist a pipe cleaner around the middle.  Trim the closed end of the tissue off with scissors, then gently pull each layer of tissue (one at a time) up the center.  You can spray the flower with perfume to make it smell nice!

80. Homemade Bookends

Make bookends for your child’s library books!  Cover two coffee cans with construction paper and have your child decorate them. Then fill the cans with rocks (for weight) and put the lids back on!

–> If you’re going to be starting potty training with your toddler any time soon, don’t forget to grab our printable potty training chart!

Holiday and Seasonal Activities for Toddlers

holiday activities

81. Monthly Calendar

Help your preschooler make a calendar each month.  First, tape two pieces of the same color of construction paper together.  Then draw or print a calendar on the bottom half and have the child decorate the top half according to what month it is.  

Suggestions: 

January- Snowman

February- Valentines 

March- Shamrocks

April- Easter Bunny

May- Flowers

June- Sailboats

July- Flag/Fireworks

August- Sunshine/School

September- Fall Leaves

October- Jack O’Lantern

November- Thanksgiving Turkey

December- Christmas Tree

Mark special occasions such as holidays, zoo trips, library days, etc., then point out how many days or weeks away the event is.  The calendar will help teach the child the concept of time, the names of the months, and the days of the week.

82. Holiday BINGO

Play holiday ‘BINGO’ with your toddler!  Cut a ‘shape’ out of construction paper and use seasonal candy for the ‘markers.’  On the shape, draw 7 or 8 circles the size of a quarter.  Write either number (below 10) or capital letters (perhaps use letters in the child’s name) in the circles.  As you call out a number o letter, have the child put a ‘marker’ on the correct circle.  When all circles are full, the child ‘wins’!

Suggestions:

Holiday Shape     Marker

Halloween Pumpkin     Candy corn or popcorn

Valentine’s Heart     Candy hearts or kisses

Christmas X-mas Tree     Peppermint circles

Easter Egg (oval)     Chocolate eggs or jelly beans

83. Valentine’s Holder

Make a Valentine holder out of 2 paper plates.  Cut one in half, throw half away.  Hold inverted plates together with bottoms lined up.  Punch holes with a hole punch through both plates all the way around the bottom semicircle.  Lace plates together with red or pink yarn. Decorate plates with paper hearts or cut a heart shape out of a potato.  Dip in red or pink paint and then on the holder.  Write your child’s name on the holder, then hang it on the child’s door.  Soon after, deliver a Valentine to your child!

84. Heart People Craft

For Valentine’s Day, your child can make ‘heart people.’  Cut several pink and red hearts (different sizes) from construction paper.  Have the child assemble a ‘heart person’ by gluing the hearts onto a piece of white paper in the form of a person.  The child can add facial features with crayons and markers.

85. ‘March Winds’ Windsock

Teach your child about ‘March Winds’ and make a windsock.  Have the child decorate a 2”x15” strip of tagboard, then staple it to form a hoop.  Attach streamers of crepe paper around the bottom of the hoop and a yarn handle to the top of the hoop.  The child can hang the windsock outside and see which direction the wind is blowing!

86. Easter Egg Rattle

Fill a plastic Easter egg with jelly beans or popcorn and tape the egg along the seam.  (Transparent eggs make for a colorful show.)  It serves as either a rattle or a maraca!

87. Easter Bunny Mask

Using a paper plate, cut out the bunny’s eyes and nose.  Glue on pink ears and use pipe cleaners for the whiskers.

88. Easter Chicks

Make an Easter chick by gluing two large yellow pom-pom balls into a single section cut from an egg carton.  Decorate the top cotton ball with two black eyes and an orange beak cut from construction paper.  This can be done using other colored cotton balls to make a colorful chick family.

89. Homemade Easter Baskets

Easter baskets can be made from cherry tomato or strawberry baskets using a pipe cleaner for the handle.  Glue a paper bunny face on the side of the basket and a cotton ball on the opposite side for the tail.  Fill with grass and jelly beans.

90. Homemade Easter Egg Dye

Here’s a recipe for homemade Easter egg dye!  For each color, mix ½ cup hot water, one teaspoon vinegar, and 20 drops of food coloring in a mug or plastic cup.  Dip hard-boiled eggs in cups while still warm.  For darker eggs, leave eggs in longer.

