Things to do indoors with your toddler

Chase your little one around as the tickle monster! It’s sure to make them laugh and will tire them out as well.

Blow bubbles around the house and watch your child have fun chasing after them and making them go ‘pop!’ You can even make your own bubbles by mixing one cup of water with a small amount of washing up liquid and 4 teaspoons of sugar. Or how about making giant bubbles with a hoop?

Biodegradable balloons can be used for lots of active games, like balloon volleyball or keepie-uppie. Or how about asking your wee one to hold the balloon between their legs and then waddle around the room like a penguin? You could even create an obstacle course using cushions, towels and boxes, to challenge them even more! No balloons? This works just as well with a ball or cushion.

Put on some music and give your toddler to a cushion to dance around (or even on). When the music stops, they have to sit down on the cushion as quickly as they can. All that sitting down and standing up again will certainly help burn some energy!

Egg and spoon races aren’t just for sports day! Give your child a spoon and something to balance on it (a small ball or piece of scrunched up paper is less messy than a real egg!) then see if they can make their way round the house without the precious ‘egg’ falling off. Can they sit on the floor or jump up and down without dropping it? Or hold it high in the air above their head?

Burn off some energy by getting your child to try and copy everything you do. Try hopping across the room, or how about some star jumps?

Your toddler can get a little restless waiting for their dinner, so this is a great time to turn your kitchen into the best disco in town! Pop on your favourite music, and show your toddler how to boogie.

Draw or cut out different shapes (circle, triangle, square, etc) using pieces of scrap paper and place them on the floor. Then ask the kids to move between the shapes: ‘Hop to the triangle, ‘Crawl to the circle,’ ‘Wriggle on your tummy to a shape with four sides’. This not only helps burn energy but also helps them learn their shapes.

Have a game of hide and seek in the house together. Why not take turns to count and hide? Great for practising their numbers, and they’ll be giggling when they spot your feet poking out from under the living room curtain!

Place cushions and blankets around the room and see who can make it round without stepping on the floor – because the floor is made of hot lava! 

Treasure hunts aren’t just for Easter eggs – you can have fun hiding treats or simple objects around the home any time of year. You could also make a treasure map together too.

If you’re trying to get some work done, why not give your toddler some blankets, towels and cushions and ask them to build a den in the room you’re working in? You could reward them for a job well done by joining them inside when you’re done and reading a story together.

Help them get some tins from the kitchen, then get them to set up their own shop. They can add prices to the tins and even make their own money. Their toys can be customers – or maybe you'd like to have a browse?

Ready, set, go – tidy away your toys! It’s fun to see how quickly your little one can tidy up and saves you a job too – win win! Why not time them and keep a record to try and beat? It’s a good way to tire them out later in the day, and will also make them feel more independent.

Set up a bowling alley using bottles (plastic or reusable, not glass!). If you don’t have a ball, your wee one could always throw a small cushion or toy instead. Show them how to set it up so they can do it themselves and you can get on with other things while they practise.

If you’re trying to get on with things in the kitchen, full a bowl or bucket full of lukewarm soapy water and let your wee one have some fun with bubbles. You could give your little one some plastic cups and bottles to make waves, whirlpools and waterfalls. Your kitchen floor may get a wash as well!

Our kitchen activities for little ones page has more things you can try.

You don’t need expensive fancy dress costumes to have fun dressing up. Instead, find some old grown-up clothes for your child to have fun with. An apron can be a cape or cloak, tights can be a wig and a T-shirt can be a dress – with a bit of imagination, the possibilities are endless! As they get dressed up, ask they who they are and what they’re going to do today.