20 Ways to Keep Toddlers Busy
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Please use discretion with these activities, especially if your child puts things in their mouth. Always be right next to your child.
If you have a toddler, you KNOW that they constantly keep you on your toes! You already have your hands full and coming up with ideas for keeping them busy is not exactly at the top of your list. What if I told you that I have 20 easy ways for keeping toddlers busy?! These ideas are easy to set up and use supplies you probably already have in your home!
1. Color Matching Game
This game using colorful pom poms
 is perfect for toddlers! You will need to introduce this game to them before just letting them play independently. My toddler plays this game ALL the time. Check out this post for more details.
2. Playdough Playdough is great. I like to put it on a tray or cutting board to contain the mess. I love playdough because kids can be creative and it also builds strength in their hands for fine motor skills. We use homemade playdough, and we especially love our jello playdough. You can find the recipe here.
3. Pipe Cleaners and Colander
Have your toddler stick pipe cleaners in the holes of a colander. This is excellent for practicing fine motor skills!
4. Shape Sorter
I made our own shape sorter using soft shapes from Michaels and an oatmeal container. We get this activity out frequently and keeps my little one occupied for a long time! For more details, see this post.
5. Contact Paper Art Place a piece of clear contact paper
 on the table. Tape the sides down. Then give your toddler materials to stick on there. Check out this post for details.
6. Paint in Bags Place paint in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Seal the bag, then tape them to a window. Let your toddler move the paint around in the bag using their fingers. (FYI: This activity usually goes pretty quick for my toddler.)
7. Pack ‘n Play
Set up a pack ‘n play and put books and stuffed animals inside. Let them play quietly. This may take some training for them play independently (and quietly!), but if you work with them starting out for just a few minutes playing in there per day, they can work their way up to 20+ minutes.
8. Chunky Puzzles Gather some easy puzzles for your toddler to complete. We use Melissa and Doug Puzzles and they are easy enough for my toddler to do on his own.
9. Pom Poms Through a Tube
I love this activity! Just take a paper towel tube and tape it to the wall. Then have your toddler drop pom pomsthrough it into a bowl. It sounds so simple, but my toddler really loves it! And the best part is how quiet this activity is.
10. Race Cars on Tape
Create a race track using masking tape on the floor. Then let your little one play quietly with cars on the track.
11. Fabric Scrap BoxÂ
Cut up pieces of fabric and place them in an empty wipes container. Have your toddler pull the scraps out and then put them back in. This is great for practicing fine motor skills. For more on this, see this post.
12. Magnets on Fridge
Simply have your toddler stick magnets on the fridge. We use alphabet letters and magnetic pom poms. I really like these foam alphabet letters
.
13. Cotton Balls
Let your child play with cotton balls. They can sort them in an ice cube tray. This is also a very quiet activity. They can also have fun tearing the cotton balls a part, which can get messy!
14. Corner for Toys
Tape off a section of the floor for them to sit in. Also tape a spot where you place a bucket of toys. Have them stay in the taped off section for play time. This may take some training, so start off trying this for a few minutes at a time.
15. Bubble Wrap
Have your toddler pop bubble wrap. This one can get noisy, but if you need a quick activity for your toddler to do, this would be great! Just please make sure you watch them because this can be a choking hazard.
16. Build a Tower
Using cubes or blocks, have them build a tower. These unifix cubes would be great to use. We use this Discovery Toys Pegboard
 to build towers.
17. ColoringÂ
This is a simple activity, but have them color. Sometimes we get our window markers and I let them color on the windows.
18. Pipe Cleaners in a Tube
This is just like #9, but use pipe cleaners
 to put through a paper towel tube. My toddler actually came up with this activity. He loves it!
19. Pipe Cleaner SprinklesÂ
This activity is simply cutting up pipe cleaners (into 2 inch pieces) and have your toddler poke them through the holes in a parmesan container. This is awesome for working on fine motor skills!
20. Sensory Balloon Animals
We made sensory balloon bugs a while back and they are a huge hit. When I want my toddler to play quietly, I get these out and let him play with them. To learn more about them, see this post. Once again, please use discretion with this activity. If your child puts a lot of objects in their mouth, this may not be a good activity for them.
