I really thought I knew what busy and stressful meant before I had a toddler. Ha! Now, I look back on the pre-baby days (and even the tiny-baby days!) and laugh. That’s because, even though I love my 19-month-old more than anything, she is a tiny tornado and she leaves absolute ruins in her wake. Just folded and stacked two loads of laundry? Too bad, it would be much more fun to tear it all down than let it sit there a minute before it all goes away. And why eat lunch sitting in a high chair with a bib on when it would be much more fun to run around the entire downstairs of the home scattering breadcrumbs and gnawed-off chunks of cheese across the floor? You’re a toddler mom, you get it.
So even though every single day, my little girl is bound to make some sort of chaos that I have to clean up and get over, I try really hard to come up with creative toddler activities that allow her to use up that energy without completely destroying my house. There’s some trial and error involved, of course. But after chatting with some other toddler mommies (and finding a few successes on our own), here are our current favorite indoor activities for toddlers that they’ll love — and you won’t hate.
More for Toddler Moms:
- Chores Your Kids Can Do Starting at Age 2 (So You Can Do Something Else)
- 21 Things Every Mom Knows About Toddler Messes
- PHOTOS: Reasons My Kid Is Crying All-Stars
Energy-Burning Toddler Activities That Won't Wreck Your House
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Do chores together.
I still remember the “Clean Up” tune from my own childhood, and my daughter knows what it means now when I start singing. Cue up a round or two of "It's clean-up time..." and get the kiddos in on the fun. If you have more than one toddler (bless you), you can challenge them to see who can clean up their play space faster or who more toys into the bin by the end. My 19-month-old is still too young for a chore chart, but your older toddler will surely benefit from one. Either way, rewards are a great way to turn up the fun for your little helper.
Photo: Momtastic
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Play dress-up.
Creating their own little worlds around the clothes in their dress-up closets is a great way to burn off energy. If she's a princess, send her to a royal ball and ask to see her dance moves. If she's a vet, have her gather all of her favorite stuffed animals and line them up on the couch for their appointments. Whatever it is, you can contain the mess by creating a scenario and letting their minds do the "running."
Photo: Jenny Studenroth
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Try a game of hopscotch.
Use a roll of masking tape to make magic in your house. You can create the boxes necessary for a good old-fashioned game of indoor hopscotch which toddlers just love. While you have the tape out, blow their minds by transforming the living room. You can use the tape along the floor (and couch) to create a crazy-cool road for driving their little cars around, or let the tots play, too and challenge them to make different shapes with the tape.
Photo: Momtastic
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Play musical chairs with their toys.
My toddler loves taking care of her dolls and stuffed animals, especially situating them in little chairs. Rather than watch as a house full of toys find new locations in a whirlwind of toddler energy, I like to line up a row of seating (folded blankets work just fine) and guide her to seat each doll or bear in a row. We put on music and shift everyone into a new seat every time I hit the pause button. She finds it hilarious and cleanup is a breeze for me when it's over.
Photo: Jenny Studenroth
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Hunt for colors.
Anything in the "I Spy" family is a hit with my toddler, and I like to play color-hunt because she's learning and staying active at the same time. That's a win-win-win! I'll show my daughter something red and say, "Let's go find all the red things," then together we go through the house pointing to and picking up red things. When she picks something up that is not red, we'll switch to that color next. "Okay, it's time to hunt for blue, now!" and off we'll go. You can also do this with shapes and so on.
Photo: Jenny Studenroth
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Let them play on a rocker.
My little absolutely loves her rocking unicorn. We play with it at least once every day, and she finds it absolutely thrilling. Also, it's pretty much the cutest thing ever to watch her "talk" to it. Any way you can possibly get them moving while staying in one place is a serious win from a clean-up perspective.
Photo: Jenny Studenroth -
Make a toy train.
Poke holes in two or three old shoe boxes and thread together with ribbon or string. Instruct your tot to take the train on a journey and let her load it up with her favorite goodies while she goes. Once it's filled with toys, mine likes to crouch and sort them back and forth between the "train cars." When she starts to lose interest, I simply dump the contents into the nearest toy box and she's often up for another go with a fresh set of "cargo."
Photo: Jenny Studenroth
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Go on "vacation."
Situation play is some of the best stuff because this is where creativity and imagination bloom. Since toddlers make excellent gatherers, prepping for an at-home beach vacation is always a good idea. An empty suitcase and a beach pail are just about all my little girl needs to go on an adorable "vacation" throughout our home. I'll strategically lay out themed items (sunglasses, bathing suits, stuffed animals) in advance and watch as she systematically scoops them up and totes them around. She's busy, I'm entertained, and the clutter is contained. Sounds like a real vacation to me!
Photo: Jenny Studenroth
