1-2 Years
Sidewalk 'Painting'
On a warm day, take the kids outside to 'paint' the sidewalk using water instead of paint. They love that they are painting, but you don't have any clean-up! They can also do handprints and footprints by getting their hands and feet wet....(read more)
The Wheels on The Stroller Go...
We all know the old "Wheels on the Bus." Next time you go for a walk, try singing "Wheels on the Stroller." Some sample lyrics: The visor on the stroller goes up and down. The girls in the stroller go whee, whee, whee (or wah wah ...(read more)
Crawling to the ABCs
Go to an educational store or other store that sells alphabet stencils. Then place the alphabet stencils on a tile floor in your home. Place them randomly so that the child will learn the letters individually. Then cover the stencils with clear contact paper. Watch as ...(read more)
Rainbow Stew
Stir together 1 cup cornstarch, 4 cups water, and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat on the stove until thick. Remove from heat and wait for it to cool. Pour the mixture into sandwich-size ziploc bags, filling each one halfway. Scatter drops of ...(read more)
Hunting for Dinosaurs
This game can be played indoors or outdoors, but we usually save it for a rainy day. Give a child a large basket and have her gather all of her plastic toy dinosaurs. Once she is convinced that she has them all, count them according to size (e.g., ...(read more)
Touring a Fire Station
Contact your local Fire Station and ask if they give tours. Most fire stations will provide tours for children and will tailor the tour to the age of the children attending. This is a great group activity! Many stations will even allow you to have a birthday ...(read more)
Tactile Fun with Textures
Using different textured materials (e.g. corduroy, silk, wool, etc.), cut out 4X4 squares of the materials and then punch hole in one corner. Hang all of the fabrics together on a single shower curtain ring. Babies can use this to explore different textures, toddlers can find new descriptive words for the ...(read more)
Go Fish . . .for Toys
Take a few of your child's favorite small toys and tie one end of a short length of string to each of them. Tie the other ends of the string to the tray of his or her highchair or tape them along the outer edge (make sure the tape is ...(read more)
M&M Math
Dump a bag of M&Ms on the table and ask your child to sort them into different piles, by color. Then ask her to create vertical lines to show, without counting, which color has the most M&M's. You can add to the game by asking other questions such ...(read more)
DIY: Seashell Picture Frame
Create a homemade seashell picture frame to remember your precious memories at the beach. Collect a variety of seashells from your summer vacation at the beach, and then glue them onto a simple frame for decoration....(read more)
Calling all Budding Thespians
Instead of simply reading your child's favorite book again, make it interactive. Let him/her choose a page or scene from the book and act it out. For example, my son loves construction equipment, so he goes through his books and tells me to be one of the bulldozers ...(read more)
Choose-a-Chore
Toddlers love to 'help' around the house. A great way to teach them to help with chores and enjoy them at the same time is to turn them into a game. Let your child choose a chore to help with (e.g. laundry or unloading the dishwasher). For ...(read more)
Say Cheese: Homemade Photo Albums
Help your toddler remember friends and relatives whom they do not get to see often. Choose or take a photograph of each person you wish to include in the book. Using colored markers, let your child help write the name of that person on a piece of paper. ...(read more)
Fingerprint Art
Your child may not yet be able to color and draw pictures, but you can help them create some unique artwork using a stamp pad and their own fingers! Using non-toxic ink pads, press your child's finger into various colors of pads and then press onto paper. Little ...(read more)
Itty Bitty Bye... About So High
This is a great treasure hunt game that can be played indoors or out with older children and ones as young as 2. My 7, 5, and 3 year olds love it. Pick an object to hide and show it to your child. Your child covers their ...(read more)
Crayon Games
While out and about, I always keep a bag of crayons in my purse for those moments in the day when like it or not, my kids are just forced to wait. When they tire of drawing and coloring pictures, we play crayon games (this is especially good for ...(read more)
Finger Painting with Pudding
Prepare pudding and tape paper to a table. Feel free to add food coloring to make a more colorful 'paint.' Give each child his or her own container of pudding, then let them use their fingers to paint on the paper. In addition to creating a pudding masterpiece, ...(read more)
Homemade Playdough
Mix together the flour, salt, water, food coloring, cream or tartar, and cooking oil in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture forms a large 'ball' and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the ball from the heat. Once ...(read more)
Noodle Art
Let your kids get creative with what's in the pantry. Each time I cook pasta, I always save a little bit of the noodles in a baggie. Then once we have accumulated enough different types of noodles, we make art. Let the kids use their imagination and ...(read more)
Chalk the Walk
Mark off an area of your driveway, sidewalk or any other washable surface and let your kids go to town with Sidewalk Chalk. You can ask them to draw shapes, letters or numbers, or just let the little ones doodle. I'll draw objects or animals and then ask ...(read more)
Paper Plate Masks
Use a small white paper plate as the base for a child's mask. Cut two holes about where the child's eyes will be, then punch one hole on either side of the paper plate and tie a piece of string or yarn through each hole. This will be ...(read more)
Paper Tube Maracas
Take an empty paper towel or toilet paper tube. Cover one end with a small square of construction paper and fasten the square to the tube with a rubber band. Then fill the tube with dried beans or uncooked rice -- you can experiment with different amounts and ...(read more)
What's in the Sock?
