Imaginative Indoor Play Ideas For Toddlers
Highlights of our ideas for indoor play ideas for toddlers.
- Make homemade snow globes.
- Get the family finger knitting.
- Make skating popsicle stick dolls.
- Set up a snowman making station.
- Make tissue paper suncatchers.
- Make homemade puppets.
- Make an indoor hopscotch.
- Make a mixed media art collage.
- Host an indoor campout.
We love getting outside, even when the weather is cold. But, on these wintery days, prolonged time outside gets harder. Here are our ideas for making the most of indoor time with your little ones. So, if they are bored of play-doh and coloring books, read on for more ways to capture their imagination!
Make homemade snow globes.
We love making snow globes, and this craft is as simple as it is adorable. Gather empty jars and invite your little ones to make their very own snow globes in mere minutes from start to shake. All you need is a jar, superglue, glitter, plastic figurines, and a glue gun.
Go on a wintery walk before making the snow globes and pick up treasures like pebbles, small sticks, and pieces of an evergreen tree to put in your globe.
You’ll find all the information you need here on Mollymoo Crafts.
Spend a lazy afternoon finger knitting with your kids.
Imagine sitting on the couch on a lazy winter Sunday with all the kids preoccupied with finger knitting projects. Welcome to parent heaven. Finger knitting it's surprisingly easy to learn and requires only wool and a pair of scissors. Kids love it because it is hands-on and interactive.
Keeners can learn to make finger-knit blankets and scarves!
We adore this finger knitting tutorial from Flax & Twine.
Here also is a handy finger knitting demonstration on YouTube.
Make skating popsicle stick dolls.
Grab your popsicle or wooden craft sticks and make these adorable dolls that actually skate. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true! Your little kids will like this craft as much as your bigger ones. Read how on Mollymoo Crafts.
Set up a snowman-making station.
This is our favorite indoor winter activity for preschoolers! It is so clever and so cute. Kids can build a snowman from scratch over and over again, making a different one every time. All you need is a tray and bits and pieces from around your house, like cotton makeup pads and a few other odds and ends.
Make tissue paper stained glass suncatchers.
Grab that stack of colorful tissue paper, perhaps leftover from wrapping and opening gifts, and head to the kitchen table! These sweet suncatchers will brighten up your winter windows.
Make a puppet theater.
Watch your kids' imaginations come alive with puppets made from paper lunch bags and scraps of fabric. You can also make puppets from socks, paper coasters, oven mitts and so many other things you have lying around your house.
When done, set up a home theater and let the creativity flow.
Make indoor hopscotch.
All you need is lots of popsicle sticks, and your kids will be busy for the afternoon and moving their bodies. Read more on Kids Activities for lots of ideas for entertaining kids indoors with nothing more than a bag of craft sticks!
Create a mixed media art collage with watercolor paints and old magazines or art books.
Mixed media collages are timeless, fun, simple, beautiful, and accessible. Kids and adults of all ages will enjoy this indoor activity.
See how the magic unfolds on Artful Parent.
Make toilet paper ninjas or owls.
These Toilet Roll Ninjas are fun to make and fun to play with afterward. Just grab a few toilet paper tubes and straws and watch the ninja fun begin.
Making owls from toilet rolls is also a hoot! You likely have everything you need to make these lying around the house, making this a perfect frugal crafty idea for indoor winter days.
See how easy they are to make on MollyMoo Crafts.
Host an indoor campout.
Setting up a campsite with your little ones will keep them busy for HOURS! It's an excellent activity for a long weekend or on school breaks. Best of all, no bugs!
Read this article on Edventures with Kids for ideas.
Make a good old fashioned fort.
Sofa cushions, dining chairs, and old sheets make great fort-building materials. Your little ones will love crawling in and out, creating a nook for their toys, or bringing a flashlight in and reading their books.
We hope you get some inspiration from our ideas for these chilly winter days!
Read More: Our Tips for Dressing Toddlers for Winter Play