I will be the first mum to admit that there is nothing wrong with a little tablet or TV time. We rely on screens as adults to take our mind off the hustle and bustle of our lives, so our kiddos should have that option as well. However, when you have super energetic toddlers, screen time doesn’t help relieve that urge to move, create, and explore. When you’re a mum, developing engaging activities is not the first thing on your to-do list. Thinking of fun games off the top of your head is really hard, so I want to help you out! Here’s a list of some great screen free activities for energetic toddlers.
Independent Activities
These activities only require your supervision, not your involvement! These are great activities for your toddler to do while you cook dinner, fold laundry, or just relax on the couch.
Mini Trampoline Time
I much prefer mini trampoline time to screen time in my house! Mini trampolines are safe and they can go in any part of my house. If I’m cooking dinner, I can put the trampoline near the kitchen so my little ones can talk to me while bouncing! It’s a great way for us to spend time together while they’re getting some energy out.
Building Blocks
All kinds of building blocks are good for fine motor skill development. Legos are classic, but can be hard for little fingers. I like magnetic blocks because they click together easily and come in larger pieces.
Safe Balance Beam
Start the gymnastics training early by placing a line of tape on the floor and having your toddlers try to walk just on the tape. There’s no risk like a real balance beam, but it still gets your little one thinking carefully about their movements. This is one of my favorite activities for energetic toddlers!
Mum and Me Time
Mother-Toddler Race
A foot race never gets old! If you want to make the festivities last longer, try different types of movement other than just traditional running like crab walking or jumping in a sack. If you’ve got multiple kids at the house, you’re off the hook – just let the little ones run!
Freeze Dance
Some of my best memories with my toddlers are dance parties! Toddlers love to move, and dance parties are just fun for all of us! Use a remote or your phone to control the music so everyone has to freeze when the music stops. Your toddlers will love freezing in crazy positions.
Teach them the Hokey Pokey or Macarena
There’s really nothing toddlers love more than something that repeats over and over and over again. These repetitive dances from our childhood are still big hits and get toddlers moving!
Just Like Mum
If you’re struggling to get some movement in for yourself, try asking your little ones to follow along! When I follow along to simple yoga videos, I find that my toddlers love to jump in and try it along with me!
For Older Toddlers
Active Board Games
As adults, we often picture board games like Monopoly or LIFE, but there are a lot of active board games that help kids move around with a goal in mind. Games like Twister Junior and Monkey Around are great activities for energetic toddlers.
You can find Twister Junior and Monkey Around on Amazon here.
Modified Hopscotch
We all know hopscotch from when we were younger. You jump along a specific path laid out in sidewalk chalk. However, you can make hopscotch a little more engaging for your toddler by laying out colors, shapes, numbers, and letters on the sidewalk and having them jump to a specific spot. For example, you might yell, “red heart!” , and they’ll hop over to the red heart. If you don’t have a safe driveway or sidewalk, then try laying out butcher paper on the floor and drawing the shapes there.
Fashion Show
This one is best for older toddlers that are comfortable putting on (and putting away!) their clothes. We love to have a fashion show at home. Your toddlers can put together any outfit from their clothes or costumes that they want, and put on a show for mom and dad! Toddlers also love to put together crazy outfits for their parents so don’t be afraid to get in on the fun!
Cooking Basics
You might be surprised at how much movement is involved in cooking! Toddlers will enjoy learning the basics of cooking and moving around a mini kitchen. You can read more about toddler cooking safety on Reach for Montessori.
I put together a list of things you might want to keep around the house for these activities! You can find them all here on my Amazon storefront. Happy playing!
xoxo Fil
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