Our simplest activities to do at home with your toddler

Toddlers have an almost insatiable curiosity about the world that keeps them moving from one activity to another; they’re always on the lookout for their next great discovery 🙂 To keep your toddler busy and their hungry mind engaged, we’ve gathered our best low-prep activities to do at home. 

Easy STEM work at home

Toddlers are tuned into how things work and often love watching something transform right before their eyes. Here are 3 easy experiments to set up at home for your budding scientist.

5 ways to play with pom poms

Simple and fun, pom poms develop your toddler’s fine motor skills. They can practice poking the pom poms through holes (called “posting”), transferring with tweezers, sorting and comparing them with other objects, or sticking them to transfer paper. 

Balloon play

Balloons are great for getting toddlers to move their little bodies in big ways. Blow one up, toss it in the air, and encourage your toddler to jump, run, throw, catch, and kick.

4 lessons in gravity

Getting creative with STEM play doesn’t have to be complicated. Try these 4 simple ways to teach your toddler about gravity—one of the first scientific concepts they experiment with.  

Down the chute

Dropping a pom pom down a chute may seem pretty straightforward, but this simple activity helps your toddler develop complex skills. 

Scribbling

Your toddler is likely developing their ability to scribble with more intention and control right now. Model simple dots, lines, and swirls for them and comment only on what you see: “look at all those colors!”

Water play

Art, science, and fine motor: water play checks all the boxes. Here’s a list of 10 different ways to play with water.  

Pipe cleaners and wiffle balls

This simple “posting” activity develops your toddler’s patience and focus as they build hand-eye coordination and fine motor precision. 

No-mess sensory bin

Toddlers love to scoop, dump, and explore textures. Set them up with a pom pom sensory bin and add tools like a small pitcher, tweezers, and cups.

Sing along with Lovevery on Spotify

Music has so many benefits for your toddler: it helps the two of you bond, builds their brain, develops language, and sets the mood. Sing and dance along with Lovevery’s playlists—there’s one for almost any occasion. 

Involve your toddler in household work

Toddlers want to help ❤️ It makes them feel valuable and makes the most of their desire to be independent. Here are 12 ways your toddler can help around the house right now. 

Pop-up paper tunnels

A system of little paper tunnels is just right for pushing cars, trains, trucks, and balls through, and requires movement control for your toddler to navigate. Let them help you make the tunnels, too—taping helps your toddler develop bilateral coordination 😉

Transferring activity

You can set up this Montessori activity with ordinary household items. A great practical skill, transferring develops your toddler’s fine motor skills and resilience.

First words picture book

This DIY project is a fun way to preserve your toddler’s first words. Use it for building vocabulary now and hold on to it as a keepsake to show them when they’re older.  

Ball play

Whether your toddler is throwing, rolling, kicking, or flinging, they love to make balls move. Here are 6 safe ways to play with balls when you’re at home together.