91. Spring Flowers

Make a beautiful spring flower!  Cut colored tissue paper into small squares.  Draw a stem and two leaves on a piece of construction paper.  Have the child glue pieces of tissue paper above the stem to form a flower.  To make a daffodil, glue a paper cupcake mold in the center.

92. Happy/Sad Pumpkin

For Halloween, your child can make a happy/sad pumpkin.  First, paint or color two paper plates orange.  Cut happy and sad facial features out of black paper.  Have your child glue a sad face on one plate and a happy face on the other.  Cut a green or brown ‘stem’ out of paper.  Staple or glue the two plates together with the stem between them at the top.  Attach a string and hang up the happy/sad pumpkin.

93. Black Spider Craft

To make a black spider for Halloween, all you have to do is cut one 5” diameter circle and eight 12” long strips out of black paper.  Your toddler will enjoy folding the 8” long strips back and forth (accordion style) to make the legs.  Then have the child glue four legs on each side of the circle.  Glue 2 yellow circles about the size of quarters on the spider for eyes or use googly eyes. Attach a string and hang!

94. Thanksgiving Outfit

Tell your child about the first Thanksgiving, and then help them make an Indian outfit!  For the Indian vest, cut neck and armholes out of a brown grocery sack and then cut an opening all the way down the center of the front.  Have the child decorate with zig-zag or squiggle type of Indian patterns using paintings, markers, or crayons.  Older preschoolers can cut fringe all around the bottom of the vest by making shortcuts with scissors.  Next, make a macaroni necklace.  (see #78)  Then make an Indian headband.  Draw three feathers and have your child cut out and fringe them or simply get feathers from a craft store.  Attach feathers to the headband before stapling to fit the size of your child’s head.

95. Paper Bay Turkey

Have your toddler stuff a brown lunch sack ¾ full with newspaper.  Wind a rubber band around the neck of the bag.  Then have the child trace around their hand on 3 or 4 colors of paper.  Cut out hands and glue them on the bottom of the bag for feathers.  Cut about a 7” heart shape out of paper.  Cut a V in the center for the beak, draw on two eyes, then roll into a cylinder.  Lay the bag on its side and glue this turkey ‘face’ to the neck of the bag.  Voila!  You just made a turkey!

96. Christmastime Rubbings

Lay a piece of white paper over a Christmas card with a raised picture on it.  Have your child rub a crayon sideways over the paper and watch the design appear!

97. Christmas Tree Picture

Have your toddler decorate a Christmas tree picture.  Use a paper hole punch to punch out several colored dots from construction paper.  Use the dots along with sequins and glitter for the tree decorations.  Add a star at the top.  String or yarn can be used for tinsel too.

98. Santa Paper Plate

Using a paper plate, have your child draw Santa’s face in the center.  Cut a hat out of red construction paper and glue it to the top of the plate.  Glue cotton balls above each eye and on top of the hat.  The beard can either be made by gluing on more cotton balls, or older preschoolers can make fringe (short cuts) with scissors around the bottom half of the plate for cutting practice.

99. Christmas Day Countdown

Toddlers and preschoolers always want to know how many days until Christmas.  Make a Christmas chain so the child can keep track of the days themself.  Cut out a paper Christmas tree and write this poem on it.

“How many days are left until it’s Christmas Day?

This chain will help me count them in a very special way.

Each day I will remove one ring, and if I’ve counted right,

When I reach the gold one, it will be Christmas Eve night!”

Then make a chain by gluing strips of green and red paper into connecting loops.  Put one gold link at the top.  Have your child take off one link each night.  (Be sure the chain has the same number of links as there are days before Christmas!)

What did you think of these toddler activities?

Has your child ever done any of these activities? We hope this list has given you some ideas for ways to keep your toddler busy at home! We would love to hear from you in the comments below if you have any other ideas! 

Don’t forget to check out these other helpful toddler-related articles!

activities for toddlers

Kayla is the content creator over at motviationformom.com. She is a wife and mother who loves to share all of the tips, tricks, and life lessons that she has learned over the years with all of her readers. Her primary focus is on children’s education, motherhood, and healthy family relationships!


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