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How to Entertain Active Toddlers

Whether you are babysitting, working in a childcare setting or tending to your motherly duties, you can entertain toddlers in ways that are both educational and fun for the children. Some toddlers may be content watching television or looking at books quietly, but other toddlers are more interesting in burning off energy in the form of physical activities. Though you can purchase a variety of backyard toys at toy and department stores, you can also make games and activities from common household items.

Things You'll Need

Dish tub
Rocks
Small toys
Shells
Sand or rice
Plastic shovel
2-liter soda bottles
Beads
Buttons
Ball
Tricycles
Boxes
Duct tape
Plastic bins

Instructions

- 1
  Use a dish tub to create a sensory bin. Fill the bottom with a variety of items, such as rocks, toys and shells. Pile sand, rice or other small grains on top of the items. Give the toddler a plastic shovel and let him dig up the items. Place the tub on a table for easy cleanup. Talk about the items the toddler finds in the bin and what they feel like.
- 2
  Fill 2-liter soda bottles with beads and buttons to create bowling pins. Place the bottles in a triangle like an actual bowling game and have the toddlers roll a ball at them. Not only will the toddlers enjoy knocking over the bottles, but the bottles make noise too. This game can be used indoors or outdoors.
- 3
  Provide tricycles for the toddlers to ride on the sidewalk or in the driveway. Not only will this help burn off energy, but it will help build muscle strength.
- 4
  Fold and tape up boxes to make large blocks. Use different colors of duct tape to decorate the boxes. Ask the toddlers to build big towers that they can knock over. The blocks are sturdy enough that they can be used indoors or outdoors many times. You can turn the activity into a learning game by asking children to grab specific colors or sizes of boxes.
- 5
  Create an obstacle course for the toddlers. Set up bottles or blocks that the children must walk around and place overturned plastic bins for them to climb over. For older toddlers, you can even turn it into a race.

Backyard Toys