Indoor activities that keep toddlers happy are needed by many families now more than ever. With lots of spring rain still on the horizon and stay-at-home orders in effect all over Ontario, Collingwood families need indoor activities for toddlers that keep them and their siblings happy and let Mom and Dad get some work done.

While playing outside in the rain in May is manageable, the cool spring weather means that many toddlers will still need to spend a chunk of the day inside. That’s when indoor activities for toddlers will come in extra handy. Activities that are quick to set up with minimal supplies that keep attention spans for extended periods are even better. Here is a list of a few tried and true activities for toddlers that will keep the whole family happy this spring.

Sensory Fun With Pasta

Sensory bin play is an easy-to-set-up activity that can keep toddlers happy for hours. As a bonus, they are also great educational tools for kids. All you need are one or two large bins, some uncooked pasta or rice, a funnel or two, and some large plastic jars. Add a few race cars or small figures, and kids will play and learn for hours.

If you’re able to add some cool water, the fun gets even better. Throw in some animal figures, some brushes and scoops, and maybe even some bubble bath or mild washing liquid, and your kids’ toys can get cleaned at the same time. Add some natural food colourings, and your kids will explore magical potions for hours. Sensory bins can get a bit messy, so lay a large tarp, some newspapers, or a towel down first to make clean up easier.

Box Decorating To the Max

In these unprecedented times, many Collingwood families are having their goods delivered directly to their homes. That means an excess of cardboard boxes! Well, we all know kids love cardboard boxes and art supplies and that the two go incredibly well together. So, to keep your toddlers happy indoors for hours, set out all the art supplies you own, such as stickers, glue sticks, construction paper, and if you can handle the mess, even glitter.

Let your kids decorate their boxes to their hearts’ content. You can create a theme—like animals or spaceships—or let them come up with their own. The bonus? Once they’re done decorating, their boxes will become their very own fortresses or racecars that keep the fun going for days.

Create a Box City

More box fun! Boxes are incredibly handy and make inexpensive toys for kids. Break down some extra ones so you can lay them flat. Tape their edges together to form a large surface area. Draw, or have your kids draw, outlines of roads, buildings, fields or whatever they can think of to create a foundation on which they can build. Give them building blocks, toy people, animals, and toy cars and watch a universe unfold.