Top 31 Time Consuming Toddler Activities

Time consuming toddler activities are gold. As a work at home mom, I often find myself trying to come up with ways to keep my toddler busy for a half an hour on his own so that I can fold the laundry or clean the bathroom. These used to be things that I would do after he’d gone to bed, but now that I use after-bedtime to work, I need those daylight hours for chores. While his helping hands can be wonderful – he loves doing the dishes – other times it can be more of a hindrance.

Rather than plopping him in front of the tv (which we limit), I like giving him enjoyable activities that buy me some time.  The following 31 stay at home kid activities may help you find the perfect kids’ activity for your little one.

1. Wall Mural Activity

Creating a wall mural is a great activity that requires little supervision. We’ve done this a handful of times and my boy doesn’t seem to get sick of it. In fact, the one that is on his wall now has stayed up for a few weeks and is still sticky. He just used it yesterday while I was folding clothes. This activity is simple: use painter’s tape to tape contact paper to the wall, sticky side out. Use a variety of crafty items like buttons, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes to stick to the paper. (If your toddler is one that puts things in his or her mouth, you might use safer options like paper cutouts or felt shapes.)

2. Water Painting as an Activity for Kids

My little man loves water painting. He loves painting, too, but water painting requires a much less watchful eye. Provide some colored construction paper and a small container of water. With a paintbrush, use the water to “paint” the paper. It’s easy to clean up if any spills do occur!

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3. Educational Apps

While I love finding things to do that don’t involve screen time, I have to admit that there are some very educational apps on children’s tablets. We got my son the Leapfrog Epic Academy tablet for his second birthday and it has been wonderful for him. There are so many parental settings that you can choose from, so it makes us feel better about it. He is currently learning his letters on an app called ABC Kids. It’s perfect!

4. Cars

My boy LOVES cars. While just plain old matchbox cars will entertain him for quite some time, he can stay busy for even longer when we set up ramps and other things for his cars to drive on. He has a little parking garage with a downward spiral ramp, but he is extra entertained with using a 2×4 going down from his toy box as a long ramp! It’s the little things, I guess!

5. Books

Books are a no-brainer for my guy. He loves picture books, but he will also “read” chapter books out loud just like Mommy does. The book that keeps him most entertained for the longest is his Look and Find book. Alone, this book can occupy him for 45 minutes. If I’m looking with him, it’s usually an hour. I highly recommend these books!

6. Puzzles

We love puzzles! My toddler can do 24 piece puzzles with little assistance. If I’m wanting him to stay occupied for several minutes alone, I still give him a few of the chunky puzzles. He’ll play with each puzzle for usually 10 minutes. If you’ve got a quick chore to get done, I’d go with a puzzle to occupy your toddler.

7. Magna Doodle

I’m sure you know what a Magna Doodle is, even if you didn’t know the name. They are the magnetic drawing boards that erase with a slider. We have this one that is in color – it’s a big hit with our boy. From learning to write to drawing shapes, this toy has kept our little guy busy for hours on end.

8. Indoor Fort

Building a fort can be a job in itself, but once it is up, a toddler doesn’t usually want to leave! Everything is more fun when you’re in a fort. Provide a few snacks, his or her favorite toys, and get to the chores. My son can easily kill two hours playing with his everyday toys while inside a fort. If you’re looking for toddler activities, this one can include many!

9. Bowling

Bowling is so much fun! Use 2-liter bottles (put a few rocks in them if you want to add a little weight) and teach your toddler how to set them up. Use any ball to roll down the hallway and knock the “pins” over. I love this one because our little guy loves playing ball, but he’s only allowed to throw in the house if he’s playing basketball in his room. The bowling allows him to play ball outside of his confined space. Personally, this is one of my favorite toddler activities.

10. Play Kitchen

I’m hoping my son will love making dinner when he’s a teenager as much as he loves it now. While his experience with a play kitchen exists because of the local public library, I can always get several quiet minutes while we are there to read something that’s not about toy trains or The Magic Treehouse. If we ever get a play kitchen in our house, I know it will entertain for hours.

11. Stickers Activity

Like most kids, our toddler is obsessed with stickers. While most of his stickers end up as “band-aids” around his fingers, he does manage to stick several where he should. I leave him with a big piece of construction paper and his book of stickers and know that I have a good 20-30 minutes before he comes looking for me.

12. Salt Painting

We just recently found this one and love it a lot! Simply draw a picture out of glue and pour salt all over it. Allow it to dry and shake off the remaining salt. When you’ve got a picture made of salt, provide your little one with watercolor paints and let them create a masterpiece! This is an activity that I would do if you’re still in the same room – don’t leave to switch the laundry with this one.

My kiddos did this one this week and it took about an hour of their time. They needed very little guidance, but it was a little messy.

13. Make a Book for a Fun Stay at Home Kid Activity

My three year old just made a book depicting the 7 days of creation. He had a lot of fun. This particular book required supervision because we cut out construction paper shapes to create our pictures. However, if you’re looking to get a minute to yourself, you might try crayons or something simple. You could even print out pages for your tot to color and then bind them into a book together.

Get creative, if you want! If done right, this could keep your child busy for hours.

14. Go on an Indoor Bear Hunt

If your kids are like mine, they love We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Turn on the song, provide some binoculars (make some of your own with a couple of toilet paper rolls and tape/ glue!), and have them go on a hunt. If you hide a teddy bear your child can have even more fun, as it is more than just their imagination.

