Does your toddler seem to live for active moments outdoors? During the summer, this works out great. However, once winter comes, it can be a different story. Rather than keeping your child indoors with quiet activities, we’ve got the following list of indoor toys for active toddlers. Most importantly, you need to find toys that enable them to have gross motor energy release. Remember: being indoors doesn’t have to mean an end to climbing, jumping, scooting, etc.
1. On the Road Mini Toy Vehicles TOOB®
If your toddler is stuck inside for the winter, offer them these On the Road Mini Toy Vehicles TOOB®. Before you know it, they’re likely to start ‘driving’ these toys all over the house. Picture them with the dirt bike in their hands as they pretend to make it jump. Alternatively, envision them holding the firetruck as they look for ‘trouble’ in your house. Either way, this adds up to a recipe for lots of fun! As one verified reviewer said, these are made with “amazing quality.”
2. TY Beanie Bouncers
The TY Beanie Bouncers line is ideal for active kids. In fact, these toys have the ability to bounce up to 50 feet! Of course, your tot will have to scale it back a bit indoors, but these toys are quite soft. In other words, put them in their playroom and let them go wild. They won’t be able to harm anything, after all. Choose from a diverse mix of TY Beanie Bouncers such as Jumper (a frog), Purry the Cat, or Spider-Man.
3. Mini Boing Balls
Similar to baseball’s Hit-A-Way, this set encourages them to play with a baseball, soccer ball, and basketball. The trick is that each of these indoor safe and soft balls can be attached to any surface via string and velcro. For instance, you can hook up the baseball so that they’ll never lose it. At the same time, they’ll be able to toss the baseball, and it’ll always come back to them. Mini Boing Balls will keep your toddler busy for hours!
4 Create a World of Myths
Does your toddler like to pretend that they’re in a world with dragons? Lean into it with the Dragon EVA Sword and Dragon EVA Shield. Teach them that swords and shields work in the mythical world they’ve created, but that they’re not to be used in the real world. Then sit back and let them swashbuckle to their heart’s content. Taking on the dragon in their mind helps burn off lots of excess energy!
5. Goki Toys Pull-Along Animals
Pull-along toys are, by their very definition, created to allow toddlers to walk them around the house. Therefore, if your young child wants to explore every nook and cranny with a friend by their side, a pull-along animal is ideal! They’ll get to have a crocodile or dragon companion, and you’ll know they’re strengthening their coordination and motor skills. You could even look at it as training for eventually walking a pet.
6. Discovery Blocks
Are you looking for more relaxed indoor toys for active toddlers? When your child wants to run but you need them to stay inside, get them the Colorful Wooden Discovery Block Set by HABA. Using these blocks will keep them in one central area, yet they’ll have so much fun discovering each block’s secret that they’ll forget they’re not outside! You’ll get 60 of them in all, and they feature magical-sounding and looking items inside of them like bells, mirrors, kaleidoscopes, etc. Your toddler will have hours of less rambunctious play.
7. Repurpose a Sand Scoop
During the summer, your child probably likes to go outside and dig in their sand box. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to capture that sensation inside. However, you can still repurpose their Large Sand Scoop for indoor exploration. Ideas include scooping up water from the bathtub or, in what’s sure to be your favorite example, scooping up their toys to put them away. That way, it’ll seem like a game, when they’re really taking care of a chore.
8. Incredible Creatures®
If there is one thing we can say for certain, it’s that animals fascinate toddlers. Therefore, we offer Incredible Creatures® to allow them to let their imaginations soar! These aren’t just any toy animals, either. They’re realistic-looking, which is the best way to ensure your child learns, too! Is your tot drawn to creatures that many are afraid of? Our Black Widow Spider Toy is a good way to let them learn up close. Alternatively, if they’d like to play with an animal they’ve seen in the wild, the Eastern Chipmunk Toy is a great choice.
9. Bird Toys Let Them Soar
Getting a toddler a bird toy opens up their imagination. They’ll be able to run around your house while holding a bird in the air, also known as simulating flight. From modern birds such as a Red-Tailed Hawk to the Quetzalcoatlus of ancient history, these feathered creatures make it seem like your child is almost flying. Imagine the world of fun they’ll create as they let their imagination take off!
10. Teach Them About North American Wildlife
While your kiddo is exploring their toy options and trying to shift themselves to indoor living, why not take the opportunity to introduce them to North American Wildlife? Instead of using fantasy toys or creatures long since extinct, they’ll learn about the animals they could actually encounter outside. Examples include the Raccoon Toy Figure and the Gray Squirrel Figure. These items encourage them to learn about their ecosystem, along with all the animals that help make it up.
Keep Your Child Happy with Indoor Toys for Active Toddlers
Everything can be turned into a learning situation, even being stuck inside with a toddler that wants to run and jump. Rather than letting yourself become flustered, turn to toys such as those listed above for assistance. Give them what they need, while also teaching them about the world around them!
