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Are you running out of ideas to keep your wee one amused? Here are some suggestions for fun activities you can try together, and some things they can try on their own – with your supervision of course! It might look like messing around, but play is brilliant for helping your wee one grow and learn, especially if you let them take the lead. Who knows where you’ll end up?

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Let them take the lead

Let your child direct the play and follow their lead, even if it means the same thing over and over again. Watch what they’re doing (like playing with a ball or blocks) and ask if you can play too. Or if they show an interest in something you’re doing, try to find a way for them to join in – maybe they play with the washing up soap bubbles, or have a go at balling some socks. 

Try to go at their pace (even if it seems really slow!) and let them explore things in their own time. You’ll need to be a wee bit patient and maybe adapt the way you do things, but it’s worth it to have fun together. And this is a great way to play because if your wee one is already interested in something, they’re more like to focus on it for longer, and to learn more. 

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Make play a part of your day

At different times during the day, try to be part of your child’s play. This doesn’t have to be with toys – ordinary life can be playful. You can have fun playing peekaboo with the pillows or duvet while making the bed, or coming up with interesting combinations for sandwiches. Try letting your child help with tasks, or do them themselves if they can – even if this slows you down a bit. Being able to contribute helps your child learn to manage by themselves.

The most important thing is that you’re doing something fun together. Even 20 minutes a day of focussed play can make all the difference to helping your child relax. It’s also good for their development, as your attention helps them understand the world around them. It also helps them understand that they are safe, connected to, and cared for. And these are times you can both treasure in the future.

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Tips for getting active indoors with your toddler

Being outside improves everyone’s wellbeing, and this is as true for toddlers and younger kids as it is for anyone. But if you can’t get outdoors for any reason, they can still have fun burning off energy indoors. Here are some ideas you can try.

Tip #1: Be a tickle monster

Chase your little one around as the tickle monster! It’s sure to make them laugh and will tire them out as well.

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Tip #2: Bubbles

Blow bubbles around the house and watch your child have fun chasing after them and making them go ‘pop!’ You can even make your own bubbles by mixing one cup of water with a small amount of washing up liquid and 4 teaspoons of sugar. Or how about making giant bubbles with a hoop?

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Tip #3: Pick up a penguin

Biodegradable balloons can be used for lots of active games, like balloon volleyball or keepie-uppie. Or how about asking your wee one to hold the balloon between their legs and then waddle around the room like a penguin? You could even create an obstacle course using cushions, towels and boxes, to challenge them even more! No balloons? This works just as well with a ball or cushion.

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Tip #4: Musical bumps

Put on some music and give your toddler to a cushion to dance around (or even on). When the music stops, they have to sit down on the cushion as quickly as they can. All that sitting down and standing up again will certainly help burn some energy!

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Tip #5: Egg and spoon

Egg and spoon races aren’t just for sports day! Give your child a spoon and something to balance on it (a small ball or piece of scrunched up paper is less messy than a real egg!) then see if they can make their way round the house without the precious ‘egg’ falling off. Can they sit on the floor or jump up and down without dropping it? Or hold it high in the air above their head?

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Tip #6: Copy cat

Burn off some energy by getting your child to try and copy everything you do. Try hopping across the room, or how about some star jumps?

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Tip #7: Kitchen disco

Your toddler can get a little restless waiting for their dinner, so this is a great time to turn your kitchen into the best disco in town! Pop on your favourite music, and show your toddler how to boogie.

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Tip #8: Fun with shapes

Draw or cut out different shapes (circle, triangle, square, etc) using pieces of scrap paper and place them on the floor. Then ask the kids to move between the shapes: ‘Hop to the triangle, ‘Crawl to the circle,’ ‘Wriggle on your tummy to a shape with four sides’. This not only helps burn energy but also helps them learn their shapes.

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Tip #6: Hide and seek

Have a game of hide and seek in the house together. Why not take turns to count and hide? Great for practising their numbers, and they’ll be giggling when they spot your feet poking out from under the living room curtain!

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Tip #10: Floor is lava

Place cushions and blankets around the room and see who can make it round without stepping on the floor – because the floor is made of hot lava! 

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Tip #11: Treasure hunt

Treasure hunts aren’t just for Easter eggs – you can have fun hiding treats or simple objects around the home any time of year. You could also make a treasure map together too.

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Tips for getting creative with your toddler

Helping your toddler get creative is also an important way to boost their wellbeing. It might look like a mess at times, but having fun with paints and crafts is a vital way for them to learn to express themselves. This helps their minds develop and boosts their self-confidence. It also helps develop their fine motor skills and ability to concentrate on a task at hand. And most importantly, it’s fun!

