40+ Best Indoor Activities from Busy Toddler

Table of Contents:

1. Looking for the best indoor activities from Busy Toddler – here they are…
2. How do you make great indoor activities for toddlers and preschoolers?
3. The 40+ best indoor activities from Busy Toddler will help your days
4. What age are these easy activities for?
5. Enjoy these easy activities – I truly hope they can help!
6. Sensory Bins
7. Quick & Easy Activities

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Looking for the best indoor activities from Busy Toddler – here they are…

Why do I love activities so much? Indoor activities are a tool. They’re a way for me to help break up the day, keep the kids from asking 47 “but why…?” questions, buy me a chance to unload the dishwasher or hit the reset button if things aren’t going so well.

Activities aren’t a must to make life work at home – but they are a great tool when you need them. This is the BEST OF THE BEST indoor activities from Busy Toddler.

RELATED: Need help with play-based learning right now? Check out my activities program – a laid out, 45 minute a day preschool: Playing Preschool.

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How do you make great indoor activities for toddlers and preschoolers?

I combed my site top to bottom to find activities that fit these criteria:

• Easy set up
• Minimal supplies needed
• Hold little attention spans

I’m looking for indoor activities that can help.

If your child is having a hard time finding play…. an activity can jump start that.

If your child is fighting with a sibling…. an activity can reset them.

If you need a minute to make dinner… an activity can help.

If the TV has been on longer than you’d like… an activity can bring play back to life.

RELATED: Need new puzzles? Need new board games? I have lists for both!

The 40+ best indoor activities from Busy Toddler will help your days

Make sure to check out my SUPPLY list for my favorite activities supplies.

For these activities, the most used are:

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• Storage container (mine is a 28 qt Sterilite bin from Target)
• 5 lbs of dry rice (this will save for YEARS of reuse)
• Dot stickers
• Large black marker
• Post-it Notes
• Painter’s / wall safe tape
• Washable tempera paint
• White butcher paper

What age are these easy activities for?

That’s up to you – you are the best judge of your child’s ability level and interests. Think of “skills needed” rather than age when considering an activity because all kids develop differently.

I’ve broken this list into three groups: sensory activities, art activities, and quick/easy activities.

Enjoy these easy activities – I truly hope they can help!

Sensory Bins

1. Rice Bin – A simple rice sensory bin

2. Funnels and Rainbow Rice – Play with rice and funnels

3. Indoor Pouring Station – Create an indoor pouring station

4. Dinosaur Toy Bath – Give those dinosaur toys a bath

5. Oobleck Party – Have you made oobleck? It’s a must!

6. Bubble Foam Trucks – Play with bubble foam – just three ingredients that you have!

7. Ice Bin Scoop & Transfer – Scooping and transferring ice is so fun

8. Puzzle Sorting Station – Mix up puzzles to create a simple sensory and sorting bin

1. Toy Washing Station – Wash the plastic toys as an activity

2. LEGO Duplo Bath – Put the DUPLOS in the bath!

3. Paw Patrol Search & Rescue – Rescue the pups from water (or any favorite toy)

4. Pom Pom Soup – Pom pom balls CAN GET WET!

5. Rice Bin Scoop & Transfer – A rice scooping station is so peaceful

6. Color Bath – Create a color themed bath for kids

7. Making Potions – Let kids get creative and make potions

8. Baking Station – An oatmeal sensory bin of imaginary play

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Art Activities

1. Body Painting Process Art – Trace your child and let them paint their “body”

2. Painting Dinosaurs – Paint dinosaurs or other plastic toys

3. Decorating Extreme Boxes – How to take box decorating to an extreme level

4. Paint the Trash – Nothing classier than painting trash!

5. Creation Station – Build and create with recycled items

6. Painting Ice Cubes – Painting ice cubes is so cool and fun

7. Shape Art Activity – Paint overlapping shapes on a large scale

8. Bath Tub Artist – Let toddlers paint in the bath tub

1. Rainbow Dot Sticker Art – Create a rainbow sticker sorting activity

2. Pointillism Art Activity – A very delicate way to paint

3. Tape Resist Art Activity – I know the photo is outdoor, but this is definitely great indoors

4. Giant Coloring Page – I set this up for Christmas, but it’s definitely year-round fun.

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Quick & Easy Activities

1. Post-it Name Match – Match family names on sticky notes

2. Animal Parade – Make a parade on tape

3. Box Road – Use a box to create a unique city

4. Number Line Sorting – Sort out the number line with sticky notes

5. Sticker Line-Up – Use dot stickers to trace over lines

6. Hidden Colors Science – A fun twist on baking soda and vinegar

7. Pom Pom Drop / Ramp – Save those toilet paper tubes to make a ramp system!

8. ABC Post-it Match – Match up the ABCs on sticky notes

1. Shape Sorting – Sort real world objects by shape

2. Card Slot Drop – A quick activity for young toddlers

3. Animal Tape Rescue – Rescue animals trapped by tape

4. Alphabet Find Race – Kids race around the house to find their Abcs

5. Find the Shape – A shapes and coloring activity

6. Match & Glue – Matching pom pom balls to colors and gluing them

7. Erase the ABCs – Erase letter written in dry erase markers

8. DIY Ball Ramp – Create a DIY ball ramp from a box