Looking for some fun activities and crafts to keep your toddler occupied this summer? Here are some of my 2-year-old’s favorite things to do… including indoor activities to help the little guy cool off after a morning spent at the park.
These activities are fun for both of us and keep E entertained for a full hour each!
OUTDOOR Summer Toddler Activities
Colorful Bubble Foam
I just discovered Pretty Life Girls on Instagram and Pinterest and oh my gosh, am I a fan now! They have so many creative crafts and activity ideas for kids.
They call this one “Unicorn Bubbles” because they whipped up a whole rainbow of colorful bubble foam for the kids to play with.
I did this for my 2-year-old son a few weeks ago and he got so excited! I stripped him down to his diaper (the food coloring will stain clothes) and poured the bubbles into his water table in the backyard.
I gave him a variety of kitchen utensils (a whisk, a ladle, measuring cups, etc.) to play with and he sat there happily mixing the bubbles while I drank an iced coffee!
That’s a WIN in my book. We will definitely be adding this activity to our monthly cycle.
Word of caution: The food coloring will stain clothes and please put sunscreen on your child if they’re playing outside! (Even if they’re in the shade.)
You’ll Need:
- Body Wash or Bubble Bath
- Water
- Food Coloring
- Mixer or Blender
Giant Bubbles
Okay, here’s a fun activity for both the parents and the toddler! Blow GIANT bubbles for your toddler to chase in the yard using this recipe from Welcome to Nana’s.
You’ll Need:
- Dawn Dish soap
- Baking Powder
- Corn Starch
- Glycerin (find it in pharmacy or with cake decorating supplies)
- Water
She makes her bubble solution by the GALLON and uses it all summer, which is genius. She also has a DIY bubble wand which looks like it will hold up for years to come!
Another quick bubble wand option for those who aren’t handy is this Giant Bubble Wand on Amazon.
(Note: I recommend blowing the bubbles for your toddler, rather than having them run around with sticks!)
Ice Rescue Mission
Freeze your child’s favorite action figure (or dinosaur toy in our case) inside a block of ice and let them use a squirt gun full of warm water to “rescue” it!
Fill a tupperware container about 1/3 full with water and freeze it. Then, drop your toy on top of the ice and fill it the rest of the way. Freeze again.
This will ensure that the toy stays in the center of the ice block, rather than sinking to the bottom and freezing at the edge of your ice.
You’ll Need:
- Tupperware Bowl
- Water
- Action Figure or Other Toy
- Squirt Gun
Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course
Matty Angel made this sidewalk obstacle course as a way to make her neighbors smile as they passed by. I know my toddler would have a BLAST with this and I love the idea of leaving it on the sidewalk for neighbor kids (and adults) to use too.
All you need is sidewalk chalk and about 10 minutes of prepwork to draw it out! On her obstacle course, Matty wrote fun instructions like, “Meow Like a Cat, Roar and Stomp, Touch Your Toes, Twirl, Jump, Skip, and Hop.”
Check out her drawing here for your own sidewalk inspiration!
You’ll Need:
- Sidewalk Chalk
- A Safe Space To Play
INDOOR Summer Toddler Activities
Handprint Crafts
If you’re looking for a fun indoor art craft to make with your toddler, look no further! You can print these summer-themed templates from the comfort of your air conditioned home.
You don’t have to be a “Pinterest Mom” to make super cute handprint crafts with your toddler.
Simply print at home and stamp your child’s handprints in the blank space provided. My son has a blast tickling his hands with the paint and his grandparents love when we mail these as little surprise gifts.
Click here to browse my Etsy shop and use the coupon code HOLA10 at checkout for 10% off!
You’ll Need:
PS- Check out my article about how to make handprint crafts with minimal mess here!
Make Cloud Dough
My son loves playing with Play-Doh, but I like coming up with new and interesting textures for him to explore. Cloud Dough is a great sensory activity.
It was quick to prep and I already had everything I needed at home. I even let my toddler help me mix the ingredients together so there was no delay in prep time without him being involved, which was nice.
It turned out great and I liked playing with it too!
Just mix conditioner and food coloring together, then add flour! Easy-peasy.
You’ll Need:
- 1 cup Flour (Add more if needed)
- 1/3 cup Conditioner
- Food Coloring
Ice Cream In A Bag
I don’t know about you, but I have such fond summer memories making ice cream with my mom. We’ve made it in a ziplock bag and in an old wooden ice cream maker.
There’s just something about mixing it yourself that makes it taste even sweeter on a hot summer day!
I hadn’t thought of making this with my toddler, but it’s actually a really great fine motor skills opportunity. He can measure and pour the ingredients, plus we can talk about “hot” vs. “cold”.
I can’t wait to make this recipe from kteachertiff.com! I’ll probably be adding a spoonful of peanut butter on top of the finished product because that’s my favorite vanilla ice cream combo. 🙂
You’ll Need:
- Whole Milk
- Half and Half
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Ice Cream Salt or Kosher Salt
- Gallon-sized Ziploc Baggies
- Quart-sized Ziploc Baggies
Edible Ocean Sensory Play
After all that playing outside, it might be nice to cool off with this indoor sensory activity / chilled snack!
I don’t do Jell-O for my toddler very often, but I like that this snack encourages him to explore the textures and have fun. I’m not sure how much of it he’ll actually get in his mouth, but I’m excited to try this summer-themed activity from Fantastic Fun and Learning!
You’ll Need:
- Blue Jell-O
- Colorful Edible Fish (Fish Crackers or Swedish Fish)
There you have it! What are your toddler’s favorite summertime activities?
Email me at lisa@holalittleone.com. I’m always looking for more ideas!
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