Tip #1: Green gloop

Messy play is always fun, so why not try making this green slimy gloop with your little one? Just put 2 cups of cornflour, a cup of water, and a couple of drops of green food colouring into a plastic bowl. Get your little one to mix it all up then have fun mashing and moulding it into different shapes together.

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Tip #2: Hand-print art

Using children’s paint, cover your little one’s hands then get them to press their hand onto paper. What animals can you make from the handprints? If your kids enjoy this, there are loads more arty ideas on the CBeebies website

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Tip #3: No brushes here!

Who needs brushes when you can paint with household objects like a sponge, fork or toilet roll? Provide your wee one with some everyday items and let them take the lead. The video here shows you how.

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Tip #4: Tea time

Did you know you can even paint with tea bags? Who knew! This video from the BBC’s Tiny Happy People shows you how.

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Tip #5: Make a paper plate jellyfish

Wee ones will love making their own wibbly wobbly jellyfish – how will they decorate theirs? What other sea creatures could they make from everyday objects like egg boxes, toilet rolls and sponges?

You can find more ideas from Smart Play Network here.

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Tip #6: Home-made play dough

Got flour, food colouring and oil in your cupboards? Then you have all the ingredients to make playdough! Hours of creative fun guaranteed! This recipe from the BBC shows you how to make it.

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Tip #7: Shake it up

Did you know you can make your own musical instruments with just a plastic bottle and some dried pasta? Your wee one can fill up the bottles, but you may want to make sure that you help with tightening the lid to avoid any mess!

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Tip #8: Obstacle course

Help them build an obstacle course out of cushions and blankets for them to climb over, jump on and crawl under. Get them to use their imaginations to name the different obstacles, so the sofa could become sinking sand and a blanket a bog of eternal stench. Then see who can make it round the living room the fastest. 

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Tip #9: Fantubeulous

Light up their imaginations by seeing how many fun games you can play with a tube. 

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Tip #10: Puppet play

Making a puppet can be as simple as drawing some eyes on your finger! This video from Raising Children, the Australian parenting website shows you lots of different ways you can make puppets with your wee one, and how you can use them to have fun together.

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Tip #11: Incy Wincy spider

Sing Incy Wincy Spider and show your little one the actions (if you can’t remember them, check out this video from the Scottish Book Trust). They’ll start doing all the actions themselves in no time. Singing is a great way to beat boredom – and to teach your child new words.

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Tip #12: Pasta picture

Using child-safe PVA glue, stick pasta shapes onto paper to make pictures. There are so many different types, you can use spaghetti for hair, macaroni for eyes and so on. It’s a good way to keep little one entertained and help them learn more about different shapes and textures.

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Activities they can do while you get on with other things

Of course you can never entirely take your eyes off a toddler, but here are some activities you can get them to do while you get on with other things – like having a nice cup of tea (or, more likely, getting on with some housework)!

Tip #1: Build a den

If you’re trying to get some work done, why not give your toddler some blankets, towels and cushions and ask them to build a den in the room you’re working in? You could reward them for a job well done by joining them inside when you’re done and reading a story together.

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Tip #2: Play shops

Help them get some tins from the kitchen, then get them to set up their own shop. They can add prices to the tins and even make their own money. Their toys can be customers – or maybe you'd like to have a browse?

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Tip #3: The tidy up game

Ready, set, go – tidy away your toys! It’s fun to see how quickly your little one can tidy up and saves you a job too – win win! Why not time them and keep a record to try and beat? It’s a good way to tire them out later in the day, and will also make them feel more independent.

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Tip #4: Go bowling

Set up a bowling alley using bottles (plastic or reusable, not glass!). If you don’t have a ball, your wee one could always throw a small cushion or toy instead. Show them how to set it up so they can do it themselves and you can get on with other things while they practise.

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Tip #5: Fun with bubbles

If you’re trying to get on with things in the kitchen, full a bowl or bucket full of lukewarm soapy water and let your wee one have some fun with bubbles. You could give your little one some plastic cups and bottles to make waves, whirlpools and waterfalls. Your kitchen floor may get a wash as well!

Our kitchen activities for little ones page has more things you can try.

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Tip #6: Dress up

You don’t need expensive fancy dress costumes to have fun dressing up. Instead, find some old grown-up clothes for your child to have fun with. An apron can be a cape or cloak, tights can be a wig and a T-shirt can be a dress – with a bit of imagination, the possibilities are endless! As they get dressed up, ask they who they are and what they’re going to do today.

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What the professionals say

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"Many busy families find it hard to set aside even half an hour each day to play, but you can make everyday activities playful. Let them push the vacuum cleaner, give them a duster to polish alongside you, play peek-a-boo under the duvet as you make the beds, let them help to make the sandwiches for lunch, wash up any plastic dishes, or set the table. It does take twice as long but they’ll love it – and does it really matter if the sandwiches are lop-sided?"

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