If you’re searching for some entertaining activities to keep your toddler occupied, we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together a list of 15 toddler games that are guaranteed to keep your child entertained for hours. There are several types of games that may be played at home, and the majority of them need only a few toys.
So grab a few friends or family members, and get ready to have some fun while keeping your child safe.
Toddler Play: Why it’s important
Toddlers need to play just as much as they need to eat and sleep. Play is essential for their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. It helps them learn new communication skills and artistic skills, practice existing ones, and explore the world around them.
It also helps them develop imagination, learn how to cooperate with others, and cope with difficult emotions.
When choosing games for your toddler, look for ones that are appropriate for their age and abilities. And don’t forget to have fun yourself! Here are 15 games to get you started.
Toddler Learning Games
Toddlers are great explorers and love to learn new things. These fun games for toddlers teach them about their environment, numbers, and shapes and are perfect for little learners.
1. Do some magic painting
With a brush and some water, your toddler can transform a piece of paper into a work of art. They’ll love watching the colours appear as they paint, and you’ll love the beautiful (and temporary!) artwork they create.
You’ll only need a piece of white paper, and a basic painting kit, which is child safe.
Let them freely paint on the paper with basic shapes or pictures, and watch as the colours appear. As they paint, talk to them about the colours they’re using and what they see.
2. Play musical bumps
Feel the rhythm and move to the beat with this action game. It’s perfect for getting those wiggles out! In this game, you’ll need a bean bag, a bouncy ball, and a soft ball.
To play, sit your toddler on the floor and start the music. When it starts, bounce the ball or beanbag on the floor. As you bounce, sing a song or chant a nursery rhyme.
If you don’t have a bean bag or ball, you can use other things that can at least bounce. A small balloon or even a crumpled-up piece of paper will work. Just make sure that what you’ll be using is safe for your toddler.
3. Pretend to be animals
Children can act out different animal behaviours, sounds, and movements. This is a great way to teach them about the different characteristics of animals.
To play, start by imitating an animal yourself. Make the sound that the animal makes and act out its movement, then reverse the roles.
4. Create a big collage
Cut out pictures from magazines, newspapers, or old greeting cards to make a giant collage. This is a great activity for developing your toddler’s fine motor skills.
To make the collage, start using safety scissors to cut pieces of paper. You can also cut some of them into smaller pieces. Finally, have your youngster glue the pieces onto a bigger piece of paper. As they glue, encourage them to tell you a story about the pictures.
5. Do some flour drawing
Toddlers love baking but they can also have fun with flour. Put some flour in a tray and let your toddler draw shapes or make patterns in the flour. They’ll love feeling the different textures as they play.
When they’re done, you can spray water on their drawings to make them harder. Or, you can bake the flour drawings to turn them into edible art!
6. What colour is it?
This fun colour guessing game is easy to set up and a simple way to review your toddler’s knowledge of colours. You only need different household objects in different colours. You can play by pointing or holding up an object and asking your toddler what colour it is. Give them a point if they get it right. The one with the most points at the end of the game wins!
7. Play match the socks
Footwear is a great way to teach toddlers about matching. In this game for children, you’ll need a bunch of socks (preferably ones that are the same size and colour).
To play, mix up the socks and invite your toddler to pair them up. They can put them in pairs or group them by colour. Give rewards when they finish, like a sticker or a piece of candy.
Educational Toddler Games
Early exposure to numbers, shapes, and colours is important for toddler development. Games that focus on these skills will help your toddler get a head start in school.
There are all sorts of baby games out there to choose from. Just be sure to find ones that are fit for your toddler’s age and abilities. And don’t get stressed out if they don’t want to play the game the way you intended. Just go along with it and have fun!
8. Learn children’s songs from other cultures
Other people’s cultures can be fascinating to children. You don’t have to travel to experience countries to teach your toddler songs from other cultures, either. Look up some foreign nursery rhyme or classic songs on the internet, and then sing them together while you do some simple actions.
Some of these songs are already translated into English. Also, use pictures to help explain the words and their meaning.
9. Jigsaw puzzle
Solve them together or time your toddler to see how long it takes them to complete the puzzle in this brilliant activity. As they get better at it, make the puzzle harder by increasing the number of pieces.
You can also try making a simple jigsaw puzzle yourself by cutting out different shapes from a piece of cardboard. Then, let your toddler put the pieces together to make a photo or picture.
10. Online memory games
Images and words can be used in these games to help improve your toddler’s memory skills. If you have a smartphone or tablet, there are also apps that you can download in the form of online games.
These usually come with different levels, so the game can be made more difficult as your toddler gets better at it.
11. Simon says
Follow commands from “Simon” (played by you), but only when Simon says to do so. For example, “Simon says touch your nose.” If Simon doesn’t say the word “says,” then don’t do the action.
This classic game is a great way to help your toddler learn about following directions. It’s a whole load of fun to play!
12. Obstacle course
Be active and have fun while you help your toddler develop their gross motor skills. You can create an obstacle course indoors or outdoors. It can be complicated as you want. Just make sure that the obstacles are safe for your toddler to try.
Cardboard boxes, blankets, cardboard rolls, cardboard tubes, and chairs are all good things to use.
13. Read and ask
Storytelling is a great way to bond with your toddler and help them develop their language skills. Read a book with your toddler and ask some questions that are from the story. You can shape up your own by using pictures from magazines or books. Let your toddler add their own ideas to the story too!
14. Doctor kid
Doctor who? Doctor kid! In this game of rescue, your toddler gets to be the doctor. They can use a toy stethoscope to listen to your heartbeat, or they can give you a “checkup” with their fingers.
You can also pretend to be sick or hurt, and let your toddler “treat” you. This will educate them about basic skills for first aid while they have fun playing the role of a doctor.
15. Housework
Let them do the chores with you!
Toddlers are curious enough to help. Every little bit helps around the house. So why not let them join? They can help with simple tasks for developing amazing skills in the future like dusting or putting away dishes. Just make sure to supervise them so that they don’t make a bigger mess!
Discover more play-based learning at Okinja ELC!
We, at Okinja ELC, help you to prepare your toddler for school and provide a foundation for lifelong learning through play. Our experienced educators create a warm and nurturing environment that encourages exploration, discovery, and creativity.
Contact us at 07 5479 2222 or admin@okinjaelc.com.au.
