Six activities you and your toddler can do indoors

Looking for something fun to do with the kids today but not keen on venturing outdoors?

We picked six of our favourite indoor activities for children that are ideal for babies and toddlers:

What’s in the box?

Find a large, empty box. Cut off the lid flaps and one side so that when you turn it upside down, it makes a box that your little one can lie under and look at objects above her. Cover the interior of the box with black paper, and hang and stick shiny objects like star stickers, glitter balls, or fish shapes inside it. Your baby will love spending time looking at everything. If your child is older, let her help you stick objects to the box. Grab a pillow to lie beside her and talk about what you see.

Make a simple texture mat

If you’re handy with a needle, make a simple texture mat for your baby to lie on and explore. Simply get a large blanket and sew different pieces of material you have lying around the house, such as an old T-shirt, faux fur, wool, or denim, on it. Allow your little one to lie on her stomach on the blanket so she can reach for, and touch, the fabrics. Not a fan of sewing? Make a simple tug box for your child. Punch holes in an old shoebox and stick ribbons, different fabrics, straws, feathers, and pipe cleaners through the holes for your child to pull and play with. She may also enjoy climbing on top of the box and moving it around.

Clear away the clutter

It may sound a little boring, but there’s no better time than a weekend to clear away clutter and sort through your child’s toys. The great thing about this activity is that as you take games and toys out to be sorted, your child will rediscover old favourites and breathe new life into them. It’s a good idea to rotate your little one’s toys and store some away for rainy days, or get your older child to decide what she wants to give away to charity or pass on to other family members. This is an opportunity to encourage kindness by talking about giving and sharing with your child.

Grab some Prestik and streamers

This simple game is perfect for teaching your child body-space awareness as she will need to understand the amount of space her body takes up and how that space changes depending on which way she bends or turns, or crawls, or reaches. All you’ll need is some Prestik, streamers, string, wool, and a passage in your home. Cut various lengths of the streamers or wool and stick them up in criss-cross patterns in the passage. Your little one will have loads of fun trying to crawl or move through the maze, with the added bonus of playing with various textures as she goes along. Hide a prize at the other end of the maze to encourage your child to get there.

Stack ’em up

There’s no need to take your child to a bowling alley. Simply use any items you can stack – like blocks, plastic containers, or wooden blocks – and have a few balls ready. Let your little one sit or stand at the other end of the passage and roll the ball towards the objects. Bowling is an active task that builds your child’s visual sense as it involves stacking objects and then knocking them over with a ball, which uses visual perception.

A new twist on hide-and-seek

Tired of playing traditional hide-and-seek? Instead of hiding yourself, hide your toddler’s favourite teddy bear in different areas of the house. Set out with your toddler to find her teddy and reward her with something fun like a snack or sticker when she discovers it. Searching for objects or people encourages children to use their imaginations and helps them develop problem-solving skills, according to the US-based Child Development Institute.