Fun & Easy Games for Toddlers

Ball Games

• Have the toddlers sit in a circle with their leg spread out in front of them. Give one toddler a ball and have them roll it back and forth to one another. For added fun, have the toddlers count or say the alphabet each time they roll the ball. To make the game harder, tell the toddlers to stand up and spread their legs apart. They must try to roll the ball through another player's legs before he can catch it.

Musical Games

• Cut several different shapes out of construction paper and place them on the ground in a circle. Cut smaller sizes of each color and shape and place them in a bowl. Have the toddlers walk around the shapes while music plays. When the music stops, tell each toddler to stand on a shape. Draw a shape out of the bowl and the toddler standing on the corresponding shape and color wins a small prize. Keep playing until everyone receives a prize. For another musical game, have the toddlers play freeze dance. Play some music and each time the music stops, the toddlers must freeze.

Block Games

• Give each toddler a plastic zipper bag of blocks. Use medium size blocks to avoid a choking hazard for the little ones. Tell the toddlers to build the tallest tower they can using only the blocks in their bag. Another game toddlers can play is block toss. Place a couple of beach pails on the ground and have them toss the blocks into the pails. Mark a standing line about 2 feet from the pails and have the toddlers line up to play.

Balloon Games

• Inflate several balloons and give each toddler a balloon. Tell her to hit the balloon in the air and try to keep it from hitting the ground. For a variation, have the toddlers select a partner and hit the balloon to one another. You can also place large cardboard boxes on the ground and have the toddlers try to hit the balloons into the boxes. Each toddler can take a balloon home as a memento of the party.