7 Best Indoor Activities For Toddlers Under 3
As a parent, you may find yourself giving up on the idea of staying clean throughout the day.
Most toddlers are still at an age where they’re discovering everything by putting it in their mouths or touching it to see how it feels,
which means that if you don’t want your little one to be covered from head to toe in different foods, art projects, and other substances before the end of the day, you’ll need to find entertainment that doesn’t involve getting dirty.
Play With A Ball
Ball games are great for toddlers. They’re a fun way to get your toddler active, they can be competitive.
(if you’re into that sort of thing), and they’re great for helping your little one develop gross motor skills. Ball games also encourage fine motor development by teaching them how to use their hands and fingers effectively.
Find out more about ball games by reading our guide on the subject: https://www.toddlerparentingexpertblog.com/ball-games-for-toddlers/.
Hide And Seek
Hide and seek is a classic game for children, and it’s no different for toddlers. Hide and seek helps promote physical activity in your child, as well as encourage them to interact with other people.
It also teaches problem-solving skills and the ability to follow instructions.
So if you’re looking for indoor activities for toddlers under 3 years old, hide and seek should definitely be on your list!
Build A Fort
This is a great activity for an indoor day. It’s easy, it’s fun, and your toddler will love being the boss!
First, grab a blanket and some chairs. Then get as creative as you want to decorate the fort by adding pillows or whatever else you have lying around that might look cool in there. I would recommend giving them a toy to play with on their own while they’re inside the fort so they don’t get bored and come out early (this can take up to 15 minutes).
I recommend letting your child lead this one because not only do they have endless ideas of what their fort should look like but also because it allows them to use their imagination even more! After building it yourself once or twice though…you may find that you enjoy playing along with them more than just watching from outside of their creation 🙂
Get Messy
This is a great activity for toddlers and young children because it’s fun and you can do it anywhere—provided you have access to running water! If you don’t have an outdoor space for your toddler to play in, or if the weather isn’t permitting outdoor play,
consider getting a small plastic pool or dish tub from the dollar store and filling it with water. You can also try putting some toys in there that float on top of the surface (like plastic fruit) or sink below it (such as legos).
Use finger paints! Finger painting is another simple activity that both toddlers and adults will love doing together. You just need paint (in any color), paper plates or pieces of cardboard, and paper towels/rags for cleaning up afterward.
Have fun making artworks together by finger painting with your child on either paper plates or cardboard pieces cut into rectangles about 4 x 6 inches wide; this size works well because neither too big nor too small yet easy enough for little hands to hold onto while they paint away!
Sing-Along To Favourite Songs
Music is a wonderful way to bond with your toddler. The best way to do this is by singing songs together.
Singing familiar tunes will help your child learn new vocabulary words, and it can also teach him or her about rhythm and tempo.
It’s important to include your toddler in the singing process so they feel like they’re part of the fun—have them clap their hands in time with the beat, dance around, or join in on a chorus if possible!
Play With Toys That Create Sounds And Have Special Textures
You might think that toys that make sounds and have special textures are too noisy and messy for toddlers, but they’re actually a great way to keep your little one occupied.
Toys that create sounds can also be helpful in teaching your toddler how to recognize letters, numbers, and colors. If you want your child to learn something new while playing with their toys, try getting them a set of alphabet blocks or stackable shapes with letters on them! These are some of our favorites!
But remember: all those funny sounds come at a price, so try to find ones that aren’t too noisy—or get ear plugs! Also, remember not to buy anything too expensive if you don’t want it destroyed by an excited toddler who is learning about cause-and-effect relationships (you know what we mean). Finally – avoid purchasing any toy with batteries because they could become lost easily under furniture!!
Finger paint
When you’re looking for indoor activities for toddlers under three, finger paint is a great choice. It’s messy and fun to make, but it also encourages creativity in a way that other arts and crafts projects don’t.
To set up your space:
Provide a clean and dry surface on which to work. A table or other flat surface is ideal, but if you have the floor available with no risk of spills or messes there’s no reason not to let your little one go at it!
Provide paintbrushes (or spoons if they’re old enough). Toddlers are unlikely to be able to control these well enough yet anyway so don’t worry if they’re not using them correctly right away—it’ll come with practice! The idea here is just that they get used to being able to use these tools during this activity so when similar situations arise later on down the line they’ll already know what works best for them when trying this sort of thing out again later on down the line . . . which leads us nicely into our next tip:
Provide paper towels nearby as well as plastic cups or bowls filled with water nearby so that when it comes time for clean-up both can be easily accessed without any fussing about where everyone should put their things after finishing up whatever project has been underway before moving onto another one..
Indoor Activities You Can Do With Your Toddler
With the right materials and a little creativity, you can have fun indoors with your toddler. Here are some ideas:
- Make a fort.
- Build a tower out of blocks.
- Play pretend with simple toys and stuffed animals. The more imaginative you are, the better! If you don’t have any kids’ play sets, use whatever is at hand: blankets for tents or caves; pillows for chairs; mismatched cups and plates for tea parties; and anything that might make noise when shaken—empty glasses or bottles filled with water work great! Be sure to let your child help create this world they’ll love exploring through playtime together.
Conclusion
The most important thing is to create a safe, fun environment where you and your child can play.
