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Writer's pictureBaby Harbour

Fun Indoor Activities for Toddlers

Updated: Jan 23, 2019

Whether it is the bad weather outside, or your kids (or yourself) feeling unwell and needs to stay indoor to rest, we all need some fun indoor activities for young little ones to burn off energy.


1. Indoor basket ball


You can’t be too little for this version of basketball. All you need is a bucket and a rolled up sock (or a small, light ball). Each player takes a turn at throwing the sock-ball into the bucket. When a player scores a bucket, he or she takes a step back and throws again until missing. The player who shoots the ball in the bucket from the farthest distance wins.


Skills improved: gross motor skills and general physical exercise.


2. Feed the alphabet monsters


Find a big brown paper bag, color it, stick eyes on it and use scissors to cut a hole to use it as the mouth - large enough for alphabets to go in. To start playing the game, you will say "Monster, what would you like?" I would like a S.... ssss ssss! - with each letter you say the sound it makes. You can also use numbers instead of alphabet for younger players.


Skills improved: general problem-solving skills and association of name with object.


3. Pom pom or cotton ball race


Prepare a start and finish lines on the floor using painter's tape on the floor. Set the kids up at the starting line with their straws and pom poms. Let them practice blowing a few times to get the hang of it. The first to make it to the finish line is the winner. If your toddler grabbed or touched the pom pom, he or she will need to start back at the beginning.


Skills improved: gross motor skills and general physical exercise.



4. Balance beam


Tape a line on the floor in different ways (zig zag, curvy or straight) and have a toddler walk along it, trying to balance their best. Make the activity more challenging by having your toddler walk backwards or balance with one foot on the line.


Skills improved: gross motor skills and walking skills.


5. Touch-and-feel box


Find a shoe box or any box that has a lid on it. Cut a hole in one of the sides of the box —large enough for your child to fit her hand in. You can decorate the box with color papers and question marks. When you’re ready to play, put simple objects such as a brush, a toy, a piece of fruit inside the box and have your children guess what it is. They can ask questions about the item if they need to, or you can offer clues. To make it competitive, you can give a point to the first child to name the object.


Skills improved: general problem-solving skills.



“Indoor games will help toddlers to develop their mental and intellectual skills. Encourage them to be more active and inspire them to keenly learn new things.”


6. Hide and seek


One person (“hunter”) covers his or her eyes and counts aloud one to ten while the other players hide. When “hunter” is finished counting, he or she begins looking for the hiders. The last hider to be found is the next “hunter”.


Skills improved: gross motor skills and general physical exercise.


7. Paint the windows


Select a window in the house with the maximum area of glass work. Stick the transparent plastic sheets firmly on each of the window panes and paste the corners with painter's tape.

Give the colors and a paint brush to the toddler, and ask them to use their imagination to draw whatever they want to. You can leave the plastic sheet in its place for some days so that the little one can admire the masterpiece.


Skills improved: general creativity and gross motor skills.


8. Bath time for toy animals


Prepare the toy animals bath tub by filling water and a bit of soap into a container. Find all the plastic toy animals and put them into the "tub" and start the bath! During this activities you can say out the animal names and make the animal sound. Once finished, towel dry the animals, and be sure to squeeze any remaining water out and set them upright on the towel so that water doesn’t get stuck inside.


Skills improved: Association of a name and sound with the animal.


9. Balloon in the air


Blow up a couple of balloons, each player grab a fly swatter and go hitting the balloons around the room and keep it up in the air. Have a contest to see how long they can keep it from touching the ground. For older toddlers let them try to keep two balloons in the air at once!


Skills improved: gross motor skills and general physical exercise.


10. Pasta necklaces

Stretch out a wool string and cut it into shorter pieces, long enough to be worn around the neck. Next get the toddler to draw the string through one piece of uncooked long cylindrical pasta (preferably multicolored) at a time. Alternate between two or more colors of pasta to make the necklace colorful. Once done, tie the loose ends.


Skills improved: fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.



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