The ultimate games & activities guide for toddlers

Just as for all kids and adults, keeping toddlers active is essential for their development. 

But coming up with an activity on the spot can be difficult (and this is coming from a mom who couldn’t remember one lullaby when her three kids were babies and sang commercials and TV theme songs to soothe them. I totally get it when parents and caregivers need a bit of backup!).

We’ve got 100 activities to keep in your back pocket when you’re looking for something fun to do with your toddler! They’ll aid in your toddler’s physical development and spark joy and imagination. And if you play together with your toddler, you’ll continue to create invaluable family bonds. In this guide, we’ll cover:

• Why active play matters for toddlers
• Nature & outdoor activities for toddlers
• Group activities for toddlers
• Indoor activities for toddlers
• Ball activities for toddlers
• Balancing activities for toddlers
• Seasonal activities for toddlers
• Arts & crafts activities for toddlers
• Bedtime activities for toddlers
• Activities to help toddlers learn about body parts
• Food activities for toddlers
• Feelings & emotions activities for toddlers
• Drama & dance activities for toddlers
• Car & plane activities for toddlers
• Educational activities for toddlers
• Birthday party activities for toddlers
• Tips for parents: Making playtime easier

Why active play matters for toddlers

It’s no wonder that the words “active” and “activities” are related! Active play is essential for toddlers’ development. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, toddlers should spend 180 minutes being active throughout the day (including planned or organized play and unstructured physical activity or free play).

Incorporating daily movement into a toddler’s routine helps:

• develop gross and fine motor skills
• build strong bones and muscles
• improve balance, movement, and coordination
• improve spatial awareness
• promote mental, emotional, and social well-being
• foster creativity and problem-solving
• build confidence and independence
• promote better learning and thinking
• reduce injuries
• promote brain development

Health experts also point out that long periods of being sedentary can lead children to:

• develop language skills later
• have shorter attention spans
• be less ready for school and find it harder to learn to read
• make poorer decisions

Activities should be fun and engaging. Encourage your toddler to try new things, but if they’re not loving it, move on to another activity to keep them interested in moving (we’ve got TONS of ideas for you to choose from!)

100 activities and games for toddlers: A list to always have on hand

Nature & outdoor activities for toddlers

• Magnifying hike

Your toddler will be amazed when they look super-up-close at flowers, leaves or bugs with a magnifying glass just right for their little hands. 

• Feed the birds

Collect pinecones and make easy pinecone bird feeders (then watch the birds come to eat!) See if you and your little one can identify the birds by showing them pictures in bird books such as My First Book of Birds.

• Rock collection

Rocks! They’re small, they’re big. They’re all kinds of colours and textures and can have the most interesting patterns and shapes. 

• Nature soup 

Together with your child, gather materials on a walk or from your backyard, such as leaves, twigs, berries, stones, etc., and get ready for your toddler to make you a delicious meal! Give your child a container with water and a large spoon and have them mix together all the “ingredients.” 

• Bug hunting 

Have your child use a twig or other item to gently move leaves or stones to find bugs underneath. What kind of bugs can they find? Reading books about bugs, such as Little Wonders Bugs, will thrill them when they’re able to name the bugs they find. 

• Water table

Use an actual water table or make one yourself! To DIY it, use whatever large containers you have on hand and fill them with water, plus items your toddlers will love to play with. Include small toys, sponges, measuring cups, bath toys, balls, ladles, etc. 

• Sandbox

Whether you have a sandbox of your own or there’s one in a nearby playground, sand play is great for toddlers. It helps with fine and gross motor skills, as well as cognitive development, as kids decide how to move the sand and what to do with it. It’s an activity with so many benefits (and it’s fun!). Bring along items to play with, including shovels, buckets, toy cars, sieves, funnels, or toy animals. If you happen to be playing at a giant sandbox—the beach!—find some great tips here and some more fun activities here.

• Egg hunt

It doesn’t have to be Easter for a good old-fashioned egg hunt! Hide eggs around your backyard and have your toddler seek. Help them with clues, such as “You’re getting warmer!” or “You’re getting colder!” They’ll be so excited when they find each egg! 

