Music gives your toddler a way to move, feel, and express before words catch up.
These musical activities support rhythm awareness, listening skills, and physical coordination through dance and song.
One activity at a time. Toddlers do best with a single focus—too many materials out at once leads to overwhelm, not play.
Embrace the mess. Sensory play is vital at this age, and trying to keep things tidy will just frustrate you both.
Expect parallel play, not sharing. Toddlers aren't developmentally ready to share—give each child their own set of materials.
High energy needs an outlet. Plan physical activities for morning when energy peaks, and quieter play after lunch.
Fill a sealed water bottle with rice or pasta for a homemade baby shaker — a taste-safe rattle your little one can grip and shake to make music.
Sit together with a hand drum or overturned bucket and take turns tapping rhythms — a satisfying intro to turn-taking through music.
Play music and dance with your toddler, then pause it suddenly — whoever keeps moving is silly! A perfect game for building impulse control and listening.
Help your baby tap on different household surfaces — a wooden table, a cushion, a pot lid — to discover that different textures make different sounds.
Toss lightweight scarves into the air while singing — your baby will love tracking the colors as they float down in time with the music.
Fill containers with rice, beans, or pasta to make homemade shakers, then use them to play along to your favorite songs — craft meets concert.