100 F-U-N Indoor Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

(Older kids will definitely like most of these ideas too)

I have two toddlers and a two kiddos just a bit older. The mega flu viruses this winter, and the cold weather have driven us stir crazy!!!!!!!!! My kids were at a point that all they wanted to do was watch t.v.. (Me too secretly- shhhh, don't tell them)...

So, I came up with a list of things to do when we have to spend most of the time indoors. Even in the summer,  these activities will come in handy on the boiling hot days! (Thanks to all those who originally came up with the ideas <3).

Just click on the links below the pictures to go to the tutorials

In the Kitchen

1

Marshmallow Animals

** Before going on, remember that unless you are creating a blog post, your activities do no need to look as perfect and pretty as these.  Just let your kiddos have fun, that's what matters :)!

2

Marshmallow Tinker Toys

Straws or pretzels work great too!

3

Finger paint with pudding... just add some food coloring, and put on a paper plate.

Let those little fingers go crazy!

4

Trace hands on sugar cookie dough. After the cookies are baked,

decorate them with rings and bracelets.

5

Make cookie Faces :) by giddygiddy

6

Play with food! Let eyes on apples, grape caterpillars, and angry bird cheese get you thinking.

7

Edible cereal art by michele made me.

8

Mini Sugar Cookie Pizzas by Six Sisters Stuff

Kids can frost the cookies and put on the toppings... candy could be substituted for fruit :)

9

Make fossil cookies, by Martha Stewart

Use plastic insects for the imprints

10

Make homemade ice cream in a plastic bag.

11

Cut apples width-wise and find the stars inside. 

Sprinkle with cinnamon and eat.

12

Candy play dough by Babble

or use marshmallow fondant

13

Peanut Butter Playdough by Our Best Bites

14

Glow in the Dark Food by Our Best Bites

15

Cloud Jello Parfaits by Yummy Finds

Nature Activities

16

Paint Rocks

17

Paint sticks like aesthetic outburst.

18

Bring some nature in and let them explore at the table.
Photo via Parents.

19

Plant a window sill garden by Se7en



20

Paper Cup Terrariums by Parents

Doughs, Paints, and Gooey Stuff

21

Cornstarch dough from 5 Orange Potatoes

The great thing about this is that it can be baked or
air dry. Afterward, paint with watercolor!



22

Corn Syrup Paint from eighteen25

23

Homemade Scented Watercolors from Play Create Explore

24

HomemadeWindow Paint by Hands On: As We Grow

25

Super awesome homemade playdough by The Crafty Crow
** my older kids think making playdough is fascinating!



26

Soap Clouds by Our Best Bites



27

Tub Soaps by Our Best Bites


28

Snow Dough by The Imagination Tree

29

Rainbow Shaving Cream Bath Paint by Meet the Dubiens




30

Homemade Bath Puffy Paint by Chalk in my Pocket




31

Bouncing Bubbles (that don't pop when you touch them)
by Play at Home Mom LLC




32

Glitter Slime by The 36th AVENUE



33

Drop tinted vinegar into a pan filled with baking soda!
Fun fizziness! Source: Pinterest



34

Bath Paints by team dischinger



35

Moon Sand via Delia Creates



Make Toys

36

Meet me at Mike's shows an old magazine page...
make fun toys out of clothespins.



37

Five girls the army and me shows how to make this adorable
card board barnyard with the kids.  Hours of play await!






38

Make this Story Book Cottage and Doll Carrier from a Del Taco box!
Great tutorial by Frolicking Freckles.




39

Download this mini dollhouse for $1.99 at A Little Hut




40

Cardboard Guitars by Make it and Love it




41

Masking Tape Floor Race Track by Parents




42

Alphabet Paper Dolls by Journey to Unschooling



43

Free printable: travel size paper cities thanks to Made by Joel
Fun to color and play with!