• Sidewalk chalk

Sidewalk chalk can be used for SO many games and activities. Let your toddler use their imagination to draw anything at all or use the chalk to draw games for them. Draw a big square or circle, give your child bean bags, and see if they can throw them into the shape. Or make a course for your child to navigate by drawing straight and squiggly lines. Can they make it to the end of the course? Can they stay right on the line? Can they walk, run, or hop around the course?

• Paint the house 

Give your toddler some paintbrushes and a container of water and let them paint the house (or fence or playground structure if you’re at a park). Different-sized brushes and even rollers will keep your kids enthralled as they see the different patterns the water makes.

Group activities for toddlers

• Duck, Duck, Goose

Have a group of toddlers sit in a circle, all facing inward. Pick one player to be “it” and have them walk around the circle tapping each player on the head saying either “duck” or “goose.” Whichever kid gets tapped as “goose” then chases “it” around the circle back to their spot while trying to tag “it.” If “it” manages to make it all the way around the circle and sits in the “goose’s” spot without being tagged, then the “goose” becomes “it.”

• Parachute

Parachute games are fun for all ages. Toddlers especially love games that involve bouncing a stuffed animal as participants shake the parachute or making waves by moving the parachute both slowly and quickly. Check out more parachute games here.

• Mega art

Tape a large piece of craft paper to a fence or on the ground. Provide the kids crayons, washable markers, or finger paint and let their imaginations soar!

• Bubble blowing

Put out multiple bubble wands and a container of bubble solution (or as my kids call it, “bubble juice”). If you place the container on the ground or on a table, make sure there’s enough room for all of the kids to get to the bubbles at the same time if necessary. Have them (or you) blow bubbles and chase after them.

• Bubble wrap jump

Pick up a long roll of bubble wrap, unravel it and let your toddlers jump to their hearts’ content!

Indoor activities for toddlers

• Run away from the monster

This game is so easy and thrillingly fun for toddlers! Chase your child around your home making crazy monster sounds while trying to catch them. 

• Avoid the shark!

Set up a number of pillows, towels, blankets, or mats on your floor and have your toddler walk (or dance) around the room. When you say “The shark is coming!” have your kids move out of danger’s way onto one of the safe spots. 

• Laundry help

Your toddler will love spending time with you as you sort laundry into different colours, match socks, and measure out laundry detergent. For an extra bit of fun, have them throw matched up socks into the laundry basket. Check out these other age-appropriate chores for toddlers.

• Bean bag toss

Set up several targets for your toddler to throw bean bags at or into. Use painter’s tape to make targets on your wall or fridge or set out hula hoops, laundry baskets, or boxes. Try these other fun bean bag games too!

• Balloon keep up

How many times can you and your toddler hit a balloon to keep it from hitting the ground? Show your child how they can use their hands or even their heads to keep the balloon up. (Balloons offer so many ways to play—try balloon soccer and balloon batting too!)

Ball activities for toddlers

• Kick bowling 

Set up a row of toy bowling pins or tall paper cups. Give your child a small soft ball and have them stand behind a line and try to kick over all of the pins. Kicking requires balancing on one leg, so if your toddler needs to lean on a chair or counter as they’re mastering the act of kicking, let them do so. 

• Sit and roll 

Roll a soft ball to your toddler and encourage them to pass it back to you. As they practice rolling with you, their ability to direct the ball will increase. 

• Beach ball hockey

Have your child use a small hockey stick, a large cardboard roll, or a pool noodle for this activity. Provide them with a beach ball and see if they can hit the ball between two items (such as pylons or trees). 

• Ball transfer 

Give your child four or five containers, such as tall paper cups or empty yogurt tubs. Then see if they can roll a ping-pong ball from one container to the next. 

• Ramp roll

Cut a length out of a large cardboard box or use a piece of wood, then lean it against a couch or another box. Give your toddler a ball to roll down the ramp. 

