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Toddler Playtime Activities

Toddlers -- children between the age of 1 and 4 -- are learning to play with one another and can participate in various playtime activities. If you are planning a party or social gathering for toddlers, include a couple of activities to keep them busy. With careful planning, inexpensive supplies and a few activity ideas, you have all you need to keep a group of toddlers entertained for an afternoon.

Bubbles
- Take the toddlers outside to enjoy activities with bubbles. Blow bubbles for the children and tell them to try to catch them on their hands. Have them count the bubbles as they pop them. They can also blow the bubbles around while they are floating in the air. Give each toddler a small bubble wand to use to try to catch the bubbles. Place a small jar of bubbles on a table and help the toddlers learn how to blow bubbles.
Painting
- Try a not-too-messy paint activity with your toddlers. Cut a slightly moist sponge into pieces and coat each side with paint. Place a sheet of paper inside a gallon plastic zipper bag and drop the pieces of painted sponges inside bag. Allow the toddlers to push down on the sponges to get the paint on the paper. They can shake the bag to move the sponges around inside the bag. Once they finish, take the paper out of the bag to dry. For a variation, place paint inside a zipper bag and seal tight; you can place tape along the top of the bag for added protection. Place the bag on a table and let the toddlers use their fingers to draw letters, numbers and shapes in the paint.
Play Dough
- Place several tubs of play dough on a table and have the toddlers sit around the table. Give them wooden craft sticks, cookie cutters and rolling pins. Tell the children to use their imaginations to create the best object or animal using the play dough. If you do not have play dough, make your own by mixing 1 cup salt and 1 cup flour. Add 1 tbsp. cooking oil and seven drops of food coloring to 1 cup of water. Add the water/food coloring mix to the flour and salt until you achieve the desired consistency. The dough will keep in plastic zipper bags in the refrigerator for one week.
Balls
- Have the toddlers sit on the floor and spread their legs. Give them a soft ball to roll back and forth between them. Tell them to count or say the alphabet as they roll the ball. For a game, have the children stand up and try to roll the ball through each other's legs. The children must try to stop the ball before it goes between their legs. Try an easy toss game by having the toddlers select partners. Give each pair a soft ball to try to toss back and forth between one another.

Kids Games