50 Best Go To Toddler Activities (2024)

1. Vegetable Soup Sensory Bin – Protecting your PenniesMaking vegetable soup in your water table is a fun way to get toddlers working on important skills like fine motor skills, color and food recognition and developing pretend play – this is a super easy activity that you can put together in 2 minutes
2. DIY Sensory Dinosaur Swamp – Mum’s Creative CupboardThis Dinosaur Swamp is really simple to make and is perfect for any dinosaur fans who want to delve into some taste safe sensory play!
3. Rainbow Rice – Mom Wife Busy LifeLearn how to make rainbow rice with just a few simple ingredients! Rainbow rice is great for sensory play and can also be used for mark making activities and much more!

4. Jello Sensory Play – The Mom FriendThis activity could not be simpler – jelly is a great sensory play material that is loved by all ages and you don’t have to worry about it going in your little ones mouth which makes it a win win in my book!

5. Button Play Tray – Mum’s Creative CupboardWe absolutely love buttons in our house, it was something I remember playing with as a child and my kids are just the same – not only do buttons make for a great sensory bin filler but they can be used for sorting activities too (always supervise little ones with small objects)
6. DIY Moon Sand – Happy MotheringSimilar to kinetic sand, this is a really great sensory experience for toddlers and it’s made with just two ingredients – check out the recipe and have fun making your very own moon sand!
7. Orange Peel Fishing – Mum’s Creative CupboardThis small sensory tray is not only fun to play in, but it also smells amazing – great for fine motor skills as your little ones ‘fish’ in the water and have fun diving their hands into the blue rice water
8. Construction Sensory Bin – Home Schooling In ProgressThis sensory bin is so simple but I’m sure it is one that will become a firm favourite if you haven’t tried it already – there’s loads of info on sensory bins in this post for beginners too!
9. Homemade Bubbles – Baby SaversIf you’ve ever tried to make your own homemade bubbles you’ll know it doesn’t always go to plan and that’s why I absolutely love this post from Baby Savers – Learn how to make bubbles with seven amazing recipes! From a tried and true favorite homemade bubble solution to a creative mix made with food coloring, they’re sharing everything you need to know about this fun activity for everyone from babies to adults!
10. Glowing Ice Cubes – Go Science KidsThese ice cubes are so much fun and so easy – we can’t wait to try these out! Check out all the details for how to make them at Go Science Kids and find lots more science activities for toddlers there too!
11. Washing Dishes Sensory Bin – Easy Activities For KidsToddlers love to hep out and this is a great way to start them off! It’s quick and easy to set up and will keep kids busy for a long time while strengthening fine motor skills and teach responsibility
12. Feed The Shark Sensory Bag – Kids Activities BlogThis is a great sensory activity if you need something on the go or you would like to keep the mess to a minimum – toddlers will have great fun squishing the bag to feed the shark!
13. Rainbow Oobleck – The Play Based MomOobleck is a crowd pleaser for kids of all ages, and taste-safe for young toddlers! This rainbow oobleck is so pretty to look at and play with!

14. Cloudy Day Sticky Wall – Happy Toddler PlaytimeThis activity is great for talking about the weather with little ones, and and is a fab creative activity for toddlers who love sticking things (who doesn’t?!)
15. Sticky Wall Cow Pull – My Mummy TeacherThis super simple cow activity is another great sticky activity from My Mummy Teacher – you can check out the post above and find more great content on the blog here
16. Nature Colour Hunt – Inspire My PlayI love an activity that encourages little ones to explore outside and this one is beautifully done, but in a super simple way that anyone can put together for a last minute activity for a sunny day – it’s also great for talking on walks and keeping toddlers engaged
17. DIY Shape Puzzle – Laughing Kids LearnThis is another easy DIY toddler activity that is budget friendly and great for helping little ones identify different shapes and sizes – all the details are in the post
18. Paper Towel Roll People – Raising DragonsI love this idea because it’s so simple but so brilliant and can be adapted depending on the age of your toddler – older toddlers can have fun making the pieces too – check out the post for all the details!
19. Paper Plate Dinosaur Number Match – Taming Little MonstersAnother fab creative activity for toddlers using a child’s interest to prompt learning – this is also great for fine motor skills with the use of pegs
20. Color Sorting Sticky Wall – How Littles LearnWe love activities for toddlers at home that are super easy, and this colour sorting toddler activity is one of them! It’s a simple concept but a great opportunity for learning and can be adapted easily
21. Paper Cup Names – Happy Toddler PlaytimeIf you want to introduce your toddler to their own name then this is a fun way to do it – for younger toddlers this could be adapted with colours and shapes to make it a little easier
22. Letter Matching In A Lunch Box – Happy Tot ShelfI think this activity is just adorable and love that the play dough and letters can be packed away with just a lid for another day – that’s my kind of activity set up!
23. Fizzy Number Recognition – Mummy Mummy MumWho doesn’t love fizzy things?! This activity combines number recognition with fizzing bottles – check out the post for the details and have loads of fun with this one!

So let’s take a look at these fun toddler activities at home using paint!