Balancing activities for toddlers

• Balance bikes

Balance bikes are a great way to get your toddler familiar with the sense of the balance needed to stay moving when they progress to a regular bike. Balance bikes have no pedals and kids move them by pushing their feet against the ground. Check out these other tips for helping your toddler learn to ride.

• Balance beam 

Use painter’s tape to set up a balance beam on your floor. Show your toddler how to walk with their arms out to balance themselves. Once they get a hang of it, can they walk backwards?

• Stepping stones 

Have your child move from one object to another by using one foot and then the other.  Outside, kids can move between rocks or small pieces of wood. Indoors, you can use toy stepping stones, cork trivets, or pieces of cardboard taped securely to the floor. 

• Peanut ball 

Toddlers can sit on what looks like a squished exercise ball for storytime or while playing with materials on a table. They can sit on the center of the peanut ball with their feet flat on the floor in front of them, or straddle the ball with their legs on either side. 

• Bean bag balance

Give your child a bean bag and show them how to walk with “airplane arms” (arms out to the side). Place the bean bag on your child’s head and have them walk from one spot to another. 

Seasonal activities for toddlers 

Spring

• Puddle jumping

Embrace those April showers! Dress your toddler in rain boots and splash pants and let them jump away. Puddle play has lots of benefits for little ones.

• Winnie the Pooh sticks

One of Winnie the Pooh’s favourite games and your kids will love it too! Find a bridge and have your toddler collect sticks. Have them drop a stick on the upstream side of a bridge and then go to the other side to watch it reappear.  

• Visit a local farm

Spring is a magical time to meet new baby animals. 

• Plant seeds

Plant seeds indoors or out and your toddler will be thrilled to watch the growth from tiny sprouting to flowers or vegetables. Gardening is great activity for kids—learn why here.

• Blooming flower walk

After the snow melts, it’s a beautiful sight to see the colours of flowers starting to pop up in the spring. Go for a walk with your toddler and see how many types or colours of flowers they can spot. 

Summer

• Sprinkler

If your toddler isn’t quite sure about running through the sprinkler, let them stand on the outside to get the gentler drizzles. If they love the sprinkler, try some of these fun games.

• Splatter paint

Tape a large piece of craft paper to a fence or wall and provide your child with paintbrushes and a washable paint. Show your child how to stand a foot or so from the paper and flick their wrist to splatter the paint on the paper. 

• Kiddie pool 

Toddlers LOVE water play. Fill the pool partway with water, bath toys, measuring spoons, shovels, containers, etc.

• Camp! 

Visit a campsite or pitch a tent in your own backyard. Toddlers will love the novelty of being tucked into a sleeping bag and zipping open and shut a fun new space. Even if you just set up the tent in the backyard and spend part of the evening stargazing, toddlers will love being with their family and sharing special moments together. 

• Farmers market 

Read a great book with your kids about farmers’ markets and talk about what farmers do. When they get to the market, they’ll be excited to see the colourful fruits and vegetables along with crafts, honey, or yummy baked goods. Talk to them about how farms are so important for giving us all the delicious and healthy food we eat. 

Winter 

• Snow painting

Fill spray bottles with different colours of water for creating beautiful snow art.

• Sledding

Find a not-too-high hill, put a helmet on your toddler, and head off on a sledding adventure together! 

• Snow angels

Show your toddler how to lie on their back in the snow and move their arms and legs up and down the sides of their bodies as if they were doing jumping jacks. Then they can admire their angel!  

• Look for animal tracks 

Set out on a walk near or far to discover what animals have been walking in the snow. Was that a squirrel in your backyard? A fox in the nearby forest? Bring along photos of tracks [PDF] and see if you and your child can identify them. 

• Snow bubbles 

On a really cold day, take regular old “bubble juice” and wands outside to see the beauty that icy bubbles make. Kids will oooh and aaah when they see the cool shapes float in the air and land on surfaces in icy globes. See if they can catch the bubbles in their hands before they burst. Use a variety of wands to see an even bigger variety of icy bubbles. 

Fall

• Jump in the leaves

With an adult-sized and a kid-sized rake in hand, rake up the leaves in your yard. Take turns jumping in the pile and throwing the leaves over your heads. 

