Winter in Ohio usually means lots of time indoors. And with COVID still running rampant, we have been spending an unusual amount of time indoors. I’m not going to lie that it’s been tricky keeping Lilly engaged and occupied. Some days we do great, finding creative ways to have fun, and other days it seems like all we want to do is lay on the couch and watch Moana.

In an effort to help other mamas who might need some new and fun creative activities, I’ve put together some ideas, as well as resources I use time and again when I need a new idea.

Indoor Toddler Activity Ideas

• Baking: We’ve been doing this a LOT lately, but Lilly loves it and it’s great for developing fine and gross motor skills.
• Playdough: Lilly likes me to make “pizza” with the playdough and then she has her puppets eat it. It turns into a game and she loves it.
• Set up an indoor picnic: We dump all of our play kitchen food on a blanket, get out all of the stuffed animals and have a big picnic.
• Painting (everything and anything!)
• Stickers
• Art easel: Lilly was gifted one for Christmas that has a dry erase board and a chalkboard. She loves it!
• Hide and Seek
• Build a fort with blankets and pillows
• Kinetic Sand (I could play with this for hours)
• Construction Paper: You can do soooo many arts and crafts with construction paper and glue. We just made mosaic paper hearts for Valentine’s Day and hung them on the window.
• Indoor gym class
• Puzzles
• Alphabet games
• Board games
• Legos
• Books
• Sensory bins: We made one for Lilly with rice. It’s messy, but she loves it.
• Drawing: We practice tracing our alphabet letters and numbers.
• Cleaning: Yes this might be self-serving, but Lilly has her own set of brooms and mops and she loves to help me sweep the floors.
• Doing the dishes: Again, maybe self-serving, but the girl loves to wash dishes and play in the sink.
• Clean their toys
• Meal Prep: Every day I have Lilly help me prep her lunch and dinner. Kids love to help in the kitchen.

There are so many different ways to keep your toddler engaged. Some days it may not seem like there is anything to do because a toddler’s attention span is about two minutes, but keep this list handy for days when the creativity is lacking and you’ll never run out of things to do. And if you need more ideas, check out the resources below!

Sweet and Simple Toddler Crafts:  A great resource for incredibly fun arts and crafts! 

Pinterest: Always a great resource.  Just search “toddler crafts” or follow me for ideas! 

Lottie & Lizzie Play:  I love this Instagram page and Etsy shop! If you are looking to help your toddler learn their alphabet, these letters are so fun and pretty! 

Samantha Lynch CCC-SLP: My friend Sam is a Pediatric SLP and she shares amazing content on her Instagram for engaging your child and helping them with their speech and communication skills. 

Busy Toddler: This Instagram page is amazing for toddler and kid inspired activities. 

Michaels and Target also have fun craft kits that are really inexpensive.  

I always find following and connecting with other mamas helps me find new ideas to try.  If you have some ideas I didn’t list, please share them in the comments below!

Slainte,

Shannon