50 screen-free activity ideas for toddlers
Fall is here, and I know we need a lot of imagination to keep our little ones occupied without turning to screens! If you’re looking for screen-free activity ideas for toddlers, I GOT YOU. Toddlers aren’t just curious little ones; no, they’re also little humans who can have fun with the simplest of things.
At this age (1 to 3 years old), their brains develop rapidly, and the screen-free games I’m suggesting here are designed to support concentration and motor skills while improving social skills.
I’ve put together a list of 50 screen-free activities you can do with your little one(s)!
Here is the list of 50 screen-free activity ideas for toddlers:
1) Creativity and Art:
1- Give them colored pencils or coloring books: One of the first activities I think of when I say screen-free activities is giving them colored pencils and coloring books. I think it’s perfect for letting them have fun and use their creativity without screens.
2- Stickers: We all have stickers lying around somewhere (Paw Patrol, Ice Queens). This is a simple activity that toddlers absolutely love: They love sticking them on the wall of their room or in books. Let them have fun; most stickers peel off walls without damage.
3- Create a sensory bin: Creating a sensory bin doesn’t take much effort either. You can use items you have at home, such as dry pasta, rice, or even beans. I wrote an article on this topic that you can read here.
4- Color-sorting game: To do this, use plastic cups of different colors, blocks, pom-poms, and crayons.
Ask your toddler to match the colors by placing the colored blocks or toys in the correct cups.
5- Attach the adhesive tape to the floor:
Use colored tape to create roads and parking lots. Next, ask your toddler to choose which cars, animals, or figures they want to leave there. Next, ask your toddler to choose which cars, animals, or figures they want to leave there.
6- Finger painting: Choose a non-toxic paint suitable for children, take a blank sheet of paper or a comic book image cut out from a magazine, and then make handprints on it.
7- Coloring in old magazines: Give your toddler an old magazine and some chunky crayons. Let them scribble over the pictures or choose a page you can decorate together.
8- Torn-paper collage (no scissors): Let your toddler tear colorful paper into pieces, then help them stick the pieces onto a sheet using a washable glue stick. There’s no particular picture to make; just let them create!
9- Playdough-free Play: It builds fine motor skills and imagination through hands-on Play.
2) Independent Play:
10- Puzzles: Give them toddler-friendly puzzles, preferably wooden rather than made of small pieces. For example, these puzzles can teach them the alphabet or help them practice arranging triangles, rectangles, squares, and diamonds.
11- Ring Stacker: This independent Play will help them figure it out and is also great for building concentration.
12- Wooden Blocks: You can give them wooden blocks. I bought mine at the dollar store, and the great thing is that they’re designed so kids can build houses, stack them, or place them side by side.
13- Magnetic tiles: Choose large magnetic tiles labeled for your toddler’s age, and play together to build simple towers or houses. Check that the tiles are intact before each use.
14- Matching card games: Make a game for their age: lay cards face up and ask your child to match identical cards. You can even play a game together.
15- Memory cards ( face down): For older toddlers, place two pairs of cards face down and take turns flipping over two at a time. If remembering the pictures feels frustrating, leave them face up and practice matching instead.
16- Cutting fake fruits ( Board game): For older toddlers, place two pairs of cards face down and take turns flipping over two at a time. If remembering the pictures feels frustrating, leave them face up and practice matching instead.
17- Watering plants: Fill a small watering can with a little water and show your toddler which plants need watering. You can do this as part of your morning routine.
18- Playing with soil: Give your toddler a small scoop and have them help you add soil to a planter. They can then pat the soil down as you plant. Do some gardening with them and ask them to help you add soil
19- Folding washcloths: Demonstrate how to fold one in half, then let your toddler have a go (they’ll probably just pile them or scrunch them up!).
20- Wiping a table with a cloth: Take an empty spray bottle, fill it with water, and give
21- Give them a small basket so they can put their toys inside; that’s a great way to teach them to clean up.
22- Sort the laundry by colors: Give them a mission; ask them to sort the laundry under each color group. Toddlers love playing with fresh laundry and copying their mommy by trying to fold it themselves.
23- Closing and opening containers: Get a few clean empty containers with big lids that are easy to remove. Let your toddler try taking the lids off and figure out which lid goes on which container.
24- Play at grocery shopping: Give your toddler a small basket and scatter some toy food around the room. Let them select their groceries, bring them to you, and help ‘unpack’ their shopping.
