We’re always on the look out for new inexpensive ideas to amuse the littlies. Here are a few ideas (many will depend on the age of your toddlers).
A maggi stock container with a short ribbon or small toy in it – they love opening the lid and putting toy in and out and shutting the lid
Formula tin with a hole cut in the top, to make a toy post box. You could also decorate it with stickers.
Cardboard tube and 3 small balls to roll down the tube.
Recycle big cardboard boxes, tape them together, and cut holes for kids to crawl in and out.
A blow up swimming pool filled with either 50 clothes pegs, balls, shredded paper, or leaves.
Playing with plastic cups, funnels, containers and pouring the water between them.
Small plastic toys (eg dinosaur) frozen into ice cubes, and smashing them out.
A soft drink bottle filled with coloured water, glitter and foam shapes etc. Tape up the lid so they can’t get it off, pull off all labels and they love them!
Sorting different coloured plastic bottle top lids – it’s amazing the variety of colours available.
Making ramps out of wood or hard card for all those cars to race down
Making tents and huts using chairs/sofas and sheets.
Racing around outside with plastic bag kites.
Set up a hunt with wool as the guide (follow the wool around the house until you get to the ‘prize’ or lunch!)
Treasure hunt using pictures or objects as the clue e.g. peg for washing line.
Gotta love mum’s old high heels for those three year old girls!
Save cardboard boxes (muslie bars, baking stuff etc), sellotape the ends of the boxes, and the kids play ‘grocery shopping’ with them.
Empty toilet rolls make good telescopes for pirates
Use old tissue boxes and put scarves in them (from op shop). Kids love pulling them out
Use old onion bags and put interesting sounding paper in it like cellophane or chocolate wrappers to scrunch.
Homemade rain makers with rice and glad wrap tubes.
Make swings from old car tyres.
Get off cuts of large plastic water pipe and use them for water play & zooming cars down etc.
In winter when the boys can’t play with their little cars & diggers outside, fill a baking dish with rice &/or breadcrumbs & they can dig in that.
