Activities for Cabin Fever with Kids

These toddler indoor activities are the perfect solution when you cannot get outside. Fun ideas that engage young children at school and at home!

You are stuck indoors. Your 2 year old is bouncing off the wall. You need to put something together now!

Yep, many of us have experienced this.

Especially where I live because it rains often and skies are gray much of the winter.

So I asked my Facebook community what some of their favorite toddler indoor activities were, and compiled them in this post. I’ve also provided a free printable list that you can find towards the end of this post.

Next time you are stuck inside, try one of these toddler indoor activities!

“WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE EASY INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS?”

I loved the variety of answers and selected over 30 that I felt would be easy to set up indoors for toddlers. I also included links to some ideas from my blog and other websites that I hope you will try with your toddler!

So….. here you go! Oh, and if you try some of these, can you let me know how it went?

“Playdough with cookie cutters.” — Christina B.

TRY THIS:

• Add a cookie cutter to a jar of homemade play dough as a gift! (An Everyday Story)
• Use alphabet cookie cutters for some alphabet exposure. (No Time for Flashcards)

“Put some music on and dance.” – Paula A.

“My favorite thing to do as a kid was to grab some blankets and tip the couch up to make a cubby house.” – Kaitie A.

“Kinetic sand is fantastic. It’s so easy to clean up, also brings a little of the outside in.” – Angela M.

TRY THIS:

• You can save money by making your own kinetic sand. (Living Ithaca)

“Threading pasta necklaces and bobbins with shoe laces.” – Bev H.

TRY THIS:

• Let the children paint pasta before threading it. (Picklebums)

“Sensory bins with dry rice, noodles, or cornmeal.” – Leesa B.

TRY THIS:

• Set up a cornmeal sensory bin that is safe for toddlers. (Blog Me Mom)
• Choose from 10 different rice sensory bins. (Little Bins for Little Hands)

“I buy flashlights from the 99 cent store and turn out the lights and play tag or just watch the lights go crazy.” – Sheri G.

“Leaf art and painting on newspapers.” – Sarah H.

TRY THIS:

• Create painted newspaper hearts. (You Are My Fave)

“Salt dough is great as we very household has a bag of flour…and they can paint them on a different day.” – Su C.

TRY THIS:

• Make salt dough ornaments! (Freutcake)
• Make a footprint keepsake. (The Imagination Tree)

“Make homemade play dough.” – Suzanne S.

TRY THIS:

• Let your children enjoy some no cook play dough. (The Artful Parent)
• Add Kool Aid to your play dough. (36th Avenue)

“Make lunch together, from scratch!” – Porcia W.

“I let my kids take an extra bath and just let them play in the water.” – Nicole P.

TRY THIS:

• Make bath time glow! (Growing a Jeweled Rose)

“Draw on a white board.” – Andrea H.

TRY THIS:

• Place a dry erase board on a table with markers and Do-a-Dots. (Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds)

“Elbow noodles (straight from the box) in a container with measuring cups, jars, etc., for pouring.” – Ann F.

“Create an obstacle course.” – Chyanna T.

TRY THIS:

• Set up an obstacle course indoors. (How to Run a Home Daycare)
• And here are more ideas for indoor obstacle courses. (Melissa and Doug)

“We keep blown up balloons on hand. They love playing with them and  it burns some energy.” – Jennifer R.

“Dance!” – Elissa D.

“I’m a big fan of play dough with cookie cutters. I also take out my rolling pin and child scissors so he can cut the play dough or scraps of paper.” – Catalina G.

“Cut plastic straws.” – Kara B.

TRY THIS:

• Threading with cut straws 

“Kids usually love to paint.” – Connie D.

TRY THIS:

• Grab some tea bags from your cabinet and invite your child to paint with them. (Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds)
• Paint on ice blocks! (Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds)

“Draw her while she is laying on a big sheet of paper and let her color it.” – Aparna T.

TRY THIS:

• Childhood 101 shares 5 different art activities with a body outline.

“Cutting and sticking, painting, coloring, threading, jigsaw puzzles and baking.” – Sarah B.

“Color on or cut up junk mail.” – Dana S.

TRY THIS:

• We all have that pile of junk mail. Help your child strengthen his scissors skills while cutting the paper! (School Time Snippets)

“Balloons hanging on ribbon from top of the door frame and Nerf bats. My boys love it!” – Sandy D.

“Beach balls and music.” – Amanda W.

“Clean everything out of the room and get out the soft balls, let them run around and throw and PLAY! It burns off energy and they LOVE it.” – Donna Y.

“My son loves painting with brushes, Q-Tips, cotton balls or trucks. Also, sensory bins with dried oats, beans, or cloud dough with scoops, trucks, funnels, etc.” – Katie R.

TRY THIS:

• Cut a piece of aluminum foil and let your child paint on it with Q-Tips. (Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds)
• Mix up some of Happy Hooligans’ toddler-safe cloud dough.

“Shaving Cream on cookie sheets with cars.” – Christina B.

TRY THIS:

• Squirt shaving cream on a cookie sheet and drive cars through it. (Dirt and Boogers)

“Cooking and Mega Blocks.” – Paula A.

“I bring a tub of snow inside and let my little girl paint it.” – Gina S.

TRY THIS:

• Bring the snow inside for some fun winter sensory play. (Growing a Jeweled Rose)
• No snow in your area? Make a snow globe in your sensory bin. (Teach Preschool)
• Make your own sparkle snow! Simple recipe for lots of fun. (Growing a Jeweled Rose)

“Finger painting is cute and fun, and I also enjoy taking out hand puppets and performing with a story with his participation.” – Gabriela M.

TRY THIS:

• Make your own fingerpaint that is taste-safe. (The Imagination Tree)

“Wash plastic dishes in the sink.” – Elissa D.

TRY THIS:

• Set up a dishwashing station in your kitchen. (Picklebums)