Looking for a full list of the 30 Activities in 30 Days series? This is it. Welcome to the full breakdown of Busy Toddler’s activity series featuring easy and engaging indoor activities for kids.
What is the 30 Activities in 30 Days series?
The 30 Activities in 30 Days series was born on an absolute whim, as are many of the best things in my life (my entire Instagram account started impulsively).
Winter can be a tough time for many to find something to do with the kids. The post-holiday blues are real, it’s hard to get outside with the kids, the days are dark, wet, cold, or full of unpredictable weather.
I have 500+ activity ideas sitting on this web site that are bound to help during these trying winter times.
And I knew the best way to get these activities into the hands of people who need them most was starting a series on Instagram without any sort of pre-planning.
It makes perfect sense to me and I’m not at all shocked by it.
Looking for more structure each day?
Check out Playing Preschool: Busy Toddler’s 190-day at-home activities program
What kind of activities made the list?
I did have the idea to make myself some boundaries for this 30 activities in 30 days series:
- Activities must used basic supplies that people are likely to have around the house (like baking soda and sticky notes)
- Activities must take less than 5 minutes to set up and even that feels like too much
- Activities must be likely to spur on more play for a child and keep them entertained
My thing with activities is they should be a tool for parents. They shouldn’t be a burden. The goal with activities is that they support the parent and child, help them in some way, and make life at home better.
This can’t happen if we are rushing out for more supplies, drowning in set up, and the kids don’t even play with what we made.
RELATED: Here’s my list of 15 Activity Supplies to make 40+ different activities.
The 30 Activities in 30 Days series
Remember, your job is NOT to do all 30 activities in 30 days. Use activities on days when you need an activity to help out. Skip activities on days when you don’t.
The goal here is to have a fun list of activities to look back on and reference when you need something great to help you make it through the day.
Activity 1: Popsicle Bath
An absolute GOAT: Give kids a Popsicle while they take a bath. It’s a sensory sensation (eating something cold while sitting in something warm), and it cuts down on the sticky mess.
Activity 2: Box Road
Grab a box, draw a road, and pair it with toys: that’s it. This may be the easiest activity set up, especially when compared to how much kids will play here.
Activity 3: Toy Parade
This took me 49 seconds to set up last time we did this (I timed myself). Kids love parades, lines, parking lots, traffic jams, sorted categories… whatever they make from this set of tape lines will be amazing.
Activity 4: Paint the Toys
Let kids paint their plastic toys with washable paint. I know it might sound wild (who would do that?!), but it’s an amazing activity for kids… and it all washes off in the tub or shower!
Activity 5: Toy Rescue
This is called a “scoop and transfer” style activity but I always called it a rescue mission. Let your child rescue their favorite plastic toys from a bin of water with a slotted spoons. It’s such a classic!
Activity 6: Dot Stickers
Dot stickers are my favorites and this lines activity started my whole love affair way back in 2016. It’s been 7 years since the first dot sticker activity and my kids (now tweens themselves) are still using them for school work.
Activity 7: Homemade Play Dough
The best recipe for homemade play dough is from Friends Art Lab. She graciously lent me her recipe for my series and I’m so grateful. This no-cook recipe is perfection.
Activity 8: Alphabet Match-Up
The BEST: Make an answer key and then hide magnetic letters around the house. Have kids run to hunt and find the hidden letters, bring them back, and matching them up. It’s a gross motor and literacy work out. I linked the Easter version of this activity – obviously just skip the plastic egg part when it’s not spring.
Activity 9: Oil and Water
Oil and water won’t mix and it’s mesmerizing! You’ll need vegetable oil, food coloring, water, and syringes or pipettes for this activity.
Activity 10: Baking Soda Science
Is there anything better than the old baking soda and vinegar activity? I don’t really think so. This version of the experiment adds a sensory and color mixing element that kids love.
