The short attention spans of toddlers are a wonder that no one has been able to solve. One minute they're crying for a new or a lost toy like their life depends on it, and another minute, they're tossing it and crying out of boredom.
Try this blog post on the days you've tried it all. Here are 20 creative activities for kids to do at home that will keep them busy:
Lava lamps are cool again, so you can finally relieve your childhood with your child. For those who have never owned lava lamps before, Aawsam has you covered. Lava lamps are colorful when carefully designed; kids can even use them as bedroom décor.
What you'll need:
Water
Vegetable oil
Glass bottle
Waterproof tea lights
Liquid food coloring
Alka seltzer tablets
Instructions:
Pour some water into a bowl and add some coloring.
Fill 3/4 of your glass bottle with vegetable shortening.
Add the colored water and leave a little room at the top.
Give your mixture time to settle at the bottom of the glass.
Break your Alka Seltzer tablets into small pieces and drop one of them into the mixture (one at a time).
Close the lid and watch the magic happen.
If your toddler suffers from anxiety or bad dreams, this dreamcatcher by Good to Know will be like killing two birds with two stones. Not only is the art creative, but the result might help calm your kid before bedtime.
What you'll need:
Scissors
Two bright color paper plates
Glue
Yarn
Feathers
Pencil
Hole punch
Pony heads
Small sider plate
Instructions:
Place your side plate in the middle of the two middle plates, trace it and cut it out.
Take the two plate rims, glue them together, and allow them to dry.
Once the plates are dry, punch holes around them (like 4 cm apart).
Now cut 1 meter off the bright wool color, thread one of its ends through the first hole, and knot it to stay in place.
Weave the wool through the other holes to create a zigzag pattern. Ensure you leave at least 15 cm long wool at the bottom hole.
Repeat the weaving until three strands of wool hang from the bottom of the plate rim.
This is another activity that really challenges the kid's creativity. They can draw or paint anything they like on the rocks and later gift them to friends or use them as home décor. We found this tutorial from Mod Podge Rocks very easy to follow.
What you'll need:
Smooth rocks
Paint
Paintbrush
Dish soap
Stylus or small brushes
Sharpies or oil-based point pens
Spray sealer or clean brush
Instructions:
Go for a nature walk and collect some smooth rocks. You can use rough/edged stones, but they're harder to decorate. If you can't find smooth rocks, you can buy some at craft stores that sell home improvement products.
Use the dish soap to wash your stones and rinse them. Any dirt on them might destroy your design.
Use a sealer or a clean brush to seal the rocks; otherwise, they'll strain your pens. Alternatively, paint the stone white so that all colors you paint on top of it are vibrant.
Paint your design on your rocks and add several layers on top to get the desired shade. Wait for the layers to dry.
Use a stylus or a small brush to paint the small details.
Use Sharpies or oil-based paint pens to write on the rocks.
This craft from Crafting Cheerfully is brilliant, and you can use it for a birthday party or hang it in the reading area.
What you'll need:
Glue stick
Cutting machine or scissors
Black paper / two sheets of 12″x12″ or three sheets 8.5″ x 11″
A piece of poster board
Tape
SVG cut file
Colored paper/purple, green, orange, yellow, red, and blue
Instructions:
Cut two pieces of 22″ x 5″ from the poster board and overlap them using glue to create the base of the crayon.
Use the cutting machine or scissors to cut out all the letters or shapes required for the craft. You can download the font for free or cut out the letters from magazines. Use a rainbow template for the end and near the crayon's tip for glamour.
Stick all the shapes and letters to your crayon using glue. Ensure you arrange the rainbow colors in order, starting with red at the top.
Children constantly lose their pencils and buy new ones every day. This craft from Kids Activities will keep your toddler busy and give them a reason to be more careful with their pencils.
What you'll need:
Pencils
Scraps of felt
Embroidery needle and embroidery thread or fabric glue
Thin black permanent marker pen
Instructions:
Cut the scraps of felt into tiny hearts. Every pencil will require two pieces.
Use the embroidery needle and thread to join the two pieces if you're comfortable with the sewing version. Leave a little hole at the bottom to put the pencil. For the non-sew version, use fabric glue to join the two parts.
Draw happy, confused, goofy faces on the pencil topper or whatever you fancy for decorative purposes.
The cardboard bunny lacing card is fun and helps your toddler improve their hand-to-eye coordination skills. Coincidentally, this activity is also from Kids Activities.
What you'll need:
Long shoelace
Cardboard
Glue gun
Craft knife
Glue
Hole punch
Toothpick
Craft knife
Instructions:
Download the bunny template.
Print and cut out your bunny pieces. To create a long-lasting bunny, cut out three bunnies and sandwich them.
Glue your bunny pieces and allow them to dry.
Nip the edges with a toothpick to make them blunt. Kids' hands are soft, so avoid cutting them with sharp corners.
Put a drop of glue at the end of a toothpick and push it into the center of your shoelace.
Punch random holes on your bunny, and the lacing game is on.
