Looking for toddler activities that keep little ones entertained without a big shopping list? From playing shop to feeding paper bag monsters, these 21 fun toddler games every preschooler parent should know use things you probably already have at home — cardboard boxes, buttons, cereal, blocks, and a bit of imagination.
Most of these games take only a few minutes to set up, so they’re handy for a rainy afternoon, a quiet hour before dinner, or whenever your toddler needs something new to do.
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#1. Colour Sort
Draw coloured squares on a big sheet of paper, then get out some Duplo blocks. Your toddler matches each block to the square with the same colour — simple, but great for little hands and early colour recognition.
#2. Watery Splash
A jug of water, a few plastic bowls and spoons, and the freedom to pour, splash and mix can keep a toddler happily busy for ages. Set it up on the kitchen floor with a towel underneath so clean-up is easy afterwards.
#3. The Button Game
Set out a tray with different coloured pairs of buttons, all mixed up, and let your toddler match the pairs back together. This one’s best for older toddlers who are past the stage of putting small objects in their mouths.
You might also enjoy 50 Fun Things to Do With Your Toddler and Top Picks for Free Online Games for Toddlers.
#4. I Spy
Your toddler probably won’t know their letters yet, so play I Spy with colours instead. “I spy with my little eye, something green” works just as well and gets them looking closely at the world around them.
#5. Play Imaginary Games
Set up a bank, post office, airport, bus, or hairdressers — line up a few kitchen chairs to build the scene. Playing hairdressers is also a handy trick if you need to gently remove tangles without a fuss.
#6. Paper Towel Tube Game
Tape a paper towel tube to the wall and let your toddler drop small soft toys or pom poms through it. Simple, satisfying, and easy to set up in minutes.
#7. Guess the Animal
Take turns imitating animals and guessing which one the other person is being. Stomping around as an elephant or hopping like a bunny is guaranteed to get some giggles.
You might also enjoy 20 of the Best Outdoor Activities for Toddlers.
#8. Stop Light Bean Bag Toss
Tape three coloured sheets — red, yellow and green — onto the floor, then give your toddler matching coloured bean bags to toss onto the right sheet.
You may also like Smiles Guaranteed with these 15 Fun Toddler Party Games.
#9. Dressing Up
Keep a box of costumes, scarves, hats, face paints, jewellery and wigs handy — charity shops are a great source for bits and pieces. Dressing up doesn’t need to wait for Halloween; it’s fun any day of the year.
You might also enjoy Why I Love Toddlers.
#10. Ring a Ring of Rosies
A true toddler classic. Hold hands and walk in a circle singing “Ring a Ring of Rosies, a Pocketful of Posies, A-tishoo, A-tishoo, we all fall down!” — then tumble down together for plenty of giggles.
#11. Set Up a Racing Track
Use masking tape to mark out a racing track for toy cars around the living room floor — two parallel strips of tape is all you need to create a track to race along.
#12. Build a Fort with Blankets and Pillows
Build a den from sofa cushions and chairs, drape a blanket over a clothes rack, or turn a big cardboard box into a fort with some packing tape to hold the sides together.
#13. Play Shop
Set up a mini grocery shop with empty tins and packets. An ironing board makes a great checkout counter, and a play till or a few cloth shopping bags add to the fun. Take turns being the shopper and the checkout person.
You might also enjoy 16 Super Easy Craft Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers.
#14. Magnet Sticking
Clear off the fridge door (or use a magnetic board) and gather a tub of alphabet letters and fridge magnets. Letting your toddler stick magnets on and off is great fun, and a gentle first step towards learning letters.
#15. Feed the Monsters
Make simple paper bag monsters with big holes for mouths — your toddler will love helping to make them. Then use small toys or Duplo blocks for your toddler to “feed” to the monsters.
#16. Shape Game
A shape sorter toy is perfect for this — matching shapes to holes and emptying it out again. No shape sorter? Draw shapes on a piece of cardboard and let your toddler match foam or paper shapes to the outlines instead.
You might also enjoy Tips from Parents on Toddler Quiet Time.
#17. Cardboard Box Fun
A big cardboard box can become a fort, a car, or a house in minutes. It’s amazing what toddlers will do with their imagination and one simple box.
#18. Clock Games
Make a paper plate clock or a weather clock and play simple games with your toddler using it. See Easy and Fun Clock Activities for Kids for ideas and instructions.
#19. Colour Hop
Head outdoors and draw a circle of coloured dots on the ground with chalk. Call out a colour and your toddler hops or jumps onto the matching dot.
#20. Cheerio Tower
Stick two skewers upright into a lump of playdough or plasticine (sharp end down, into the dough). Then let your toddler thread Cheerios onto the skewers to build their own Cheerio Tower — see how high they can go.
#21. Paper Plate Ring Toss Game
Take three or four paper plates and cut a smaller circle out of the middle of each to make rings. Let your toddler paint the plates first for extra colour. Stick a paper towel roll to the floor, then toss the rings on — simple, active fun.
Now enjoy 30 Reasons You Know You’re Mom of a Toddler!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these games suitable for all toddlers?
Most are suited to toddlers from around 18 months up to preschool age, though a few — like the button matching game — are better kept for older toddlers who are past putting small items in their mouths. Always supervise games involving small parts.
What if I don’t have much time to set up?
Games like I Spy, Guess the Animal, and Ring a Ring of Rosies need no setup at all. Others, like the racing track or colour hop, take just a couple of minutes with tape or chalk.
What are good rainy day options from this list?
The colour sort, button game, paper towel tube game, magnet sticking, and fort building are all great indoor choices for a wet afternoon.
Do I need to buy anything special?
Most of these games use things already around the house — cardboard boxes, buttons, blocks, paper plates, cereal, and playdough. A few use tape or chalk, which are inexpensive and easy to find.
Related Articles
- 50 Fun Things to Do With Your Toddler
- 20 of the Best Outdoor Activities for Toddlers
- 16 Super Easy Craft Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Smiles Guaranteed with these 15 Fun Toddler Party Games
- Tips from Parents on Toddler Quiet Time
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