15. Build a Guitar

A toddler will require some help to build their own guitar, but once it’s made they will have time to play it all on their own. You can make a homemade guitar easily out of a few recyclable materials, so use your imagination! I’ve seen a shoebox as the body, rubber bands as the strings, and paper towel roll as the neck. I’ve also seen an oatmeal container, rubber bands, and a large paint stick. Get creative and create a new toy for this stay at home kids’ activity.

16. Teach Tots to Line Up & Knock Over Dominoes

Setting up and knocking down dominoes can provide hours of fun! A 2 or 3-year-old should be able to manage this one alone if they are given some instruction at first. Spend 10-15 minutes setting up a few lines first and then let your child know you’ll be right back. You may come back 10 minutes later to find your little one still going!

17. Create an Indoor Garden

Get small cups and seeds for plants that are easy to grow inside and show your child how to start an indoor garden. Using a clear cup can help you to teach your child a science lesson, too! Take some precautions against the mess – a large towel or mat can help you to prevent soil from getting everywhere. You can then sit next to them to get your own work done as they spend several minutes planting the seeds.

It will likely take some help when it comes to watering your new garden, but this is an activity that can turn into a hobby.

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18. Paint or Decorate Rocks

Get a few smooth rocks and let your child paint them! They can even use other materials – glue, glitter, poofs, string, etc. Googly eyes can be especially fun for little kids. If you’re looking for a stay at home kid activity to entertain your child, this one might become a favorite quickly.

19. Sensory Bins to Keep Toddlers Busy

I always wondered if a sensory bin would really be all that fun for my toddler. After deciding to try it out, I filled a container with rice and gave him a few matchbox cars to drive through it. He loves it. We try to take precautions against rice everywhere, but we usually have to save this one for the days I plan to vacuum.

20. Lincoln Logs

I loved Lincoln Logs as a kid and although the world is totally different from the 90s, my kids love the same things. You can get small kits or large, depending on your budget. The 111 piece kit is less than $40 at the time of this post update, and the 327 piece set is just over $100. Not only are these fun for your kids, but parents can join in on the fun, too! Be nostalgic for a bit – you’ll probably love it.

21. Magnetic Tiles

This is a favorite in our house. Picasso Tiles allow you to build fun towers, buildings, and different structures. We got these for my son’s Christmas right after he turned 3. It’s been almost a year now and they are still getting used regularly. They have even become popular with our almost 2-year-old girl. Seems like we’ll be buying more soon!

22. Stacking Cups

Our almost 2-year-old is especially fond of stacking cups. She’s gotten really good at them – both stacking them and building towers from them. She can occupy herself for a good half an hour with these things. They are one of my favorite purchases for her so far!

23. Make Edible Playdoh

Playdoh has always been a supervised activity in our house because I’m paranoid about my kids eating it. I know it’s non-toxic, but I still don’t like them eating stuff they aren’t supposed to! When you make your own edible playdoh, you can bond over making it and then leave your child to it while you sweep the floor and not have to worry about them ingesting something they shouldn’t. There are some great recipes on Pinterest, so try some and let me know what you think!

*There may be affiliate links in this post. I make a small commission from items purchased from these links at no additional cost to you.*

24. Build an Obstacle Course

If you’re looking for your toddler to have an activity to keep him busy for a while, a homemade obstacle course can help you out. It can be as simple as using painter’s tape to create “lasers” for them to dodge in the hallway. Or, it could be stacking up pillows and stuffed animals for them to jump over and maneuver around.

25. To Keep Toddlers Busy, Use Blocks!

It’s a classic and often overlooked these days! Blocks, blocks, blocks! Kids love to build things. Mega Blocks are great for toddlers because they’re too big to put in their mouths and easy to handle. You can safely do the dishes while your child creates something impressive!

26. Felt Activities

Felt sticks to felt! You can purchase pre-made felt activities or make some of your own. Michael’s has some good felt if you want to make your own. You can cut out shapes to make abstract pieces of art, animal faces with facial features, or make trees with apples. Entire scenes can be made of felt and kids will love this stay at home activity.

27. Video Chat with a Family Member

Before we moved halfway across the country, my husband’s parents gifted us with an Amazon Echo Show. It has been a wonderful tool for staying connected and maintaining relationships. This is especially important for our small children, who often rely on seeing someone to keep the relationship going. A video chat with their grandparents tends to keep my toddlers busy for at least half an hour. It’s like long-distance babysitting!

28. Do Mazes

We’ve been working on using a pencil for homeschool preschool and my 3-year-old has been especially fond of mazes. There are books of simple mazes for toddlers for purchase, or you can find many free ones to print out online. If your toddler is also learning to use a pencil, I highly recommend these!

29. Keep the Balloon Up

Kids, especially toddlers, love balloons! Playing with a balloon can offer a lot of fun. Teach your little one to keep the balloon from touching the floor and you may find that you’ve got 20 minutes to clean the bathroom.

30. Make a T-Shirt

With a cheap t-shirt and some fabric markers, your toddler can create their own shirt. Not only is it fun to make, but they get excited wearing something that they did all by themselves! It’s a great way to keep a toddler busy for a while.

31. Have a Staycation

Kids love vacations as much as we do! If your little one loves camping, set up a “campfire” in the living room with a tent. If they love to swim, you can fill a baby pool with ball pit balls and put a little slide that goes into it. Use your imagination to create a fun staycation for your toddler. If it’s creative enough, it might occupy them for the entire day!

If you are like me, you need some time to get things done without your little shadow getting into things. We use the baby monitor to make sure everything is going to plan and check in on our little guy every several minutes. For us, using fun toddler activities like these buy us so much more time than turning on the TV. If you’ve got outside work going on, see if any of these time consuming outside toddler activities will work for you.

Do you do any other stay at home activities with your toddler? What is his or her favorite? Share in the comments!