25- Go into the woods to collect leaves or rocks, depending on the season. It’s a great outdoor activity that sparks their curiosity.
26- Setting up a pretend tea party: Ask your toddler to put the napkins on a low table and arrange a couple of sturdy toy cups. Invite their toys (the stuffed animals), then take turns serving the ‘tea’.
27- Playing in the kitchen with plasticware: Have a low basket of clean plastic bowls, plates and cups available. The child can then go and unpack them and arrange them in their play kitchen as if they are preparing a meal.
28- Sweeping with a small broom: Give your toddler a small broom and show them how to sweep a few crumpled bits of paper into a little pile. They can help you as you tidy up in the immediate area.
3) Imaginative & Pretend Play
29- Toy car adventures: Get out the toy cars and build a small town on the floor. A cardboard box makes a great garage, and you can use the blocks as houses.
30- Animal figurine play: Make the animal sounds together and let your toddler decide where each animal lives. Build a little farm with the blocks or boxes.
31- Build a blanket fort: Drape a light blanket over a solid table and add some cushions underneath. Bring in some books and some toys/stuffed animals to make it nice and cozy.
32- Caring for dolls or stuffed animals: Give your toddler a doll or a teddy to look after. They can pretend to feed it, put it to bed, get it ready for a walk, etc.
33- Pretend playing restaurant: Let your toddler take orders and make a pretend meal with toy food. You could have soup for breakfast and cake for dinner!
34- Play dress up: Get hats, shirts, or simple costumes that are easy to wear. Let the child choose who they want to be.
35- Pretend phone calls: Use a toy phone and pretend to call each other. Ask them simple questions such as “What did you do today?” and then wait for their answer.
36- Stuffed animal picnic: Lay a blanket down on the floor and invite all of the toddler’s favorite stuffed animals. Let them choose where everyone sits and serve the pretend snacks.
4) Movement & Music:
37- Freeze dance: Play some music and dance together. Stop the music and say “Freeze!” Younger toddlers will probably just be happy to copy your moves.
38- Walk like an animal: Waddle like a penguin, crawl like a bear, or hop like a bunny. Let the toddler choose the next animal to attempt.
39- Roll a ball back and forth: Sit on the floor facing each other and gently roll a soft ball back and forth. Move a bit further apart as your toddler gets the hang of it. Path: Make a simple line on the floor with painter’s tape. Your toddler can walk along it, follow its curve, or push a toy along the path.
41- Scarf dancing: Give your toddler a little scarf or a washcloth to wave about as you dance. Move it slowly, then quickly, high and low. Toss: Put an empty laundry basket nearby and let your toddler go at it with soft balls or rolled-up socks. Keep it right there at first so they can have a few in!
43- Follow the leader: Go around the room and have your toddler copy you. Clap your hands, touch your head, march in place, etc. Then let them take the lead.
44- Make music together: Turn a pot upside down and tap it with a wooden spoon. Take turns making a simple beat, then copy each other.
5) Outdoor Discovery & Quiet Play:
45- Go on a color hunt: As you walk about, pick a color and look for things of that color. Can you find a yellow flower, a red door, a blue car?
46- Paint with water: Take a big paintbrush and a small pail of water outside and let your toddler go at it on the pavement or the fence. Watch the marks gradually disappear as they dry.
47- Chase bubbles: Blow the bubbles and have them catch them one by one as quickly as possible!
48- Draw with sidewalk chalk: make some lines, some circles, some simple pictures together. Draw a road for the toy cars or ask your toddler to add the rain to your cloud drawing.
49- Read a picture book together: let your toddler turn the pages and point to whatever interests them. You don’t have to read every word; talking about the pictures can be just as much fun.
50- Fill a basket with board books: put a few favorites in a corner your toddler can easily reach. Let them pick a book and go through the pages at their own pace.
Keep It Simple and Follow Their Interests
You don’t have to do all 50 activities or plan something new every day. Just pick one or two that work with what you already have at home, and see what your toddler is interested in.
Some days, they’ll end up spending far more time playing with the empty box than with the activity you’ve actually put together. That’s perfectly valid too. You can always go back to their favorites and save the other ideas for another day.
Stay close during Play, choose age-appropriate materials, and keep small parts well out of reach if they’re still putting things in their mouth.
Which screen-free activity does your toddler love most? Let me know in the comments! For even more simple play ideas, explore these from Suzie Allison.
-Sarah