Sensory
44

Bring in some snow (if it's there :), and make snow cakes.
By Katherine Marie Photography.



45

{Good} Smelly Sand by Whimsical Ways.
Made with salt and Koolaid.



46

DIY Rice Table by A Life Sustained



47

Rainbow Rice by Share and Remember



48

Cornmeal Sandcastle Dough by Creative with Kids



Arts and Crafts

49

Clay Magnets by WhiMsy love.




50

Colander Sculpture :) by Tinker Lab.




51

String Flowers by My Kids Make

52

Paper Road Map by Se7en



53

Chalk Salt Art by My kids Made



54

Aluminum Foil Sculptures by Filth Wizardry
**My son made baseballs and baseball bats out of foil...
it's fun for boys too!


55

Awesome coloring sheets via Made by Joel



56

Potato Stamping by One Inch World



57

Broccoli Stamping via Parents



58

Finger Print Art- such as these beautiful peony cards by willowday



59

Learn how to draw stick figures with your child.
I bet they'll laugh!
This is one of my kids' favorite things to do... and I'm NOT an artist!



60

Color pasta and make necklaces by Make and Takes



61

62

Pasta trains or tiaras via Parents


63

Colored Tape Art by Cakies


64

Animal Resist Painting  by Blog Me Mom



65

Make a butterfly sanctuary like Dana and her kids at Made




66

Mer Mag punched lots of dots out of pretty paper
and her children glued them on a background.
It made an awesome piece of art!
Kids love to glue... and think of the great art possibilities!!!



67

Trace hands and make them into people- for cards.
Great idea from Willowday



Tubes, Lids, and Containers

68

Decorate Oatmeal containers like this one
at Plum Pudding



69

Where the Wild Things Are characters out of toilet paper tubes
by Masutake


70

Make your family with toilet paper tube family like the teawagontales



71

Let your child make himself into a toilet paper tube character
like this one at Attic 24


72

Paper towel canoe by domestic candy



73

A toilet tube car by happybirdycake



74

Tube pencil holders by Krokotak




75

Cereal Box Houses by Bella Dia



76

Bottle Cap Turtles by Inna's Creations




Spaces & Hideouts

77

Go camping in the living room (photo via Parents).



78

Card Board Houses by Ambrosia Creative



79

The cutest ever Felt Playhouse from
Homemade by Jill



80

Pallet Stage by Sugar Baby Boutique




Puppets


81

How to make shadow puppets by While Wearing Heels



82

Bunny and Chick Shadow puppets by willowday.
{How fun to give as an Easter card!!}



83

Sock Puppets- there are so many versions!
I love these by Lilla a




84

Marker Cap Puppets by Child Central Station...
a great way to recycle all those caps lying around!




85

Pipe Cleaner finger puppets by Craft Jr.



86

More cute pipe cleaner finger puppets by Craft Jr.



87

Spoon Puppets.. so adorable... found HERE





88

Envelope Puppets by The Chocolate Muffin Tree




89

Made by Joel Paperclip Puppets



90

Let the kids design Fingerlings shown by Tiny Happy



91

Three Little Pigs playset by Inner Child Fun


92

Spoon Puppets and Theater by the Creative Jewish Mom


93

Cracker box puppet theater by book house craft projects


...and a few more quick/ low maintenance ideas

In a large bowl or tub of water on a towel:

94
have a matchbox car wash or a doll wach

95
give everyone a straw and let them blow bubbles


and the last few ideas:

96
Make funnels and water toys out of milk cartons, 2 liter bottles, and dish soap bottles

97
bubbles!


98
Turn on some loud, fun music and DANCE


99
Read books, sing, and recite nursery rhymes


100
Bring all the stuffed animals together and have a tea party or snack picnic!

Whew!!! There you go. Now have some indoor F-U-N!!!!

~Nancy

Linking to:
Or So She Says

Whipperberry

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Six Sisters Stuff

Tatertots and Jello