9 Creative Indoor Play Ideas For Toddlers and Preschoolers

9 Creative Indoor Play Ideas For Toddlers and Preschoolers

We know times are a little different right now in the world, which is why we feel it is important to share ways you can create memories with your little ones that will last forever. We are here to be a resource to you during this difficult time. Here are 9 creative ideas you can do indoors with your toddlers and preschoolers!

Pull Out The Board Games

Grab some treats and pull out the board games! Some of the best memories I have with my family is a family game night. Whether it’s a simple game, such as Candyland or Uno, or a more complex game for older children, games are a great way to bond with your children. Board Games teach our kids the importance of taking turns, following directions and rules. Board games also enhance children’s cognitive skills as they begin to understand the game, strategies and techniques that will help them be successful while playing. 

Draw Animals Together

Grab some of your favorite Safari Ltd toys and practice drawing while looking at the character! This activity was so much fun that my girls spent over an hour being engaged in drawing the different animals from Safari Ltd. I loved watching them go from saying things such as, “But mom, I don’t know how to draw a giraffe” to “Look mom! I did it!”. As they began to understand the concept of the activity, their confidence grew and they wanted to continue drawing different animals. Although this method of drawing was new to my children, they loved having a different challenge and it’s one we will definitely go back to. 

Play Dress Up

Playing dress up is an activity that has been done for ages. Make it fun, get the entire family involved in dressing up in silly costumes. After everyone is dressed up, indulge in role play with your children and watch their creativity and imaginations take off. If you’re looking for something a little different than pretend play, set up a fashion show! Take turns being in the spot light and showing off your amazing sense of style! Put on some music and strut that runway or even build it with a BiOBUDDi catwalk set!

Add your favorite Safari Ltd Toys with Play Dough

Safari Ltd animals and play dough just so happen to be the perfect combo! Make imprints of flowers, tracks of animals, or have a base of play dough to set up a scene. We love coming up with different combinations and play ideas! (You can find a homemade play dough recipe using things in your pantry on my blog purposefultoys.com)

Sensory Play

Pull out some of your favorite sensory fillers such as rice, beans, corn kernels, kinetic sand or simply water and put them in a bin for your little one to explore the different textures, smells and sounds. Add scoops, spoons, bowls, tongs etc. for added tools and play. Another fun idea is adding in some dish soap bubbles to your water sensory play. Throw in some play dishes or toys for your child to not only play with, but to also clean! I think we are all about sanitizing our homes at this particular time and creating an activity like this not only gets your children involved in cleaning, but it’s fun as well! Add sponges, scrubbers, rubber gloves and an apron for them to further role play dish washing. Need some tips on what a sensory bin is and how to make one? Read our handy dandy guide here.

Have A Family Block Play

Pull out some of your favorite BiOBUDDi Organic Building Blocks and get building as a family!  A Block Play is an activity that you can never be too old for! When mom and dad get involved in building it helps to scaffold your children so that their structures can become more complex. You could print out architecture pictures and try to model your block building after those particular structures. You could also take turns being the “leader” where the leader builds a structure and the other members of the family have to try and copy their design. Have fun and get creative with this one! If you're feeling really creative, take our 30 Day Toys That Teach Building Challenge!

Cook with Your Children

Let your children have a cooking experience with mom and dad. Have them help plan the meal, clean the veggies, and add in the ingredients to the dish. Take the opportunity to talk about measurements, comparing and contrasting textures and smells, and the importance of food safety. The best part about letting your children help out in the kitchen is they are more likely to try the meal! Cooking with your children is an experience that will be magical for you and your children. 

Play Hide and Seek with Your Safari Ltd Animals

One of our new favorite activities is playing hide and seek with our toys. We will hide our animals from Safari Ltd around the house and take turns trying to find that particular animal! Hide and Seek is definitely a favorite and this simple activity of adding in toys takes a new spin on it. Give each other hints by playing “hot and cold” letting them know they are “hot” when they are getting closer, and getting “cold” when they are getting further away. Adding in the “hot and cold” will also help your children enhance their listening skills which is also a bonus! 

In Home Movie Theater

Pop the popcorn and pull out the sweets we are going to a movie! If you’re feeling extra creative you can add in a craft earlier in the day to make movie tickets! Pretend to drive to the movie theater, lay out your favorite blanket, add small individual chairs, or make cardboard cars for a drive in movie. Take the opportunity to make a family movie night even more special and exciting by adding in a few of these ideas! 

We hope some of these ideas can get your creative juices flowing so that you can make magical memories with your family!!

RyLee Matangi is a Child Development Specialist & Blogger. Find her work on purposefultoys.com

Our BiOBUDDi Learning The Build sets are part of our BiOBUDDi Building Block collection. BiOBUDDi are 100% eco-friendly toy blocks for children. They are toys that do not harm our environment. BiOBUDDi green biobased toys are derived from plants. Even the packaging, stickers and instructions are eco-friendly!