Shoebox with lid

Scissors

Unopened junk mail

Cut a large slit in the lid of a shoebox. If you like, cover the box and lid (separately) with colored paper, or decorate with paints, markers, and stickers. Place the lid on the box and show your toddler how to “mail” letters. If you don’t mind her doing so, she may enjoy ripping open the letters as much as mailing them. Store the mail inside the box when play is over.

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Graham crackers

Rolling pin

Ziploc or Lunchskins bag

Banana or other fruit

Place three graham crackers in a Ziploc or Lunchskins bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Slice a banana or other fruit into small pieces. Shake a few pieces at a time into the bag to completely coat the fruit. Lay the pieces out on a plate and, if you like, provide a little fork for spearing.

Recipe taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Pretend to walk very carefully through the jungle and mime the actions to suggest each animal. It’s easy to make up more verses for this rhyme.

Walking through the jungle,

What did I see?

A big lion roaring

At me, me, me!

Walking through the jungle,

What did I see?

A baby monkey laughing

At me, me, me!

Walking through the jungle,

What did I see?

A slippery snake hissing

At me, me, me!

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Before taping your floor or carpet, test the tape on a small area to make sure it can be easily removed. Leaving the tape on the floor for more than a day may also make it gummy and difficult to remove.

Masking tape

Small cars

Use masking tape on your floor or carpet to create an indoor roadway for small cars. Very young children will enjoy a simple roadway to run their cars along. Older children may enjoy adding parking lots, shops, and schools or accessorizing with dollhouses, toy people, and plastic animals.

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Most toddlers have probably tried this on their own at one time or another.

Box of Kleenex

Give your toddler a box of Kleenex and let her pull the Kleenex out one by one. The fun your toddler will have and the time she spends on this will justify the price of the box of Kleenex! If you’d rather not use real Kleenex, stuff a few scarves or pieces of brightly colored tissue paper into an empty Kleenex box and let your child pull those out instead.

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Toddlers love to collect things in their pockets. Your child will enjoy wearing this little pouch and using it to store all his interesting discoveries.

2 paper plates

Scissors

Stapler

Hole Punch

Yarn or ribbon

Cut one paper plate in half. Staple one half to the second paper plate to form a pouch. Punch two holes in the top of the full paper plate, then tie a short length of yarn or ribbon from one hole to the next to form a handle. (Because of the danger of strangulation, please make sure that the yarn or ribbon is not long enough to go over your child’s head.) Decorate it with crayons, markers, or stickers. Hang the pouch from your child’s belt or let him carry it around with him.

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Toddlers and tape go together in a special way .

Tape (masking, cellophane, colored, etc.)

Small can or plastic container

Construction paper

Use an upside-down can (such as a tuna can) or plastic container as a tape holder for your child. Cut or tear off various lengths of tape and place them around the edges of the tape holder so that your child can pull them off easily. Use as many different types and colors of tape as you can. Give your child a piece of construction paper and show her how to pull a piece of tape off the tape holder and stick it onto the paper to make a collage.

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Ice cubes will melt fairly quickly in a warm bath, but they can still be a choking hazard for little ones. Please supervise carefully.

Ice cube tray

Water

Food coloring

Make colored ice cubes by adding a drop of food coloring to the water in each section of an ice cube tray. Freeze. Add a bowl of different-colored ice cubes to the bath for some bath-time fun.

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner

Peanut butter, honey, jam, apple sauce or other edible, spreadable food

Cookie sheet or baby-safe plate

Put your toddler in his high chair or on the kitchen floor. Spread out an old sheet or large towel underneath to protect your floor.

Place a small dollop of peanut butter on the cookie sheet and show your toddler how to smear it around with their fingers.

Peanut butter can be a choking hazard. As with all activities, please supervise your child.

If you don’t have any ping pong or golf balls handy, cotton balls, large marshmallows or crumpled paper will work. Always supervise your child to prevent choking.

Ping Pong or golf balls

Plastic container or coffee can with lid

Cut a hole big enough for a Ping Pong or golf ball (or your item of choice) to fit through in the lid of the container. Place the lid on the container and let your toddler have fun poking the balls through the hole. She will quickly learn how to remove the lid to retrieve the balls, but will need your help to replace the lid on the container so she can start over again.

12 months +

Activity taken from The Toddler’s Busy Book by Trish Kuffner