Toddler Fun That Costs Less Than A Sandwich

Having fun with your toddler does not have to be expensive. With a small dollop of imagination, there is a whole host of no-cost and low-cost activities to enjoy together. Here are five of the best:

BOX JENGA – play the well-known stacking game, but use empty boxes from your kitchen cupboards. Your child will love to balance each box on top of the tower, especially if the stack is taller than them! Other uses for old boxes include making a toy car obstacle course. Use parcel tape to make steep slopes for fast races.

GARDENING – one of the best outdoor activities for young children, and you don’t necessarily need toy rakes, shovels etc. Plastic forks, cups and spoons are a decent substitute. Because it is an grown-up’s hobby, gardening lets young children copy adults and so feel really important.

WHERE’S THE TIMER? – hide an ordinary kitchen timer that ticks loudly enough to be heard. Now let your mini detective search for it. Important: Don’t to make the hiding place too challenging – accompany the child if you think he might get cross doing this activity. For younger toddlers, conceal the timer in the same room, and make it somewhere highly visible.

TODDLER I-SPY – Take from 3 – 8 magazine pictures (depending on the child’s age) of things in your area – a dog, a tree, a car, etc. Now take a walk together, looking for each item. Having the focus of the photos helps keep up the interest and stops that predictable cry of ‘Want to go home’ or pleas of ‘Carry!’

MAGNIFYING GLASS HUNT – take a magnifying glass and go outside. Now have a look at at all the small things that are easy to miss: bugs, worms etc. Older toddlers can practise saying the words, and those under two will still gain from you saying what each creature or plant is.

Harriet Morris is the creator of Toddler Ideas and a mother of two. Go to this website for some unique ideas and inspiration. Download your no-cost guide to solving toddler problems today