• Go apple picking

‘Tis the season for juicy apples! Find a local apple farm. It’s a great opportunity to have fun picking fruit as well as for your toddler to see exactly where their food is coming from. 

• Paint pumpkins

Who says pumpkins have to be made into jack-o’-lanterns? Pumpkins are a great canvas for your toddler’s imagination!

• Spider web search

Spiders spin their largest webs in early fall. Go on a web hunt and see if you can find a huge one!

• Light up the jack-o’-lantern 

If you decide to cut out your pumpkin into a jack-o’-lantern for Halloween, give your toddler glowstick bracelets to toss into the pumpkin and light it up that way!

Arts and crafts activities for toddlers

• Pom-pom sticky art

Place several strips of painter’s tape across a door frame. Give your toddler craft-sized pom-poms, have them stick them on the tape in whatever combination of colours and patterns and voilà! A fabulous work of art.

• Q-tip painting

Using q-tips, have your child paint fine lines or dots on paper with either water or washable paint. 

• Playdough cutting 

Scissor activities for toddlers are so beneficial. They help build up hand muscles, develop hand-eye coordination, build dexterity skills—which will prepare your kids for tasks like writing and holding a pencil—and encourage bilateral skills (two-handed coordination). 

Cutting play dough is a great start for learning to use scissors. You can make your own playdough or use store-bought.  

• Rainbow & clouds

Pick up some coloured craft sticks (aka popsicle sticks) and construction paper. If you can only find plain-coloured craft sticks, you and your toddler can paint them multiple colours. 

Use a blue piece of paper to create the look of the sky and glue five different colours of craft sticks together in a line on the paper. This will be the rainbow. Have your toddler dip cotton balls into glue and stick them at the top of the sticks to make clouds on the ends of the rainbow.

• Nature suncatcher

Cut out the centre of a paper plate and a square of contact or adhesive paper that’s just slightly bigger than the centre of the plate. Stick the paper over the centre and have your toddler stick nature items they’ve found on walks such as flowers, berries, feathers, or leaves onto it. Hang in by a window and watch as the sun lights up the beautiful colours.

Bedtime activities for toddlers

• Bedtime stretches 

Do some simple stretches with your toddler to prepare them for sleep. Stretch together with a calm stretching video:

• Reading 

There’s nothing like snuggling up with your toddler with a good book at any time of day, but especially as they head off to sleepy town. Here are some toddler-friendly books to read together. 

• Stargazing 

Head outside with chairs or blankets, lie back, and enjoy the wonders of the night sky. 

• Soothing music 

Pick out some soothing music, snuggle up with your child, and talk about how they’re feeling while listening to it. 

• Bedtime I Spy 

Lie in bed with your toddler and play a game of I Spy involving all the things they can spot in their bedroom. Here’s how to play.

Activities to help toddlers learn about body parts

• Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

An oldie but a very goodie! And a fun song for early identification of body parts. Need a reminder of the tune? Check it out below. Once your child has mastered the song, sing it faster and faster. They will love the challenge! (Be ready for a lot of giggling!)

• Simon Says: body parts

Play Simon Says but use commands that have your toddler pointing to different parts of their body. Examples could include: touch your elbow, rub your stomach, wiggle your fingers, touch your toes to one knee, pat your head, etc. 

• Life-sized portraits 

Have your toddler lie on a large piece of craft paper and use a marker to trace their body. Your child can then decorate each part of their body using paint, markers, glue, pom-poms, stickers, etc. As they move along their body decorating it, point out or even draw parts such as their heart or stomach. 

• Hokey Pokey

Relearn this old favourite and have fun playing it with your toddler. Generally kids start learning about left and right around the age of three, so you can start by using the directions with just putting in “one arm” or “one foot” at a time.

• Read about bodies

Read an interactive book about bodies such as What’s Inside Me, so your toddler can learn about all their body parts.

Food activities for toddlers

• Bake muffins

We love these pumpkin zucchini muffins! Show your child how to stir together dry ingredients, pour in the wet ones, and line the muffin tins.