If your toddler loves science and is fascinated by experiments, this activity by Taming Little Monsters is the best way to keep those tiny hands occupied. No abrasive substance was used in this experiment, so there are no safety concerns.
What you'll need:
Food coloring
Watermelon paper
Baking soda
Droppers or pipettes
Vinegar
Instructions:
Sprinkle your baking soda on the watermelon paper.
Mix food coloring with a few spoons of vinegar.
Drop the mixture of food coloring and vinegar on the baking soda using a pipette and watch the fizz when the last drop lands.
Allow your craft to dry.
Once the watermelon absorbs all the vinegar, scrape off the excess baking soda.
This activity by The Best Idea for Kids is an excellent idea for sunny days. Kids love water activities, so keep them busy as they splash around.
What you'll like:
Colored foam sheets
Scissors
One pool noodle
Colored washi tape
Paper straws
Instructions:
Cut the pool noodle into pieces (at least 3 inches thick).
Cut the foam sheets in the shape of sails.
Make 1/2-inch slits on the top and bottom of the sails.
Thread a straw through your foam sheet.
Add the washi tape on top of the straw and cut out a little triangle on the washi tape.
Make a small hole in the noodle and push the straw inside.
Put your noodle boat in the water.
The falling leaves snow globe by The Soccer Mom is an excellent tool for kids struggling with anxiety. You can use it for meditation or mess-free play.
What you'll need:
Glycerin
Water
Fall foil leaf confetti
Water
Tree branch
Hot glue gun
Instructions:
Collect a twig or tree branch from your backyard and clean it without peeling its bark that might cloud your bottle.
Trim your twig and test to ensure it fits inside the bottle with the lid closed.
Pour a generous amount of hot glue on the bottom of the bottle lid and place the twig right in the middle. Hold in place for at least 45 seconds to ensure it sticks.
Glue as many leaves as possible on the tree branch and allow everything to dry.
Add water to the bottle (a quart jar will need 4 cups) and pour some glycerin (½ cup).
Stir the mixture and add some confetti. If the confetti sinks, add more glycerin.
Place the lid carefully and ensure it's tightly locked. You can glue it to make sure it stays in place.
Staying indoors for too long can make kids grumpy. One way to improve their moods is by taking them out for a nature walk. While you're out there, you can collect the materials you need for this activity by Design Improvised.
What you'll need:
A sun-sensitive paper
Leaves
Paint
Small paint roller
Newspapers
Instructions:
Collect fresh, pliable leaves because dry leaves will snap and crumble when pressed on.
Lay some newspapers on the working surface to contain the mess.
Paint the surface of the leaf.
Carefully flip the leaf on the paper and hold it for a few seconds to ensure the painting sticks.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 with other leaves.
All kids love dinosaurs, okay, everyone loves dinosaurs, and most homes have at least one stuffed dinosaur. This activity by Lorena & Lennox is a fantastic way to keep your toddlers busy on a cold afternoon.
What you'll need:
Scissors
Crayola crayons
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Dinosaur silicone mold
A small, sharp knife
Instructions:
Place all your crayons on your working surface and slice each vertically along the paper to peel them off. Hand peeling is stressful and ultimately strains your hands.
Preheat your oven past 250°.
Put all your crayons in one container. If you want to mix the colors, use one bowl and different bowls if you want a certain color pallet.
Slice the crayons into small pieces. Again, since you're dealing with many crayons, it's best to use scissors to avoid hurting your fingers.
Place crayons in the mold and use the crayon debris to fill the spaces.
Place your parchment on the baking sheet to manage the mess.
Put the crayons in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until they melt.
Allow your crayons to cool, and then remove them from the mold.
We never outgrow the magic of the fairy jar; something is calming about all the glitter. Your kids will love having them light their bedroom at night. This tutorial from Mom Dot makes this craft so much easier.
What you'll need:
Glitters
Serrated knife
Mason jar
Glow sticks
Instructions:
Decide the color glow stick and the color glitter you want to use for your craft.
Cut open your glow stick, preferably on a towel, to avoid mess fluids. You can also elevate the glow stick on the lid when cutting it open.
Dump the content of your glow stick in the jar. Be careful when doing this because the inside is glass.
Add the glitter to the jar. If you want your fairy jar very sparky, be generous with the glitter.
Put the lid on and ensure it's tight to avoid spills.
Shake the jar to get your magic.
Sometimes the best way to keep kids busy is to bring the outdoors indoors. This craft activity from The Craft Train shows you the exact way to do this.
What you'll need:
Hole punch
Acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Tacky craft glue
Mod podge
Twigs, sticks, and leaves
Recycled cardboard pieces cut into smaller pieces
Instructions:
Paint the cardboard with acrylic paint and allow it to dry.
Arrange some of the twigs or sticks you collected in the shape of bugs.
Now that you have an outline of the items remove them and put glue in place, then put your bugs on the tacky glue.
Once the bugs dry, paint them with mod podge.