Want more toddler ideas? My new book has over 200 ideas for toddlers! The book will be available on March 27th, but you can preorder it today! Order it on Amazon right here.
Check out some of my favorite resources for toddlers!
The Toddler Journey
Melissa & Doug Latches Wooden Activity Board
Melissa & Doug 2053 Shapes Knob Wooden PuzzleMelissa & Doug Hide and Seek Farm Wooden Activity Board With Barnyard Animal MagnetsMelissa & Doug Puzzle Storage Rack – Wire Rack Holds 12 Puzzles(Puzzles Not Included)Play-Doh Modeling Compound 10-Pack Case of Colors (Amazon Exclusive), Non-Toxic, Assorted Colors, 2-Ounce CansCaydo 240 Pieces 1 Inch Pom Poms for Hobby Supplies and DIY Creative Crafts Decorations, Assorted ColorsMagnetic Letters and Numbers for Educating Kids in Fun -Educational Alphabet Refrigerator Magnets -82 PiecesDozen Plastic Toy Safari AnimalsDISCOVERY TOYS GIANT PEGBOARD #1562Crayola; Washable Window Markers; Art Tools; 8 Different Colors; Bright, Bold Colors; Works on All Glass SurfacesCreativity Street Chenille Stems/Pipe Cleaners 12 Inch x 6mm 100-Piece, Assorted ColorsSticker Activity ABC: Over 100 Stickers with Coloring Pages (Sticker Activity Fun)Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow! Reusable Water-Reveal Activity Pads, 3-pk, Animals, Alphabet, Numbers
These are great suggestions, and I can’t wait to try them out with my little ones. I am wondering, though, why you felt the need to label the car activity a “boy activity”? Even with your “disclaimer” that girls may like it too, I believe it’s unnecessary to label it a gendered activity. Children of both sexes enjoy all kinds of playthings, like cars, trucks, dolls and crafts, until the world around them starts labeling them boy or girl toys and they feel the need to fit into these labels. Let’s change the dialogue so our kids can feel free to be who they want without implied social contracts being thrust upon them.
Thanks for your comment and insight. I agree with you and I don’t have a good reason for why I worded it that way! Of course, boys and girls can play with any type of toys. Since I only have boys, it’s easy for me to see what interests they gravitate to and label it a “boy” toy. You are right though…children of both sexes can enjoy playing with cars. Thank you again.
you can also glue the paper tube in a diagonal way, thus having the toddler put something in it on the left…and it rolls to the right. the change of direction will be fun for the kid too. and you can also glue another rol under it, so when the ball falls out the first tube, it will enter the second tube, maybe even getting a different direction again. this is magic for a kid.
That is a wonderful idea! 🙂
Oh wow! What a great collection of ideas! My kiddo is still a bit too young for many of these, but I am going to try a few of these ASAP! While he plays, maybe mommy can get a little independent time, too!
Although your heart and mind are in this…some of these things look to me as chocking possibilities for the toddlers as there are small objects being used
Thank you for you comment. Yes, some of these activities can be a choking hazard. Please don’t let your child do them if they put things in their mouth and please be with them while doing the activity. Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable doing the activity, that’s ok! 🙂
Many of these suggestions are a choking hazard for kids who put everything in their mouths. Please don’t do any of these without fully supervising the entire time.
Awesome list! Off I go to try that neat paint in a bag idea!
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Thank you so much for these! I have to admit that, because I don’t have the mind of a preschool teacher, I was a bit skeptical of this list. But it was very creative, and I particularly loved the use of house hold items. I will be looking at the containers that I usually recycle a bit differently now! Blessings!
love your writing
This is fantastic! My little boy is now making a ‘spider’ out of pipe cleaners and a colander as we speak!
Thanks for some great ideas, especially for a single dad with two crazy toddler boys. I found an awesome tv show that I thought I might share here. It’s got songs and games and a great message in every episode. My kids can just watch it for hours, even when it’s sunny outside! It’s got a big purple dinosaur in it that they just find hilarious – I think it’s called Barney or something. It’ll keep my boys entertained, even when I have to go out to McDonald’s for their dinner. Hope it helps someone as much as it’s helped me.