• Snack necklaces 

Tape one end of string on a table and show your child how to string snacks with holes in them—such as Cheerios or pretzels—onto the string. Voilà! A fun and healthy snack that your toddler will be proud to have made on their own.

• Count and colour sort  

Use fruits and veggies to count and sort into colours. Some ideas for colourful veggies to include: bananas, yellow peppers, red apples, tomatoes, limes and cucumbers. The fun your toddler will have!

• Produce wash 

 Gently place your fruits and vegetables into a sink or other container of water and allow your child to wash them while talking about the importance of fruits and vegetables in keeping their bodies healthy.

• Picnic

Plan the menu with your toddler and talk about the different parts of the meal, from appetizers to dessert. (And you can play these fun games on your picnic!)

Feelings & emotions activities for toddlers

• Yoga

Yoga is a great way for your toddler to learn to be in the present moment and to calm themselves. Check out these mood-boosting yoga poses for kids, plus some tips for practicing yoga with your toddler.

• Sensory bins

Sensory play is any activity that stimulates your toddler’s five senses. Toddlers learn to stay in the moment and redirect their focus on what they see, hear, feel, smell, or taste.

Make a sensory bin for your child by filling a container with items they can feel and sort and explore. Items could include dry rice, stones, buttons, pom-poms, a magnifying glass, toy trucks, toy feathers, shovels, dry pasta, ice cube trays, etc. You can also try these other fun sensory play ideas!

• Read about emotions 

Read some great books such as Little Faces, Big Emotions or The Color Monster and talk with your toddler about their emotions. 

• Deep breathing 

Teach your child some deep-breathing techniques and have them practice how they can calm themselves down. One technique is called balloon breathing. Have your child take a deep breath like they’re trying to fill their balloon (stomach) with air. Then have them release the air slowly. Repeat several times. 

• Puppet play

Using finger or regular puppets to chat with your toddler is a great way for your child to express their feelings through inanimate objects. 

Drama & dance activities for toddlers

• Animal imitation

Call out the names of animals and have your child mimic that animal’s movements as they move across a room. Can they waddle like a penguin? Hop like a kangaroo? Gallop like a horse? Adding the noises that the animals make adds even more fun to the activity!

• Recreate favourite stories

Read one of your toddler’s favourite stories and see if they can act out parts of it (or all of it!). Suggest some props they can use and join in on the activity by playing a part in the show. 

• Restaurant 

Using toy kitchen objects and items from your own kitchen, let your toddler serve you a delicious meal or snack!

• Mirror, Mirror

With either you or your toddler as the leader, mirror exactly what the other person is doing. Actions could include facial expressions or body movements.  

• Silly songs 

Get silly with active songs like “Shake My Sillies Out.”

• Freeze dance

Turn up the music (try this playlist!) and have your toddler dance freestyle. Explain to them that as soon as the music stops, they have to freeze in exactly whatever position they are in. It’s a great game to encourage creativity, balance, and fun!

• Prop dance 

Pull out ribbons, scarves, or pom-poms and watch as your child uses their imagination to create a dance that’s all of their own making. 

• Nature dance

Get outside and dance on different surfaces. Your toddler can experience the soft grass or squishy mud beneath their feet. They can feel the wind blowing around them or the rain falling on them. 

• Follow the Leader dance

Pick one person to be the leader and the others must imitate their dance moves. 

• Freestyle

No rules. No leaders. Turn on the music and let your child feel the beat and move in whatever way they like! 

Car & plane activities for toddlers

• Stretchy bands

Give your child a small resistance band and show them how to do some safe stretching or pulling motions.

• Art gallery

Pack some colourful sticky notes and some crayons, markers, and stickers. Have your toddler decorate the notes, which they can then stick to their seat, their travel tray, or other surrounds to make their travel space dazzling!

• Clean up

Pack wipes and have your child help by cleaning and disinfecting their seat, armrests, tray table, or seatbelt.  

• Clouds

Can your toddler find shapes in the clouds? Perhaps they’ll see animals, triangles, or faces. 

