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Easy and Educational Indoor Winter Toddler Activities
Winter is here (Hello, Polar Vortex!)...
At this point, the cold has numbed us and turned us into cranky, comfort food seeking humans. It has also trapped us inside for days at a time. There is no wonder the electronic devices have taken over parenting most of the day, right?
Have you read our post about screen time? Well, it's eye opening.
I know it's hard this time of year to be creative and entertain the toddlers while staying sane. Where is the damn sunshine? However, limiting the screens is a must. Don't panic, though. I created an awesome list of activities for you to choose from. There are several categories that are broken down into weekly themes. They should keep your kids interested, promote educational conversation, involve the whole family, and keep everyone happy throughout another cold week.
Without further ado, here are a few weekly themes, including several book ideas you can checkout at your library, hands-on activities, and toy ideas to invest in to extend the play.
Transportation Week
Activities:
Paper Airplanes
Balloon Rockets: A personal favorite.
Car Jump
Train Tracks: Set up a town and all your train tracks!
Egg Carton Bus
Books:
- Busy Boats
- I Love Trucks
- I Love Trains
Conversations:
Ask your toddler how people get from place to place and talk about the options: car, bus, train, bike, plane, etc. Talk about engines, power, speed, or lack of these for each mode of transportation. Use colors and sizes with younger kids to play matching race car games or category games.
Toys to Invest in:
Trains and tracks, Matchbox cars, ride on toy for inside, toy planes (we love the vehicles you can take apart and rebuild!)
Hibernation Week
Activities:
Build forts!
Shoebox Cave:
Watch a documentary
There are hundreds to choose from!
Make a cave from play dough: Use your imagination with this one.
Design a cave:
Read Books, watch movies, and nap!
Play the Hibernation Game: First person to move is out!
Books:
- Bear Snores On
- Hibernation Station
- Time to Sleep
- Not a Buzz to be Found
- Animals in Winter
Conversations:
Learn about why some creatures hibernate and why some do not.
Toys to Invest in:
Play Dough and toy animals
Zoo Week
Lion:
Binoculars:
Giraffe:
Zebra Puppet
Books:
- Color Zoo
- Dear Zoo
- From Head to Toe
- My Heart Is Like a Zoo
- Two at the Zoo
Conversations:
Animals, animal sounds.
Toys to Invest In:
Zoo Animals (Little People Zoo is great!)
Ocean Week
Activities:
Rainbow Fish
Octopus:
Crab:
Ocean View:
Books:
- Rainbow Fish
- Pout Pout Fish
- Little Fish
- Busy Beach
- Seaside Poems
- That’s Not My Mermaid
Conversations:
Number of oceans, the animals, and plants that live in the ocean, salt water versus fresh water (and drinking water).
Toys to Invest In:
Kenetic Sand
Map Week
Activities:
Color a map!
Draw a Map: Draw a layout of the house with a compass.
Map Flip Book:
Compass:
Treasure Map
Books:
- Me on the Map
- Where Do I Live?
- Follow That Map
- There’s a Map on My Lap
Conversations:
Directions, adventures
Toys to Invest in:
Compass, binoculars, pirate costumes, maps
Rainbow Week
Activities:
Half-Circles:
Ribbon Dancers:
Rainbow Mobile:
Rainbow Necklace:
Construction Rainbows:
Color Mixing:
Books:
- Mix It Up
- What Makes a Rainbow?
- A Rainbow of My Own
Conversations:
Colors, Mixing Colors, Creating Rainbows
Toys to Invest In:
Wooden Rainbow Stackers
Valentine’s Week
Activities:
Heart Necklace:
Light Catcher:
Love Bug:
Heart Play Dough:
Books:
- The Day it Rained Hearts
- Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink
- Fancy Nancy Heart to Heart
- Amelia Bedelia’s First Valentine
Conversations:
Kindness, Generosity, Showing Love
Toys to Invest In:
Wooden Mailbox
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