Spring break came a little earlier for us this year. At least, that’s what I’m choosing to call these next few weeks of coronavirus quarantine.
I know there’s got to be other parents out there stuck at home with healthy, energetic toddlers and preschoolers looking for something to do.
21 Low-Prep Toddler Crafts & Activities
Here are 21 of my favorite indoor activities to keep your toddlers and preschoolers from driving you crazy. These are all low-prep and easy to set up in minutes.
Roll out some play dough, make impressions with chunky wooden animals, then try to match their shapes.
Prep Time: 30 seconds
Use sticky notes and a marker to set up this easy learning game. It’s a race that will get kids moving and learning all at the same time!
PREP TIME: 1 minute
This butter slime takes less than a minute to whip up and uses only two ingredients: cornstarch and hair conditioner.
PREP TIME: 3 minutes
Grab a roll of washi tape or masking tape and play this simple tape web game. Perfect for strengthening fine motor muscles and keeping toddlers and babies entertained.
PREP TIME: 1 minute
Cotton balls and colored water are all you need to set up a kid’s rainbow snow cone stand. Add play money and a cash register and this dramatic play activity can go on for hours.
PREP TIME: 4 minutes
STEM for toddlers can be as simple as matching lids and jars. Dig out your mismatched food storage collection and let your toddler find the lids to each container.
PREP TIME: 1 minute
Use dot stickers to assign a letter to each vehicle, then line them up and match them with a written letter for a simple alphabet matching game.
PREP TIME: 3 minutes
What can you do with construction paper hearts and water? Find out in this exciting activity!
PREP TIME: 3 minutes
Balloon Olympics
Have your own indoor balloon Olympics with these 7 different games using balloons!
PREP TIME: 1 minute
Silhouette Scavenger Hunt
Trace toys on a sheet of paper, hide the toys, and challenge kids to find and match each toy.
PREP TIME: 2 minutes
Practice those fine motor skills with a simple scoop and drop activity.
PREP TIME: 2 minutes
We used dot stickers for this game, but you could also draw the colored dots if you don’t have stickers.
PREP TIME: 3 minutes
Discover hidden colors in this baking soda and vinegar experiment.
PREP TIME: 4 minutes
Whip up a batch of foamy paint and paint on paper or in the bathtub!
PREP TIME: 3 minutes
Who knew there were so many things you could do with play dough? Play dough is ideal for target practice because it doesn’t roll too far and it doesn’t bounce all crazy like a ball would.
PREP TIME: 3 minutes
In this post, I share my kids’ favorite fingerplays and links to some great fingerplay resources that may be new to you!
PREP TIME: none
Water activities are the bomb around here. Add a squirt of bubble bath or dish soap to a tub of water, and have kids make bubble soup.
PREP TIME: 2 minutes
Doesn’t have to be trucks, really. Have your kids wash just about anything.
PREP TIME: 2 minutes
These sensory bags can be filled with whatever interesting things you have on hand. Tape them to the floor to prevent kids from dragging them around everywhere.
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
When was the last time you bought a bag of cotton balls? One big bag lasts me about five years, so sacrificing a handful to make this sheep craft was a no brainer!
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
Low-prep activities are my jam. I sometimes get mom-envy when I see other moms doing cool, elaborate activities with their kids.
But these types of easy-set-up activities work best for us.
They don’t take a lot of time for me to create, and they keep the kids happy. What more could I ask for?
Which one are you going to try?
Comment below!