Engaging Developmental Play Activities for Toddlers to Enjoy at Home

Toddlers (1–3 years old) learn best through play that feels fun, safe, and connected to daily life. Developmental play at home doesn’t require fancy toys — everyday objects and interactions are often the best.

Here are some at home Play ideas broken down by developmental areas:

Thinking & Learning

• Stack & Sort: Give your child cups, containers, or blocks. Show them how to make a tower, then knock it down together. Practice sorting objects by size or color (“can you put all the red ones in this bowl”).

• Make-Believe: Pretend to cook dinner together with pots and spoons, lets play families and feed a baby doll with a toy spoon, or give a stuffed animal a “bath” in a small tub.

• Cause & Effect: Using an empty box drop

objects in, then spill them out. Press buttons

on musical toys and point out what

happens (“Look, the light turned on!”).

Talking & Listening

• Talk Out Loud: When you are getting your child dressed, say what you’re doing (“Lets put on your sock… now your jumper!”). And during everyday activities like meals, name foods, the colors of the foods and how it taste.

• Sing & Rhyme: Do finger plays like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or clap along to songs. Encourage your little one to copy the actions.

• Read Books Together: Pick simple board books. Let your child turn the pages, point to pictures, and tell you what they see — even if it’s just “dog!” or “ball!”

Moving Bodies

• Big Movements: Make a mini obstacle course with pillows and chairs to crawl under or climb over. Make it more fun by putting on music. Have a dance together, or practice rolling and throwing a ball back and forth.

• Small Movements: Give your child crayons and paper to scribble, stickers to peel and stick, or playdough to squish and poke. Threading large beads on a shoelace is great practice for little fingers.

Feelings & Friendships

• Peek-a-boo or Hide-and-seek: Hide behind your hands or under a blanket and pop out. For hide-and-seek, hide a toy and help your child find it.

• Pretend Together: Act out being animals (crawl like a cat, roar like a lion), builders (stack blocks), or caregivers (rock a doll to sleep).

• Give Choices: Hold up two toys or snacks and ask, “Which one do you want?” This helps your child practice making decisions.

Exploring the Senses

• Water Play: Fill a shallow tub or sink with a little water. Add cups, spoons, or sponges. Show your child how to pour, squeeze, and splash.

• Touch & Feel: Fill a container with rice, pasta, or fabric scraps. Hide small toys inside and let your child dig with their hands or a spoon.

• Nature Time: Go outside and collect leaves, rocks, or sticks. Touch and talk about how each one feels — smooth, rough, soft, hard.

Tips for Parents:

• Keep playtimes short — 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.

• Follow your child’s lead — if they change the game, go with it.

• Repeat favorite activities often — that’s how toddlers learn.

• Stay close and supervise, especially with small objects and water play.

Developmental Play is our passion

At Ready Steady Play every engaging and

fun activity we do has a developmental purpose.

Parents get to enjoy loads of fantastic adventures and activities while getting to bond and play with their little ones every week.

We have often been told by parents, how our classes have helped them with imaginative and fun developmental play ideas in their own homes.

Just read some of their reviews below.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN US AT A LOCATION NEAR YOU

Stephanie Barry

Me and my little boy have just finished 2 terms of Ready Steady Play Athlone with Jo. We really look forward to our class every week and Jo is just so friendly and welcoming to everyone. We love the different themes every week and the little tips for sensory play at home that Jo also gives! We are sad to break for the summer but looking forward to coming back in September 😃

Sorcha Jane Ward

We have thoroughly enjoyed Saturday mornings with Jo over the last few months. I love the fact that there is a theme each week and it gives you ideas of things that you can do at home with your little one! It's been lovely watching my little boy get excited during the classes with a big smile on his⁹ face! Definitely recommend these classes, such an amazing help for their development as well as quality time with them.