20+ Brain Boosting Play Activities For Toddlers

Want some fresh play ideas for your toddler? I did a scavenger hunt on my favorite inspiration websites and compiled the ultimate list of 20 OT approved easy and fun activities for you and your kiddo! They will all provide entertainment, while also building your little buddy's developmental skills including fine motor, hand eye coordination, bilateral integration, gross motor skills, core strength, sensory processing, and body awareness.

Just a few quick nerdy OT thoughts on play with toddlers first...

When I think about what to do with a toddler, I think about choosing something that:

1. Offers a rich sensory experience
2. Activates the core muscles
3. Stimulates the proprioceptive system (sense of body position) through "heavy work"
4. Stimulates the vestibular system (movement and perception of body in three dimensional space) through change of head position in space
5. Promotes fine motor and gross motor skills
6. They can explore freely
7. Is fun
8. Is simple to set up and clean up, and uses materials that are likely lying around the house

When I join a toddler in play, I remember:

1. Not to impose an intentional plan
2. To allow toddlers to explore what I give them
3. To make sure all objects used are safe and can go in the mouth
4. To let them play independently and create their own experience and solutions

Okay, here are some sensory-motor skill boosting favorites!

1. Box Road by Busy Toddler: gross motor play, heavy work
2. Rainbow Pouring Station by Busy Toddler: sensory play, heavy work, fine motor, hand eye coordination
3. ​Mini Treasure Hunt by Mama Papa Bubba: tactile sensory play, fine motor
4. Animal Line Up by Busy Toddler: gross motor, fine motor, pre-writing skills
5. Laundry Hamper Fishing by Play Teach Repeat: body awareness, motor skills, hand eye coordination
6. ​Homemade bath paints by Parenting Chaos: sensory play, fine motor
7. Pom Pom Color Push by Play Teach Repeat: fine motor
8. ​Tape Peel by Hands On As We Grow: fine motor skills, hand eye coordination
9. Funnels and Rice Sensory Bin by Busy Toddler: sensory play, heavy work, motor skills
10. ​Card Slot Drop by Busy Toddler: motor skills, shoulder stability
11. ​Sticky Wall by Busy Toddler: core, shoulder stability, fine motor, gross motor, vestibular input
12. Push and Pull Box by Laughing Kids Learn: fine motor, hand eye coordination
13. Cheerios Fine Motor Snack by Living Life and Learning: shoulder stability, fine motor, hand-eye coord.
14. DIY Ball Ramp by Busy Toddler: gross motor, heavy work
15. Giant Building Blocks by Busy Toddler: gross motor, heavy work, core
16. Lavender Playdough by The Imagination Tree: tactile/olfactory sensory play, fine motor
17. DIY Mini Road Set by The Imagination Tree: fine motor, hand eye coordination, gross motor
18. Tong Transfer Game by Mama Papa Bubba: fine motor, hand eye coordination, shoulder stability, core
19. Sticker Line Up by Busy Toddler: gross motor, shoulder stability, fine motor
20. Bucket of Spaghetti Worms by Learning 4 Kids: sensory play, fine motor

As a motor development specialist, I am always thinking about making movement activities sensory-rich, because that boosts learning tenfold! So, here are some ways to up the sensory experience with these activities:

1. Play around with the speed in which your child completes the activities. Engage with them, and do things fast, then slow, then medium speed. You can call the speeds "tiger speed," "turtle speed" and "dog speed"
2. Talk about how things feel, their texture, their temperature, their weight
3. Talk about the colors you see
4. Talk about the sounds you hear
5. Have child use one hand, then switch to the other hand and practice using both sides of the body​

Wondering what exact skills your toddler is working towards right now so you can better support them?
If you'd like to take a closer look at general skills your little one is working on and activities to help acquisition of those skills, check out these 2 page handouts based on age. 

Grab a copy of those lists here!

2 YEAR OLD DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS AND ACTIVITY LISTS

3 YEAR OLD DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS AND ACTIVITY LISTS

4 YEAR OLD DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS AND ACTIVITY LISTS

These lists are not milestone checklists, and not indicators of what your child needs to be able to do. Instead, they are general guides. Every child develops differently and at their own rate, so choose the skills and activities within your child's range of ease and play accordingly! No stress. No comparison. No pressure.

Until next time, air hugs!

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