• Books

Pack books from home or buy some new ones for the trip. Sit with your toddler to read them together or let your child turn the pages and soak up the illustrations on their own. Looking for some new book suggestions for your toddler? Check out: 

• If You Happen To Have A Dinosaur
• A Potato on a Bike
• My Heart Fills With Happiness

And try these other car and plane activity ideas!

Educational activities for toddlers 

Your toddler is always learning while they play so, strictly speaking, any activity or game is educational. Still, we’ve collected some toddler activities that are especially focused on encouraging learning through play:

• Shape identifying 

Learn about shapes using books or flash cards such as My First Touch And Feel Picture Cards: Colors And Shapes. Bring shapes into everyday discussion by pointing out or asking your child to name the shape of:

• triangular objects such as sandwiches cut into triangles, a birthday hat, the sail on a boat, or slices of pizzas
• round objects such as oranges, buttons, balls, or hula hoops
• rectangular objects such as windows, books, beds, or envelopes 
• hearts and stars

• I Spy rhyming game

Rhyming is a great way to learn about language formation. Find items in the room you’re in and see if your toddler can find a word that rhymes with it. 

• Which one is bigger?

Your toddlers can learn measurement concepts through this activity. Give your child a number of items such as blocks, toy cars, stuffed animals, books, or sticks and talk about the concepts of big, small, tall, and short. 

• Dancing rice 

Toddlers are curious! Why is the sky blue? What do worms eat? Why is my cereal soggy? Encourage your child’s curiosity by having them work on this cool and easy science experiment. All you’ll need is a jar, water, vinegar, food colouring, baking soda, and instant rice (non-instant rice won’t work). Watch this video to see how easy it is and have your toddlers help pour and mix. They’ll LOVE the results! 

Check out these other fun STEM activities for your curious toddler. 

• Sticker colour sorting

Hit up your local dollar store for sheets of coloured dot stickers and corresponding coloured construction paper. Then tape four pieces of paper onto a table or wall (as an example, one piece of blue paper, one red, one green, and one yellow). Ask your toddler to put the blue stickers on the blue paper, the green on the green, etc. 

Birthday party activities for toddlers

• Fancy tea party

Provide fancy boas, hats, and purses, set a toddler-sized table with your (least) fanciest tableware, and let the kids imagine themselves at a royal-worthy feast!

• Conga!

Why should the conga be just for weddings? Show your toddler party guests how to make a train by placing their hands on the shoulders of the child in front of them as they dance in a swervy line. 

• Ring around the Rosie

This centuries-old game is perfect for a group of toddlers to spin, sing, and all fall down together. 

• Red Light, Green Light

Choose one child to be the leader. Have the other kids a short distance away facing the leader. When the leader calls out “green light,” the rest of the kids start to walk toward the leader. As soon as the leader calls out “red light,” the kids must stop in place. 

If someone is still moving, they’re out (or they can be left in the game but moved back a few steps). As soon as the kids get to the leader, a new leader is chosen and the game begins again. 

• Bubble machine frenzy

Rent a bubble machine from a party equipment company and get ready for an immense amount of bubble fun! With machines that blow out hundreds of bubbles per minute, your party guests will be chasing hubbles of bubbles. 

Tips for parents: Making playtime easier

Toddlers are at a wonderful age for exploring, learning, giggling, curiosity and snuggling. But taking into consideration the attention span and big feelings that toddlers have, it’s best to be prepared for a multitude of situations. 

Make playtime easier by:

• Rotating activities: Keep toddlers’ interest fresh by mixing up games daily.
• Simplifying setups: Use items you already have at home.
• Joining the fun: Toddlers are more likely to engage when parents participate enthusiastically.
• Encouraging exploration: Let toddlers experiment and modify games to suit their imagination.

Final thoughts: Keeping toddlers active every day

By incorporating these fun and innovative activities into your toddler’s routine, you’ll help them build strong foundations for physical and cognitive development. Share your favourite toddler activity ideas in the comments below and let us know which games your family loves most!