101 Things to do with a Toddler

One of my goals for this year is to do everything on this list at least once with Avery. I've started this awhile ago and so the things crossed out are already done, but how fun!


Color

Blow Bubbles

Play Hide-and-Seek

Peek-a-Boo

Play Chase

Do Finger-plays

Sing a song

Collect rocks in a basket

Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture

Make a fort out of cushions and sheets

Go for a Walk

Make a Car out of a Box

Read a book


Go to the park

Finger-paint

Play with Play-Dough

Toss Bean bags into a Bucket

Play the shell and pea game

Dance to music

Download games for toddlers from the Internet

Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags

Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch

Roll a ball back and forth on the floor

Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)

Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult supervision)

Put on a puppet show

Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn

Make a Horseshoe game

Make a Shape Puzzle

Play paper basketball

Run through a Sprinkler

Play with a bucket of water and a sponge (PLEASE WATCH CHILD AT ALL TIMES!)

Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box

Play with a kazoo

Wash windows together

Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon

Brush each other's teeth

Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes

Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other

Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other

Make a playhouse out of a large box

Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)

Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets

Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.

Go on a Smelling Hunt

Frost Cookies

Plant a flower or vegetable plant together

Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket

Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers

Play hide and seek together- trying to find a stuffed animal or other object

Have a splash party together in the bathtub (we did this in the pool)

Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house

Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)

Make and try on paper hats

Give a piggy-back ride


Play "Horsey"

Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)

Play tug-of-war with a blanket

Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)

Make a camera and go on a Safari

Play games with frozen juice lids

Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives


Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives- let your child talk too

String large beads onto or along a shoelace

Squirt each other with squirt bottles

Glue shapes onto paper

Make sock puppets

Make paper puppets

Fill an old purse with toys

Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone

Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"


Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)

Act out a story from a book

Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground

Draw with chalk on the sidewalk


Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk


Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for loved ones!


Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror


Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it

Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich

Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through

Do the Hokey Pokey

Make a super-hero costume out of household items

Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes

Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"

Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals

Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including walls!)

Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro

Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells

Learn numbers from a deck of cards


Play the matching game with a deck of cards


Make a domino chain

Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!

Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes

Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it

Make a nature collage

Mirror each other

Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper

Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways

Make and walk along a toilet paper trail

TAKE A NAP!