When my kids were toddlers, one of their favorite daily activities was playing outside, and it was so good for them. However, when it rained that was not an option.
It’s easy to turn on the TV or tablets, but I notice my kids behave much better and are happier when I limit their screen time.
So it’s helpful to have a list of rainy day activities for toddlers that you can use to get screen free ideas.
Some of these activities are things that toddlers can do on their own with no or minimal supervision. Other ideas are things you can enjoy with them!
Oh, and most all of these activities are easy and don’t require a lot of preparation or money. Win-win!
Let’s jump into these indoor toddler friendly ideas!
Rainy Day Activities for Toddlers
Independent Activities
Some of these independent activities will require supplies or things that you may already have at home. Don’t feel like you have to go out and purchase the items on the list.
Instead, choose activities that you already have on hand. Or the next time you are out, you could pick up some of these supplies to have for the next rainy day.
A lot of these ideas are things your child could do at the kitchen table or on the floor next to you. That way you can easily supervise, but also get other things done while your little one plays.
1. Kinetic Sand is a great alternative to Play doh because it doesn’t dry out!
2. Play Doh is still a fun activity your child can do independently though.
3. Mega blocks. (affiliate link)
4. Color in a box. If you have a medium to big size box, let your child crawl inside with some crayons or markers (if you’re brave) and color away!
5. Tea Party!
6. Play cars. My son had a town rug play mat (affiliate link) that he loved to drive his cars on.
7. Water color paints are easy to set up and clean up. You can get them inexpensively at Dollar Tree.
8. Stack plastic cups. Give your child plastic cups to unstack and re-stack. It may keep them busy for awhile!
9. Play in the sink with water toys or cups and bowls. Be prepared for a wet mess with this activity. However, the mess is worth it. Your toddler will love getting to play in the water!
10. Q-tip painting. Use whatever washable paint you have and give your child a q-tip to make paint dots on paper.
11. Play with small toys and a muffin tin. My toddlers loved sorting little things in our muffin tin. Sometimes I gave them tongs to pick up the items for a fun challenge.
12. Wooden board puzzles. (affiliate link)
13. Paint with water and cotton balls on colored construction paper. A great paint free activity!
14. Play with magnet letters on the fridge or other metal surface.
15. Sensory bags. Use an idea from Pinterest or simply make your own. Fill a ziplock bag with rice and small objects. Then tape tightly shut.
16. Sensory bins. Fill a plastic tub with similar objects that your child can explore. There are so many options! You could do a nature bin with sticks, leaves, grass, flower, ect. Or a bin with different textures.
17. Paint with toilet paper or paper towel tubes. If you have saved up your old tubes for a rainy day, pull them out and let your toddler dip them in washable paint and stamp them on paper.
18. Stickers!
19. Put a line of masking tape on the floor and have your toddler line up cars or blocks or other small toys on the lines. This will keep them busy for awhile and helps with motor skills!
20. Push cars through shaving cream. It will be messy, but is so much fun!
21. Moon Sand. You can make your own moon sand pretty easily. This always made a bit of a mess, but kept my toddlers busy!
22. Put round cereal pieces (Fruit loops or Cheerios) on pipe cleaners or dried spaghetti noodles. It helps to put one end of the noodle or pipe cleaner in Playdoh so it stays put.
23. Separate UNO cards into piles by color.
24. Play with small pompom balls and an ice cube tray.
25. Play dress-up with costumes.
26. Let your toddler use chalk if you have a chalkboard.
27. Stack wooden blocks.
28. Leap Frog.
29. Use dot markers.
30. Play basketball with an indoor basketball hoop.
31. Put dry spaghetti noodles or pipe cleaners through holes in colander.
32. Scoop dried beans from one container to another.
33. Sort colored cereal onto matching colored construction paper.
34. Use washable markers on printable coloring page.
35. Color in the coloring books
36. Use Playdoh to form letters or shapes by following a template you draw or print.
37. Water beads.
38. Give toy animals a bath.
Things to do with your toddler:
It’s great for toddlers to play independently, however, they also need time with mom or dad to know they are loved and valued. You don’t have to dress up or play pretend to have a good time with your little one.
Here are some simple activities you can enjoy with little preparation.
39. Hide and seek
40. Roll a ball to each other.
41. Read books.
42. Have an indoor picnic for lunch.
43. Build a fort with pillows and blankets.
44. Facetime a family member.
45. Blow up a balloon and bounce it back and forth.
46. Play “Simon Says”.
47. Play freeze dance
48. Do a dance video from YouTube.
50. Follow a kid’s exercise video from YouTube.
51. Look through old pictures of family members and tell your toddler about them.
52. Teach your toddler a new chore: wipe spill, put away dirty dishes, put away laundry, ect
53. Sing to your toddler. (Wheel on the Bus, Jesus Love Me, This Little Light of Mine)
54. Have an indoor scavenger hunt. Make a list of things for your toddler to find around the house.
55. Do a preschool worksheet to practice numbers, colors, or shapes.
56. Frost cookies.
57. Bake something together, but keep it simple. Having a toddler in the kitchen can be stressful, so I’ve found that it’s best to do something simple and give them specific jobs to do.
ie. dump the flour in the bowl after you measure it, roll the cookie dough in sugar, ect.
58. Teach your toddler how to make a sandwich.
59. Make and fly paper airplanes.
60. Make salt dough ornaments.
61. Play Hi Ho Cherrio.
62. Play Candy Land.
63. Play Chutes and Ladders.
64. Dress up fancy and do your toddler’s hair. Then have a special date for lunch!
65. Paint fingernails or toenails if you have a little girl.
66. Play “guess the animal” by taking turns making animal noises.
67. Pull your toddler around the house on a sheet or blanket.
68. Play catch with a balloon.
69. Trace your toddler’s hands and feet and have them color the tracings.
70. Make a hat out of folded paper.
71. Make a mask out of a paper plate and string.
72. Sing the Hokey Pokey.
73. Sing the Alphabet song.
74. Read a Bible story to your child.
75. Practice going up and down the stairs.
I hope this list of rainy day activities helps you enjoy time with your toddler! One of the best ways to make sure your day goes well, rainy or not, is to follow a daily schedule. That way you have a plan for your day.
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2 thoughts on “75 Fun Rainy Day Activities for Toddlers!”
Thanks for this useful list, some good ideas.
However:
“Paint fingernails or toenails if you have a little girl.”
..why only if you ‘have a little girl’?? Bizarre.
Actually, it’s realistic and normal. Painting boys’ fingernails is what is bizarre.