6 Ideas to Try Right Now
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#1·10–15 min
Toy Hide and Seek
🛒Materials: Favorite stuffed animal or toy
- 1Hide your child's favorite toy in an easy-to-find spot in the same room.
- 2Say 'Where is Teddy?' and let them search.
- 3Help them with hot/cold clues ('You're getting warmer!').
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#2·30+ min
Building Block Free Play
🛒Materials: Lego, Duplo, or any blocks
- 1Set out a bucket of blocks.
- 2No instructions — free build.
- 3Only rule: must name what they built when done.
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#3·10–20 min
Tupperware Tower
🛒Materials: Plastic containers of different sizes
- 1Stack plastic containers from biggest to smallest.
- 2Let your toddler knock them over — they love it!
- 3Help them rebuild and try stacking themselves.
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The 'knock down' phase is just as developmental as the building phase.
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#4·15+ min
Peek-a-Boo Sensory Bin
🛒Materials: Dry rice or oats, small safe toys
- 1Pour dry rice or oats into a deep bowl.
- 2Hide 4–5 small safe toys under the surface.
- 3Say 'Where's the duck?' and let them dig to find it.
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#5·5–10 min
Sensory Sound Shaker
🛒Materials: Plastic bottle, dry rice or pasta, tape
- 1Fill a clean plastic bottle with dry rice or pasta.
- 2Tape the lid shut securely.
- 3Let your toddler shake, roll, and make noise!
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Use different fillings (beans, bells) for different sounds.
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#6·10–15 min
Toy Car Wash
🛒Materials: Plastic toy cars, tray of soapy water, toothbrush
- 1Fill a shallow tray with warm soapy water.
- 2Give your toddler plastic toy cars and a toothbrush.
- 3Let them scrub the cars clean.