Make a hole on the leaf for the eye and replace it with the hole punch.
This activity by Good to Know is a brilliant way to bond with your toddler. Although the craft is mainly for making pebble people, you can go wild and add pebble animals too. Pebble people make very good gifts to family and friends.
What you'll need:
Pencil
Acrylic paints
Pen
Varnish
Flat pebbles of different sizes
Permanent black marker
Paint brushes
Instructions:
Paint the pebbles with white paint as a base cover.
Decide what stones will represent certain body parts. Make pencil sketches of eyes, hands, hair, etc.
Use paint to draw the body parts and leave the paint to dry. Finish off all the body details with a permanent black marker.
If you leave the pebbles in the garden, varnish them so the colors are lovely and bright at night.
This activity by Good to Know will brighten a dull afternoon for your toddler.
What you'll need:
Neon ribbon
Scissors
Nail
Neon craft tape
White acrylic paint
Cans
Hammer
Wiggle eyes
Clear beading thread
Black pen
Strong glue
Instructions:
Clean and dry your tin cans.
Paint the cans with acrylic paint and give them a few hours to dry.
Once everything is dry, stick the neon craft tape around the entire can to give it a rainbow effect.
Cut different sizes of neon ribbons inside the cans. Lookout at the sharp edges in the container.
Add the wiggle eyes and a mouth (using the black pen); you're free to try out any facial expressions you fancy.
Make a hole on both sides of the containers and add a clear beading thread through the holes to hang the kite.
This art exercise from Easy Peasy and Fun, is, in fact, easy and fun for toddlers. It also requires just a few items you probably have in your house.
What you'll need:
Scissors
White construction paper
Black marker
Wiggle eye stickers
Regular paper or construction paper in rainbow colors
Instructions:
Cut long strips of paper for every rainbow color.
Cut a cloud shape from the white construction paper.
Glue all the colored long strips on one side of the white construction paper.
Allow the glue to dry.
Flip the cloud and put two wiggle eyes or draw them.
Draw a mouth below the eyes to make your craft cuter.
This is a great way to pass the time for kids who are into superheroes. The captain America paper plate by Non-Toy Gifts can be the first item in their superhero collection.
What you'll need:
Scissors
Glue
Tissue paper (white, red, blue)
Paper plate
Star template
Instructions:
Cut the tissue into small pieces. You'll need more red tissues than white and blue pieces because you need two red rings.
Apply glue to the paper plate and start sticking the tissue paper. Start with the outer red layer, then the white ring, red again, and lastly, blue.
Print the star template and stick it on the blue ring.
This is a great indoor activity and a chance to learn about colors since the craft is very colorful. These cute and cheery tropical fish by Crafts by Amanda will spark your children's imagination.
What you'll need:
8 Miniature paper plates
Four large wiggle eyes
Glue stick
Bright colored acrylic paints
Pattern 1 and Pattern 2
White craft glue
Scissors
Paintbrush
Paint colors:
Ocean blue
White
Black
Bright orange
Turquoise blue
Vivid violet
Sour apple green
Bright yellow
Carousel pink
Instructions:
You'll need two paper plates for each fish. Paint one plate green, another one pink, and the other two orange and yellow.
As the paper plates dry, trace the patterns onto the other paper plates. Paint the patterns with the appropriate colors and allow them to dry.
Cut your painted fish out and look out for the pencil lines through the paint.
Use polka dots or paint to add stripes to decorate your fish and white craft glue to attach a wiggle eye.
Hang the fish craft in the child's bedroom.
This alien spaceship alien craft by The Inspiration Edit is an excellent idea for children who love space movies and aliens.
What you'll need:
Scissors
Colorful craft papers
Rulers
Popsicle sticks
Glue
Alien craft template
Pencils
Instructions:
Cut out your spaceship templates.
Glue the long oval and protractor shapes to create your spaceship's base.
Once it dries, glue the big circular pieces on the bottom part of your spaceship.
Glue the smaller circles in the big circular pieces in step three.
Glue the tiny two long red strips and the round pieces on one of the strips.
Glue the strips diagonally on the back of your spaceships.
Fold the green paper into a "V" shape and glue it to the top part of your spaceship.
Glue the googly eye and use a black and pink marker to draw the mouth.
If your child loves flowers, this craft by The Resourceful Mama will blow their little minds. It also takes a few minutes and only requires basic items around the household.
What you'll need:
Glue
Small paper plates
Scissors
Paint (green and other colors)
Craft stick
Green paper
Instructions:
Cut small slits on your small paper plates to make flower petals.
Paint the craft stick green and the paper plate yellow.
Allow everything to dry.
Glue the craft stick on the paper plate to make the stem.
Cut out two leaves from the green paper and stick the leaves on either side of the stem.
Final Thoughts
Children get bored quickly, and you must stay creative to keep them occupied. One of the best ways to challenge your child's mind is by using items around the house to do some DIY creative activities. The processes are exciting, and the results are even more fascinating for the little ones.