One of the common questions we get is what activities can be done with the kids at home, with things everyone has. So we researched and found for you 31 activities that you can do with your kids in any home, anytime.
1. Handprints glorious handprints
Awesome keepsake to make that will keep you and your little one’s handprints alive for ages. Dig those hands in some paint, frame, and enjoy!
2. Dancing Time
Your baby will giggle while you’ll burn off some calories! It is a win-win situation.
3. Paper Kicking
It is such a fun activity to get a baby using those legs! Put some tissue paper hanging down a chair, lie baby on their back and watch her kick away listening to the rustling sounds.
4. Tiger on a Tree
Try this ‘magic hold’ after feeding and for relaxing. Best done while standing, with light patting or soothing of the baby’s back. It can be your savior during those sleepless nights.
5. Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Babies love nothing more than watching and babbling at themselves in the mirror! Look out for lots of smiles and fascination. Join in too and watch their faces light up.
6. Follow the Leader
Bang, bash, wave, clap, or open and close your hands. See how many actions baby can follow and how much fun they’ll have in the process!
7. Flying Away
Hold your baby up high and fly away for lots of fun and giggles.
8. Family Portraits
Get out the camera, put on your most excellent gear, and light up your lives with some awesome pictures to keep forever. It’s selfie time!
9. Grabbing Basket
Find a shallow basket and fill it with different household items that are safe for babies. Prop baby up on a pillow and let her explore, listen to sounds, feel different textures, and have some great fun.
10. Let’s go for a Swim
Swimming is fun, fun, fun. Let your baby splash away and enjoy the water while you join too.
11. Edible Paints
Do this in your little one’s high chair if you want to contain the mess and messy it shall be! Get fruits and vegetables of all colors, puree them until very smooth and let baby paint to her heart’s content.
12. Making a new friend
Little ones love their soft toys. Get a giant teddy bear and watch a beautiful friendship emerge! Don’t worry. You’ll still be baby’s no. 1 favorite.
13. Peek-a-boo, I see YOU
There’s nothing more fun than a game of peekaboo. Hide your face with your hands, wait for several seconds and then unhide while saying with a smile, “Peekaboo, I see you.” Babies love this game; you will be surprised by how much.
14. Dressing Up
Let’s play pretend and dress up for some fun. Play around with lots of different outfits for a great photoshoot opportunity.
15. Crawling is the new Walking
Oh, those little ones are starting to become more and more independent. Throw favorite toys or objects in front of your little one and see that determined little face and their bodies move!
16. Freeze dancing
Dance with your toddler in time to the music, then tell her to stand still once the music stops. Fun for all!
17. Fill it up
Grab some balls of different shapes and sizes and place them in a basket. Get a second basket and encourage your little one to move the balls from one bucket to the next. If they are wobbling, move the baskets further away from each other and watch the glee on their faces as they master this new art.
18. Name it!
During diaper changing, take each part of your little one’s body and say, “What’s this?” Then name it. You can do feet, toes, hands, legs, arms, hands, fingers, belly button, tummy, and more. Soon they’ll be babbling non-stop naming their body parts.
19. Tunnel Tunnel Time
If you have a cardboard box, use it as a tunnel. Kids love to explore them.
20. Baby Yoga Time
Some excellent time for you and your baby to bond, plus you’ll have some Zen in your lives and get some exercise.
21. Stepping on Leaves
There is nothing like the great outdoors in Autumn stomping and crunching leaves. Go on, be a little one yourself, and have some fun too.
22. Fruit Picking
When the season is right, head out for some fun fruit picking and see what delicious treats you can find and then eat them all up!
23. Kicking a Ball
Toddlers love running around, and this is the perfect time to teach them to kick a ball. Get moving and kicking!
24. Ribbon Hanging
Get some string, a small bucket, pegs, and a ribbon. Tie the string across a part of a room with a bucket attached to it. Put some pegs in the bucket. Watch your toddler take pegs out of the bucket and put them back again. Now show them how they can peg the ribbons to the clothesline. Soon they’ll be helping you hang out the washing!
25. It’s Cooking Time
Toddlers love to get their hands messy and help you cook. Get a chef’s hat for your little one, and bake some cookies to enjoy afterward. Beware of that mess moms and dads.
26. Crazy Straws
Get some crazy straws and different colors of felt. Cut circles of felt and make a slit in the middle of the ring. Now show your little one how to thread the thought over the crazy straws. They could do this for hours! Voila – a fun activity.
27. Beanbag Toss
You’ll need 2 or 3 beanbags and 5 paper plates. Write the numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 on the plates. Now space them evenly apart on the lawn. Now it’s time to throw and see who can get the furthest—whoop whoop along when they throw their beanbag. Go on, have a go yourself, and see who wins… you might be surprised.
28. Catch!
It is a great timeless classic that toddlers love, and it gets rid of some of that boundless energy!
Start slowly by moving towards your toddler and taking its wrist. Then say, “I’m going to catch you!” Then walk away a bit further away and do the same thing. Now move towards her slowly, saying, “I’m going to catch you,” making excessive noises as you go. They’ll soon get the hang of it, and you’ll be running after them in no time.
29. Let’s go Shopping
Get a small basket or cardboard box to act as a trolley cart and some groceries from your pantry. You’ll also need a grocery bag and pretend money if you want. Get your little one to go shopping at the store. At this age, they love copying what mom and dad do, so get ready for a bit of a Shopatron. If you have some pretend money, then let them hand it over.
30. Crazy Painting
Little ones love painting, especially with their hands! Get some paint and have some fun – include different things that they can use as brushes like potatoes, sponges, foil and of course hands! I hope you don’t mind a whole lot of mess.
31. Magical Musical Instruments
For hours of fun, get some pots and pans and wooden spoons and let your little one play musical instruments for a rocking and rolling good time. You might go crazy at the noise, but they certainly won’t.
