Indoor Activities for Toddlers
Fun, Interactive Games and Crafts for Children on Cool Weather Days
With the cooler seasons quickly approaching, families are going to have to move most outdoor activities back indoors. This can cause problems for toddlers who love the freedom of the backyard, with its dirt, sand and open spaces. Parents can lure their toddlers back inside with fun, creative and interactive activities that don't involve television time or video games.
Picnic Time
Eating lunch is always more fun when it's in the form of a picnic. Spread a fun blanket on the floor and make easy to eat finger-foods for sharing. Toddlers will enjoy the change of pace.
Pitch a Tent or Make a Fort
For some reason, children love small, enclosed spaces to crawl around in. Tents and blanket forts are perfect for a rainy day. If a tent is out of the question due to space issues, blanket forts are easy to make and easy to take down. A few large blankets and pieces of furniture to drape them over are all that's needed. Children will love to crawl around beneath the blankets and pretend to be on a trip or some wild animal. Toddlers will enjoy the activity even more if mom or dad is crawling around beneath the fort as well!
Creative Craft Ideas for Toddlers
Every child loves Play-Doh. Stores now sell large Play-Doh kits with many accessories, but all a parent really needs is the jar of Play-Doh or a recipe to make a batch. Certain household items can be used as substitutes to the accessories that come with a Play-Doh set. Use small cookie-cutters to make fun shapes. Or use safe child-scissors to cut the Play-Doh.
Most children also enjoy coloring or drawing. When it's done on a larger scale, it can be even more fun. Parents can use butcher paper or poster board along with a variety of drawing materials so that a child can draw a large mural. Another idea is to have the child lay on the paper so mom or dad can trace an outline of the body. Then the child can work on a self-portrait or simply decorate the tracing.
Indoor Games
Bowling is a great toddler game that many have never even tried. Many stores sell cheap bowling sets with pins and a ball, but household items can also be substituted. Set up empty water bottles at the end of a hall-way and use a light-weight kid's sized ball to knock them down.
A toddler-sized basketball hoop is a great idea for indoor play if space allows, but a clothes basket or large mixing bowl will work just as well. Toddlers and parents can take turns trying to toss a ball into the "basket".
Regardless of which activity a parent decides to play with a child, it will be enjoyable and a special time for both, especially when the play is interactive. No amount of electronic toys or video games can replace simple interaction with mom or dad.
Crafty Child
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