Activity 11: Card Slot Drop
My favorite activity for the 12-24 month old crowd (the tabies!). Use a container, make a slit, and pair it with a deck of cards. There is magic in this set up, trust me.
Activity 12: Dot Sticker Match
More dot stickers, please! This activity has kids matching upper and lowercase letters. It’s the perfect activity to toss in the car or diaper bag.
Activity 13: Pom Pom Ramps
Get out the collection of paper tubes that I know you’ve been saving. It’s time to use them to make an epic STEM system with painter’s tape and pom pom balls. It’s a perfect way to use these tubes.
Activity 14: Pom Pom Soup
Pom pom balls CAN get wet and still live!! You just have to know how to dry them. Find out how in this activity post and see how to make “pom pom soup” with your kids.
Activity 15: LEGO Bath
Dump the Duplos in the tub. TRUST ME. This is an epic activity and a game changer. Don’t worry: your Duplos will be fine after this (read the post for how to dry them).
Activity 16: Paint the Stuffies
A twist on “all about me” painting (where you trace your child’s outline and let them paint their body). This version lets kids play artist and recreate their beloved stuffies on paper. It’s adorable.
Activity 17: Sticky Note Matching
Hiding sticky notes around the house is my kids’ favorite activity: letters, numbers, spelling words, sight words, math problems. You name it and it works in this activity.
Activity 18: Wash the Toys
Let kids wash the toys. That’s the whole activity and it’s brilliant. Kids have a job and task (they love that), you get to cross a chore off your list, and chances are good they end up wanting to play with the clean toys when they finish.
Activity 19: Tape Rescue
Another fantastic taby activity that can go with you anywhere. Keep a roll of tape handy for this fine motor activity that’s great at home, on high chairs, or tray tables.
Activity 20: Rescue the Toys
This spider-web activity is a perfect way to get kids interested in playing with toys they may have forgotten. Set up the activity and don’t be surprised if kids keep playing with the toys long after they’ve rescued them.
Activity 21: DIY Ball Ramp
Create a DIY ball ramp using a cardboard box. This is such an easy activity idea, but one that you won’t want to forget. Plus, there’s a little trick to making this activity sturdy (it’s a broom stick).
Activity 22: Oobleck Sensory Bin
Have you made oobleck yet? This is the best messy activity (that cleans up with just water). It’s a combination of cornstarch and water in this science meets sensory activity.
Activity 23: Hidden Colors
Arguably our favorite science activity of all time, you have to let your kids try to find the “hidden colors.” This twist on the traditional “baking soda plus vinegar” experiment turns it from a one and done moment to a full blown experience.
Activity 24: Tape Resist Art
Tape resist art is a fantastic way to paint with little kids because everyone can be successful. From toddlers to tweens, tape resist is fantastic and makes the coolest final product with the negative space left from the tape.
Activity 25: ABC Find
My 10 year old requested this activity make the list, so in his honor: tape letters around the house and give out clues. Have your kids run and find the letters. It’s the best activity for sittervising.
Activity 26: Extreme Boxes
Yes, it’s “just” kids decorating boxes… but it’s also a lot more than that. The way I set up box decorating at our house makes it an activity for months. Yes, months….
Activity 27: Paint the Trash
Guess what can be intimidating to little kids? A blank, white canvas. Letting kids paint the recycling is a perfect activity, especially for kids who don’t love painting on white paper.
Activity 28: Secret Letters
An absolute classic: grab your white crayon and put it to good use. The wax resists the water color paint making this secret, hidden activity so fun for kids. Try it with letters, shapes, notes, just about anything.
Activity 29: Color Mixing
I love letting kids explore color theory and this is the perfect way to do it (plus they get some fine motor, sensory, and science at the same time).
Activity 30: Bubble Foam
An absolute legend: bubble foam. The combination of tear free soap and water in a blender and it is perfection.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.3 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie’s parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.
Subscribe to my free newsletter and I’ll send you “35 Easy Toddler Activities to Break Up the Day!”
Leave a Comment