Toddler Activities with Household Materials
No special toys needed: pick something you already have and see every activity in the library that uses it, sorted by age, with prep tips, safety notes and what to use instead.
All 41 pages in 3 groups: Indoor materials (26), Indoors or out (13), Outdoor materials (2).
Updated
Indoor materials
- Baking Sheet 12 activities · 12–36 months 12 toddler activities with a baking sheet for 12-36 months, such as Kitchen Pot Band and Melting Color Ice Pucks, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Blanket 14 activities · 12–36 months 14 toddler activities with a blanket for 12-36 months, such as Pull the Blanket, Reach the Toy and Teddy's Two-Step Picnic, with safety notes and swaps.
- Blocks 14 activities · 12–36 months 14 toddler activities with blocks for 12-36 months, such as Two-Block Tower Trade and Tube and Block City, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Board Books 8 activities · 12–36 months 8 toddler activities with board books for 12-36 months, such as Lap Book Point and Pause and Cozy Cushion Calm Corner, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Cardboard Box 18 activities · 12–36 months 18 toddler activities with a cardboard box for 12-36 months, such as Big Box Tower Topple and Knock-Knock Box House, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Cardboard Tubes 6 activities · 12–36 months 6 toddler activities with cardboard tubes for 12-36 months, such as Scarf in a Tube Pull and Tube Garden Copycat, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Clothespins 4 activities · 23–36 months 4 toddler activities with clothespins for 23-36 months, such as Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle and Sock Hang-Up on the Basket, with safety notes and swaps.
- Cushions 11 activities · 12–36 months 11 toddler activities with cushions for 12-36 months, such as Cushion Mountain Climb and Toy Car Trip Story, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Egg Carton 6 activities · 17–36 months 6 toddler activities with an egg carton for 17-36 months, such as Egg Carton Latch Surprise and Egg Carton Color Hunt, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Empty Tissue Box 6 activities · 12–36 months 6 toddler activities with an empty tissue box for 12-36 months, such as Big Box Tower Topple and Tissue Box Mystery Feel, with safety notes and swaps.
- Family Photos 5 activities · 12–36 months 5 toddler activities with family photos for 12-36 months, such as Photo Wall Hello Kisses and Bedtime Day Recap, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Ice Cube Tray 4 activities · 12–36 months 4 toddler activities with an ice cube tray for 12-36 months, such as Ice Tray Snack Picking and Ice Tray Spoonful Count, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Jumbo Crayons 4 activities · 14–36 months 4 toddler activities with jumbo crayons for 14-36 months, such as Taped-Down First Scribbles and Trace Around the Lid, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Large Paper 8 activities · 14–36 months 8 toddler activities with large paper for 14-36 months, such as Taped-Down First Scribbles and Trace Around the Lid, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Laundry Basket 11 activities · 12–36 months 11 toddler activities with a laundry basket for 12-36 months, such as In and Out Basket Climb and Washcloth Fold and Stack, with safety notes and swaps.
- Light Scarves 6 activities · 12–34 months 6 toddler activities with light scarves for 12-34 months, such as Gentle Hands for Teddy and Animal Moves Action Song, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Painter's Tape 15 activities · 12–36 months 15 toddler activities with painter's tape for 12-36 months, such as Photo Wall Hello Kisses and Toy Car Trip Story, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Play Dough 5 activities · 18–36 months 5 toddler activities with play dough for 18-36 months, such as Dough Pancake Press and Dough Balls in an Egg Carton, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Pots and Pans 9 activities · 12–34 months 9 toddler activities with pots and pans for 12-34 months, such as Kitchen Pot Band and Things That Go Together, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Potty Chair 5 activities · 15–36 months 5 toddler activities with a potty chair for 15-36 months, such as Meet the Potty and Flush, Wash, Pants Up, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Socks 16 activities · 12–36 months 16 toddler activities with socks for 12-36 months, such as Real-Things Basket and Tissue Box Mystery Feel, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Sticky Notes 6 activities · 13–36 months 6 toddler activities with sticky notes for 13-36 months, such as Photo Wall Flap Hunt and Hand-Wash Picture Steps, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Stuffed Animal 25 activities · 12–36 months 25 toddler activities with a stuffed animal for 12-36 months, such as Pull the Blanket, Reach the Toy, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Towel 16 activities · 12–36 months 16 toddler activities with a towel for 12-36 months, such as Two-Hands Open Cup Sip and Washcloth Fold and Stack, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Toy Cars 13 activities · 16–36 months 13 toddler activities with toy cars for 16-36 months, such as Cars Here, Blocks There Tidy-Up and Toy Car Trip Story, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Unbreakable Mirror 4 activities · 15–30 months 4 toddler activities with an unbreakable mirror for 15-30 months, such as Nose-to-Nose Mirror Game and Sticky Note Body Spots, with safety notes and swaps.
Indoors or out
- Bubbles 5 activities · 12–36 months 5 toddler activities with bubbles for 12-36 months, such as Bubble Squat-and-Pop and Slow Bubble Breathing, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Bucket 10 activities · 13–36 months 10 toddler activities with a bucket for 13-36 months, such as Squat-and-Collect Bucket Walk and Clothespin Count on the Bucket, with safety notes and swaps.
- Colander 6 activities · 12–36 months 6 toddler activities with a colander for 12-36 months, such as Colander Cage Peekaboo and Spoon, Sponge or Colander?, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Hula Hoop 5 activities · 18–36 months 5 toddler activities with a hula hoop for 18-36 months, such as Hoop Bus Walk and Hoop Island Jump, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Measuring Cups 14 activities · 14–36 months 14 toddler activities with measuring cups for 14-36 months, such as Two of a Kind Kitchen Match and Kitchen Outline Match Mat, with safety notes and swaps.
- Muffin Tin 4 activities · 13–36 months 4 toddler activities with a muffin tin for 13-36 months, such as One Sock Ball per Cup and Spoon, Sponge or Colander?, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Paintbrush 4 activities · 14–36 months 4 toddler activities with a paintbrush for 14-36 months, such as Water Painting Walls and Steps and Chalk Lines and Water Brush, with safety notes and swaps.
- Plastic Food Containers 22 activities · 12–36 months 22 toddler activities with plastic food containers for 12-36 months, such as Teddy's Snack Time and Tissue Box Mystery Feel, with safety notes and swaps.
- Soft Ball 20 activities · 12–36 months 20 toddler activities with a soft ball for 12-36 months, such as Colander Cage Peekaboo and Tape-Road Ball Dribble, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Sponges 6 activities · 13–36 months 6 toddler activities with sponges for 13-36 months, such as High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down and Spoon, Sponge or Colander?, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Tote Bag 7 activities · 12–36 months 7 toddler activities with a tote bag for 12-36 months, such as Blanket Picnic Finger Lunch and Mystery Tote Bag Guess, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Water Basin 7 activities · 15–36 months 7 toddler activities with a water basin for 15-36 months, such as Colander Rain Shower and Spoon, Sponge or Colander?, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Wooden Spoon 12 activities · 12–36 months 12 toddler activities with a wooden spoon for 12-36 months, such as Kitchen Pot Band and Kitchen Outline Match Mat, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
Outdoor materials
- Nature Finds 7 activities · 16–36 months 7 toddler activities with nature finds for 16-36 months, such as Nature Tote Treasure Walk and Egg Carton Color Hunt, with safety notes, prep tips and swaps.
- Sidewalk Chalk 5 activities · 19–36 months 5 toddler activities with sidewalk chalk for 19-36 months, such as Ready-Set-Go Chalk Dash and Chalk Lines and Water Brush, with safety notes and swaps.
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.