Place a small object inside a large tube sock. then, have your child will stick his or her hand inside the sock, feel the object, and try to guess what it is. This activity helps children focus on their sense of touch. Select items such as ...(read more)
Picture Toast
Read a book with your child. In a small cup, mix 1/4 cup of milk with a few drops of food coloring. Use a Q-tip to paint the colored milk onto a piece of bread. Ask your child to paint their favorite part of the story or ...(read more)
What's Missing?
On a cookie sheet, place 5 or 6 small objects, such as a spoon, brush, book, toy, sock, or crayon. Allow your child to look at all the items on the cookie sheet. Have your child turn around, so you can remove one of the objects from the ...(read more)
Paper Tube Bird Feeder
Take an empty toilet paper tube and spread peanut butter all round the outside edge of the tube. Roll the peanut butter tube in bird seed. Cut a piece of yarn that is about 12 inches long. Attach it to each end of the tube to make ...(read more)
Clothes Pin Names
Write each letter of your child's name on a separate clothes pin. On a piece of paper, write your child's name. Mix up the clothes pins and have your child find each letter in their name, match it to the letter on the paper, and clip it on ...(read more)
Picture Sort
Sort pictures into groups of boys/girls, tall/short, hair color, or young/old. Kids could also make a line of all the pictures from youngest to oldest or shortest to tallest.
Making Play Binoculars
Tape or glue two clean toilet tissue cardboard tolls together and then tape some string to each roll so that the child can put it around his/her neck. To make it extra fun, paint, color or add stickers before or after taping/gluing the rolls....(read more)
Oatmeal Drum
Making a drum out of the tall 42 oz cylindrical shaped oatmeal container. Take top off and cover the container using decorated paper. You can use glue to seal the edges. Then seal opening with construction paper by securely using tape. Little kids will enjoy drumming ...(read more)
Letter Hunt
Get a stack of index cards and write one letter on each card and then hide them around a room. After hiding the letters, ask your child to find as many of the index cards as possible. As they find each card tell them to say the letter out loud. ...(read more)
Rock Family
Collect enough rocks to represent each member of your family. Paint the rocks either to look like each person, or simply write each person's name on the rock. Place your new Rock Family in your garden or near the front door for your family's enjoyment. ...(read more)
Blessing Ring/Birthday Ring
Cut thin strips of colored construction paper. Write the name of a blessing on each piece of paper. (Optional - Decorate the paper with stickers, etc.) Link the pieces of paper to form one long chain that you can hang on the fireplace or anywhere in the house. ...(read more)
Digital P's and Q's
With an easel and a digital camera, you can send thank yous for all the gifts your children receive on their birthdays. Write on the easel..."Thank you for the '.....' " With your child in front of the easel, snap the picture. Then change ...(read more)
Popsicle Painting
Paint pictures on white paper using different colors of popsicles. You can use this activity to illustrate the concept of melting ice turning into water.
Homemade Crayons
This is a fun craft you can do with your leftover broken crayons. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Get a muffin tin and line it with foil, spray foil lightly with non-stick spray. Then, take your old, broken crayon pieces (use pieces smaller than 1/2 inch) and ...(read more)
Homemade bubbles
Mix together 2/3 cup of dishwashing liquid (Joy or Dawn work best), 1 quart of water, and 1/3 cup of glycerin. Stir with a whisk to combine all ingredients. Then pour a small amount of the liquid into a bowl or bowls for the kids to use. ...(read more)
Texture Walk
Take a texture walk with your child or children. Use the outdoors to take advantage of an excellent learning opportunity for your little ones. Take a walk and look for things that are soft like sand, dirt, etc. Look for pine cones or rocks that are hard ...(read more)
Pantry Painting
Painting doesn't have to be limited to paint brushes. You can use lots of different painting tools to produce different artistic results. Some ideas include: feathers, twigs or leaves, eyedroppers, toothbrushes, vegetable and pastry brushes Also, try adding something to change the texture of the paint. ...(read more)
Homemade Playdough -- No Cooking Required!
