20 Fun Activities to Do with Kids at Home
Let’s be real, mama—keeping kids entertained at home without turning on another episode of Bluey can sometimes feel like a full-time job. But also like- no judgement, I’ve had those days! However–If you don’t want that to happen or it’s a rainy day, a quiet afternoon, or just one of those “we’re not going anywhere today” vibes, having a few fun activities to do with kids at home can be a game changer.
As a mama of littles myself, I’m always on the lookout for activities that are fun, screen-free, and don’t require a million supplies. So today I’m rounding up 20 tried-and-true ideas that’ll keep your toddlers and preschoolers happy—and hopefully buy you at least enough time to drink your coffee while it’s still warm.
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1. Sensory Bins
Use rice, dry beans, water beads, or even cooked pasta. Add spoons, cups, and small toys for scooping and pouring. But let’s be honest, sometimes you just don’t have what you need when you want to put together a sensory bin. That’s why I personally loooooove these easy, ready to go options from Amazon for when you’re in a pinch:
– Ice Cream Shop Sensory Bin
–Outer Space Sensory Bin
-Construction Sensory Bin
–Sensory Kit for Toddlers (fillers and stuff!)
2. Indoor Obstacle Course
Grab pillows, chairs, tunnels, and blankets to create a fun course. Have them crawl, jump, and balance their way through. If you have a Nugget (we have this one) or similar (we also have this play couch for our boy’s room!), this would be a good time to pull it out! We also got these fun balance beams and stepping stones from Target that are a fun addition to your obstacle course!
3. DIY Play Dough
Make your own with flour, salt, water, and a splash of food coloring. Add cookie cutters and rolling pins for extra fun. Don’t want to DIY? Totally Get it. We love this set!
4. Storytime Fort
Build a cozy blanket fort and read books by flashlight. Bonus points for snack time inside the fort!
5. Sink or Float Experiment
Fill a bin with water and collect small toys or household objects. Ask your kids to guess if they’ll sink or float—then test it! This is such a fun one to use alllll those toy animals for!
6. Toy Wash Station
Set up a small bin of soapy water and give your kids sponges to “wash” their toys. This one’s always a hit with toddlers!
7. Tape Road for Cars
Use painter’s tape on the floor to create a road for toy cars or trucks. Add “parking lots” or stop signs for extra learning.
8. Baking Together
Let them help pour, mix, and decorate. Muffins, cookies, or homemade pizza are always kid-friendly winners.
9. Nature Scavenger Hunt (Backyard Edition)
Create a simple list of things to find—like a stick, rock, leaf, or flower—and let them explore outside.
10. Color Sorting Game
Use muffin tins or bowls and sort colored items like pom-poms, blocks, or even cereal. There’s also plenty of color sorting activities that you can grab on Amazon (we have this dinosaur one–my three year old boy is OBSESSED!) and pull out on occassion!
11. Water Painting
Give them a cup of water and a paintbrush to “paint” the driveway, sidewalk, or fence. Raining and need to stay inside? No worries, use construction paper! I like to tape it down for my littlest littles, it’s perfect to do too while my older ones are using watercolors! No mess, tons of fun.
12. Freeze Dance Party
Turn on your favorite playlist and play freeze dance. Get the wiggles out and sneak in some movement. Or because I know you looooove Bluey, re-frame it as Musical Statues, you’ll definitely get some Mom points for that one!
13. Recyclables Building/Coloring Challenge
Gather boxes, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons—then let your kids create their own robot or tower! Or if you have a big box from Amazon, let them color/cut out windows to make a space ship or a plane or whatever their little hearts desire!
14. Indoor Picnic/Tea Party
Lay out a blanket in the living room, make fun snacks, and enjoy a little picnic with their stuffed animals. Bonus points if you combine this with the baking!
15. Sticker Station
Pull out all those random sticker sheets and give them a notebook or construction paper to decorate. I know I mention Amazon constantly, but that’s because they come to the rescue with things like sticker packs!!! My kids are currently obsessed with these puffy stickers, and I’m obsessed with the price. And also the fact that they are easy to get off of furniture and the floor, because obviously that’s important too.
16. Matching Games
Use flashcards, printable games, or even create your own matching pairs with paper and markers. I feel like the Target dollar spot always has things like this, so maybe check there first!!
17. Simple Crafts
Think paper plate animals, cereal box castles, or good ol’ fashioned finger painting. We love water colors and do it all the time.
18. Dance Party Clean-Up
Put on music and race to see who can clean up the most toys in one song. Works like magic!
19. Name Recognition Activities
Use dot markers, alphabet stickers, or magnetic letters to help toddlers learn their names.
20. Muffin Tin Snack Tray
Create a snack sampler with different foods in each cup. Make it a fun taste test or color-themed meal!
Final Thoughts on Activities To Do With Kids At Home:
You don’t need to plan elaborate Pinterest-worthy activities every day to create meaningful moments at home. Most of the time, our kids just want us to be present and playful. These simple ideas can bring connection, creativity, and calm to your days—without the overwhelm.
Whether you’re deep in the toddler trenches or juggling big kids and babies, I hope this list gave you a few fresh ideas. If you try any of these, I’d love to hear what your kiddos enjoyed most!
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