24. Dinosaur Print Painting – Mum’s Creative CupboardWe love dinosaur activities and this one is so much fun – paint + dinosaurs = a really fun art afternoon!
25. Coffee Filter Flowers – Any Reason LifeThese flowers are super cute, but even better is that this is a creative activity for toddlers that they can actually do – painting with food colouring is genius in my opinion – check out the post for all the details on how to make your own!
26. DIY Puffy Paint – Three Kids Three Cats & A HusbandThis is a great way to get kids outside and encourage them to get creative (and I just love the dinosaur!) Toddlers will love to feel the paint and mix it and just have loads of fun with it!
27. Make Your Own Edible Paint – All About Baby BlogIf your toddler has a tendency to explore things by putting them straight in their mouth (let’s face it most do!) then this edible paint is a great way to paint without the worry of them eating it!
28. Pipette Painting – Sophie PicklesPainting using pipettes looks like so much fun!! Using water and paint to create some really fun abstract art is a fabulous toddler activity in my humble opinion!
29. Un-chalking – How Wee LearnFor those days when you just can’t face the mess, this is the perfect toddler activity to keep little ones occupied at home – painting with water is a firm favourite of mine!!
30. Paper Towel Tie Dye – Toddler At PlayThis one technically doesn’t use paint but it’s an awesome activity for toddlers which also helps with fine motor skills and is a whole load of fun!
31. Fizzy Paint Apple Craft – Messy Little MonstersThe has to be one of my favourite painting activities – fizzing paint?! If you’ve not had a go at this before you need to check out this post! Painting meets really fun science with this one – toddlers will absolutely love it!
32. Toddler Car Art – Paper Scissors CraftIf your toddler is into cars then they will love this painting activity with toy cars – what better way to encourage mark making than with the wheels of a toy car!
33. Toddler Flour Paint – Simple Fun For KidsThis activity is definitely a messy one but look how much it is! This is a another great one to take outside if you’re worried about the mess but check out the post and give it a go!

34. Pom Pom Whisk – Mum’s Creative CupboardThis is probably one of the easiest activities on our list but it can provide a lot of fun for a young toddler! Promoting problem solving and the use of fine motor skills to prise the pom poms out of the whisk this is a really quick go to activity
35. Book Drop Activity – Happy Toddler PlaytimeThis is such a fun imaginative play idea, almost like a pretend library, and is great for little hands as they work out how to get the book into the slot and drop it in
36. Q-Tip Watermelon Seeds – Oh Hey Let’s PlayThis activity is part of a whole series of watermelon activities, so be sure to check out all the others as well as this beautiful water melon cotton bud activity that is superb for fine motor skills development
37. Foil Sculptures – The Stay At Home Mom Survival GuidePlaying with foil is a great open ended play activity for toddlers, giving them chance to mold the foil however they like – it’s super easy to get some foil out whilst your making tea and let your little one play!
38. Peekaboo Baby Wipe Lids – Activity MomThere are so many ways to re-purpose a baby wipe lid and we love these ideas from the Activity Mom – lifting the flaps is a great way to encourage little ones to use there hands and hopefully they will sit opening and closing the lids whilst you have a hot cup of tea!
39. Ribbon Box Play –Learning Through PlayAnother great simple toddler activity for developing fine motor skills – this activities for toddlers encourages them to grasp, pull and tug on the ribbon
40. Princess Rescue – Mum’s Creative CupboardThis is so easy to set up but can keep your toddler entertained for so much longer! The princesses can be swapped out for any object your little ones is interested in to create a fun toddler play idea
41. Straw Bracelets – Beary Sweet HomeThis final fine motor skills activity is a simple craft that is suited more to an older toddler as it involves threading – a great way to really practice using hands in a delicate manner

42. Duplo In The Bath – Mum’s Creative Cupboard

    Sometimes all you need to do is take an activity that your toddler already enjoys and change the setting – if you’ve never tried Duplo in the bath, or in a water tray, then I highly recommend it! There’s also lots more bath time ideas in the post too

43. DIY Parachute Pilots – Nanny GunnaThis is such a cute little make which toddlers will love I’m sure! Check out the post to see how to make your own parachutes – and I’m sure you could attach any of your little ones favourite characters for some flying fun!
44. Teddy Bear Dress Up – Mum’s Creative Cupboard

    We had so much fun with this – dressing up your toddler’s teddy bear collection is a great alternative to them dressing up and it can provide a lot of fun with silly combinations!

45. Play dough Leaf Tree – Mum’s Creative Cupboard

    We love nature play and play dough is a great base for lots of play activities – especially natural loose parts – you can set up a structured activity or let little ones play independently

46. String Obstacle Course – Entertain Your ToddlerThis is a really simple gross motor activity for indoor play – toddlers will love trying to get through the maze of string – check out the post for all the info on how to set up your own indoor obstacle course for your toddler
47. DIY Foil River – Lil TigersIf you’ve never tried making a foil river then this needs to be on your list of things to do with toddler – it’s really simple to set up and is a great sensory experience for little ones as they have fun with the water creating a ‘river’
48. Play dough And Shells: Snails – Mum’s Creative Cupboard

    We love collecting shells at the beach and finding new ways to play with them at home – and we love making these play dough snails with our much loved googly eyes – this is the perfect creative activity for toddlers after a day at the beach!

49. Window Sun Catcher – Mama SmilesUsing contact paper on the windows is a really fun activity – toddlers love sticking things and peeling things off and this is a really pretty activity when the sun is shining through the window!
50. Free Nature Playdough Mats – Mum’s Creative CupboardWe love play dough mats as they are great for the imagination and are a great activity for encouraging independent play with little ones – check out this post to grab your free nature play dough mat set 🙂

And there you have it!

50 of the best toddler activities for you to try with your little ones!

A special thanks to all who contributed to this post – you’re all awesome!

Don’t forget to Pin these images for later and share with friends and family who would benefit from this list of activities for toddlers at home!

Have Fun with your little ones!

Louisa | Mum’s Creative Cupboard x