Into a large bowl, put 3 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 2 tablespoons of warm water, and 1 and 1/2 cups vegetable oil. Knead all ingredients together and form into balls (this is a great sensory development skill for younger children). Then gently work in a few ...(read more)
Indoor Tennis
My son invented a great new indoor game when he found a splatter screen in the kitchen and started hitting one of his stuffed fabric balls...indoor tennis! Splatter screens are wire mesh covers with a plastic handle that are made to keep grease from popping out of the pan ...(read more)
Spin Art Cards
Have your little one help create birthday and/or holiday cards using a spin art machine. Once your child has completed the spin art, they can then add their artistic touch by 'signing' or adding a personal message....(read more)
Toy Town
On a carpeted area or rug, tape down long (5 or 6 feet) strips of masking tape in straight and curved patterns. Make the strips intersect each other to form a system of 'roads' on the floor. Gather toys and divide them up by themes, i.e. railroad, farm, ...(read more)
Balloon Ball
Find a fairly large, open area of the house where your child won't be in danger of running into anything. Blow up a balloon and show your child how to hit the balloon into the air with his/her hands. Try to hit the balloon back and forth, counting ...(read more)
Mixing Colors
Teach your child how to mix two colors together to make another color (e.g. yellow blue makes green and red blue makes purple). To begin, fill up a couple of clear glasses with water. Then, allow your kids to add drops of food coloring to make your color mixes -- ...(read more)
Special Soup
If you're trying to cook and your little one keeps demanding your attention, give them their own large mixing bowl and spoon. Hand them the odds and ends of whatever you're using: i.e. potato or onion peels, celery leaves, pasta, etc. Add water and any spices you feel ...(read more)
Inside Out Science
Science isn't just projects, it's everywhere. My kids enjoy learning about things by taking them apart to see what's inside. Collect a few flowers and examine them together. Talk about their texture, take them apart carefully so you can see how they're made. Squish them in ...(read more)
Where I Live
All kids should know their address, but sometimes it's hard for little ones to memorize it. Help them by making your address part of a rhyme. Here are some examples: When I see my house I start to holler: 'That's where I live, #57 ...(read more)
Sticker Tag
A new twist on the old game of tag - great for all ages and sure to get your blood pumping. Get a bunch of stickers, any kind will work but I use sheets of colored adhesive dots that are inexpensive and can be found at office supply stores. ...(read more)
What's the 411? Important Information about Where You Live
Take a picture of your house and paste it on a piece of construction paper (older children can help with this). Cut out a picture of your state and paste it on the paper as well. Then write out your full address, city, state, and telephone number. If you have ...(read more)
Painting with Marbles
Place a white sheet of paper on a cookie sheet or other pan with taller sides. Place several drops of paint (different colors) on the paper. Then, place a few marbles in the pan, have your child roll them around, and see what designs can be made!...(read more)
Toddler Charades
My 3-year old loves playing this simplified version of charades. Imitate an animal or object and have your child guess what you are. Alternatively, imitate an activity and have your child guess what you're doing. Take turns. Be sure to explain to your child that there ...(read more)
Blanket Rides
Put your child in the middle of a blanket, sheet, or towel and slowly pull them around. They will experience a new way to move through space and see what's around them! Little ones may be more comfortable on their tummies, older ones can sit....(read more)
Creating Snacklaces
This is a slightly more nutritious variation of candy jewelry. Cut yarn or string in different lengths for your child to wear as a necklace or bracelet. Let your child decorate it by stringing on Cheerios or small pretzels. Make extras - they're fun to carry around ...(read more)
Playing Elevator
Spread a towel on the ground for your 'elevator.' Step in and push the pretend button to travel to different floors. Describe each step: 'The door is opening' (show with your hands). 'We're getting on the elevator' (step on the towel). 'We're pushing two' (push ...(read more)
Pack-n-Play: Packing for an Adventure
Have your child pack a backpack, small suitcase, or any available bag for 'taking a trip.' They can pack whatever they think they'll need - socks, jammies, toys, toothbrush. Take the bag to a pretend destination. What will you do there? Did you pack everything you ...(read more)
Twenty Questions: Interviewing Your Child
This is a neat exercise to do with or without a video camera, although a recording of this would make a great gift when your child grows up. Explain to your child that you would like to interview him or her (you can talk about what this means and ...(read more)
Creating a Memory Art Book
When my toddler was still very young, I purchased a nice, large, spiral-bound sketch book. Every so often when he is coloring, painting, or using his markers, I get out the sketch pad and have him color on one of the pages. I date each page in the ...(read more)
Painting with Cars
Cover a table with butcher paper. Using washable paint, put some into little trays. Then, take a few little cars that have tread on their tires. Dip into paint and roll onto paper. Mix it up by using a few different colors....(read more)