MamaToyz’ Top 10 indoor activities for toddlers to pre-schoolers

Finding indoor activities for kids can bring us to an immediate mind block. After plenty of time in quarantine, limited time outside and winter, most of us have exhausted our creative ideas to keep our kids entertained. For those days that you’ve got a long list of things to do, the weather isn’t nice or you’re just looking for something new; we’ve compiled a list of our favourite indoor activities to keep little minds happy and active!

 

1. The Alphabet Game

We love the alphabet game for quiet, educational activities inside. It’s as simple as giving them (or getting them to write out themselves) all the letters of the alphabet followed by the choosing of a room or specific place. Their task is then to write alongside the letters the name of items and things they can see. Encouraging independence by being able to look on their own makes this a great game and you can come up with any reward you like!

 

2. MamaToyz Retro TV Blackboard

Paper and pens or blackboard and chalk; it’s up to you! The easel styled after the old-style TV’s (that they won’t remember but makes the perfect design for a tabletop easel!) can keep their creativity flowing in this quiet activity. The size of the blackboard gives them the opportunity to get all their ideas down and the option of not having to use paint means a little less clean up for us!

3. Hide and seek

You might know all the hiding spots in your home, but this is a great bonding activity, not to mention an absolutely classic game that can be brought indoors! The options are vast with this concept too. If you need a little bit more time to do your tasks, you could create a list of things they need to find and check off, or if you have a little more time you could hide items in preparation. 

4. MamaToyz Masa Desk and Bench 

If you’ve made the decision to not go back to the office or you’ve always been someone who works from home, giving your little ones the option to copy you can instil some great habits and keep them focused when you need to concentrate. Our children love to be able to look up to us and follow our lead, so what better option than to set them up their own desk to ‘work’ at?

5. Texture boxes

Sensory play is always important. A little box of various items for them to touch, pull, push, tear, fiddle, move, arrange and all the other things they can come up with. This is also a great option if you want to have a calm down session!

6. MamaToyz Casa Pink House

Just like all MamaToyz, the pink house is designed with the development of our children in mind. This quiet activity promotes the practice of hand-eye coordination, dexterity and little movements. The engaging colouring and design can encourage plenty of imaginative play. 

 

7. Interactive books and puzzles

Sometimes referred to as ‘quiet books’, fabric or cardboard, containing moveable parts that help keep the attention on the story or encourage children to remain involved to reach the end. Puzzles are also great for giving a sense of achievement for having sustained energy on one thing, helping to promote healthy focus. 

8. MamaToyz Bold Ride On

Bold wheels with a rubber outer, this design is perfect for indoor use. Its minimalistic design helps develop a variety of different skills without being complicated. Working on their sense of direction and how this toy functions without movement will help keep them occupied when in the house. 

If you missed our article where we discussed the importance of active play, you can find it here: How and why should we encourage active play?

9. Music and dance 

Sometimes we like peace and quiet, sometimes we like to hear how full of life our homes are. With so many places to find music online, we can make our house have any vibe we want. We could play something classical and calm and suggest making up a dance routine with ribbons and an elegant flow, or, we could have some deep beat for stomping around!

10. MamaToyz Kasabam Play Mat Set 

The ultimate pick up and put down toy set. No matter where you are, what time of day it is or what’s happening, this playmat is ideal in a situation where you need your little one to play whilst your attention is needed quickly. When you’re all finished it's just a case of zipping it back up and there's no mess that takes away any more of your needed time. 

We’ve put together this list of our favourite items and creative ideas for indoor activities to help if you’re feeling a little stuck on new ideas. On the subject of new, if there’s a product that you think would definitely help in your home, the way you present it and use it can make a huge difference. If you make a toy ‘special’ so it only comes out at specific times rather than being available all the time, your little ones will always be excited to use it. This can really help in the crucial moments when you really need them to allow you the space to do something important!

Location can also have the same impact. By setting them up in their own area that they aren’t continually using to play in, makes it special and all the more exciting. If quiet time is what you really need then drawing and reading are perfect options and again, new comfy areas are ideal for encouraging them to do their activity in one place.