Stuck inside with a toddler? These 10 indoor activities require minimal prep, use household materials, and keep little ones engaged for more than five minutes.
Week to Week Team
Editorial · January 22, 2026
Every parent dreads the moment they look outside and realize: it's raining, the park is out, and your toddler has the energy of a small hurricane. The good news? You probably already have everything you need for a great day at home.
These activities are tested by real parents. They require minimal prep, use things you already have, and cover a range of energy levels — from full-body movement to quiet concentration.
Fill a large container with dry pasta, rice, or dried beans. Add scoops, cups, and small toys. Toddlers will spend 20–30 minutes pouring, scooping, and discovering.
Materials: Large bin, dry pasta or rice, measuring cups, small toys
Pro tip: Lay a shower curtain or old sheet underneath for easy cleanup.
Use couch cushions, pillows, and blankets to build a mini course. Crawl under a table, climb over cushions, and jump onto a pillow "landing pad."
Materials: Couch cushions, pillows, blankets, painter's tape for a "balance beam" line
Tape a large piece of paper to the table or high chair tray. Offer 2–3 colors of washable paint and let them go wild. Process over product — it's about the sensory experience, not the result.
Materials: Washable paint, large paper, tape, smock or old shirt
Grab pots, pans, wooden spoons, and plastic containers. Show your toddler how to bang, tap, and shake. Put on music and have a family jam session.
Materials: Pots, pans, wooden spoons, sealed containers with dry beans for shakers
A single large cardboard box becomes a car, a house, a boat, or a fort. Cut a door, add crayon decorations, and watch imaginative play unfold.
Materials: Large cardboard box, crayons or markers, scissors (adult only)
Pull a chair up to the kitchen sink and fill it with a few inches of warm water. Add cups, funnels, and sponges. Toddlers love water play in any form.
Materials: Step stool, cups, funnels, sponges, towels for the floor
Give your toddler a sheet of stickers and a piece of paper. Peeling and placing stickers builds fine motor skills and keeps them focused. Dot stickers are easiest for small fingers.
Materials: Sticker sheets, paper
Hide a favorite stuffed animal somewhere in the room and give clues. "It's near something soft!" This builds problem-solving and listening skills.
Materials: A favorite toy, your imagination
Put on upbeat music and dance together. Freeze dance (stop when the music pauses) is a hit with toddlers learning body control. It also burns energy fast.
Materials: Music (phone or speaker), space to move
Paper plates become animal faces, masks, or flying discs. Draw a face, add ears from construction paper, and you've got a lion, cat, or bear.
Materials: Paper plates, crayons, construction paper, glue stick
The secret to a good rainy day is variety. Plan 3–4 activities and rotate every 20–30 minutes. Toddlers thrive with a loose rhythm — they don't need a packed schedule, but they do need transitions.
And remember: screen time is fine in moderation. If you need 20 minutes to make lunch or just breathe, that's perfectly okay.
Browse our full activity library for more ideas sorted by age, category, and prep time.
Try these activities from our library
Activities, meal ideas, and parenting insights delivered to your inbox every week.