10 Creative Activities That Kids Can Enjoy Without Toys

Parents are familiar with the following scenario: they enthusiastically buy a large number of toys for their children, enjoy seeing their children’s joy as they unwrap the first couple or three of the toys, and then immediately experience buyer’s remorse as they observe their children having more fun with the wrapping paper and boxes than with the toys themselves. Young children are experts in pretend play and frequently require no supplies, or very few stores, most of which are already found around the house.

 Therefore, rather than filling your home with more plastic housecats, you should consider giving your children the gift that keeps on giving by suggesting that they play one of these ten fantastic imagination games that are appropriate for toddlers.

Showcase of Fashion

If you have a closet full of clothes or, even better, boxes of old clothes and costumes, you are entirely prepared to let your tot run wild and play the ultimate dress-up game with scarves, hats, dresses, and high heels. If you have a closet full of clothes, you are entirely prepared to let your tot run wild and play the ultimate dress-up game. Let them show off their outfits while you play music in the background by designating a “runway” in the hallway (this works quite well). If you want to take this competition to the next level, give your children some stickers, glitter glue, and markers and have them redesign an old pair of skinny jeans.

Doctor

It’s not true that children need a doctor’s kit and a million other things to play doctor, so don’t even start with that assumption! They need your robe or an old shirt, a string, and something to attach a circle to, and they have an instant doctor’s coat and stethoscope (though one of those adorable play stethoscopes is fine, too)! They need to arrange their dolls and stuffed animals in a row on their bed, and they will have a host of patients who need assistance.

Shopkeeper

Everything you see in your home is something your kid can put up for sale in the “store” they pretend to run. Using play as a teaching opportunity, you can teach your toddler about money and how buying and selling goods works. You can train your toddler about money by cutting up some colored paper to use as “money.”

Hide and Seek

Your toddler can play the classic game of hide and seek with their parents, siblings, other children, and friends. This game is perfect for playing on rainy days or when no toys are available.

Performing Art on Stage

Do you have a young child who adores books and the movie Frozen? Educate her on putting on a play based on her most beloved tale. Help her out by giving her a bag filled with “props” from around the house, such as dishtowels, plastic spoons, and cups. You’re going to be astounded by the various applications they have! And before you know it, she’ll be producing her original play in the theatre.

To make the ideal board for a game of hopscotch, all you need is some chalk and a flat surface like a driveway or sidewalk. This will also give your child an excellent opportunity to exercise.

Scavenger Hunt

Do you know how our children can never find anything and are always asking us to assist them in tracking down that one tiny red car that all of a sudden means the world to them? Make it a game out of it rather than allowing it to frustrate you by providing a list of scavenger items for them to find and offering a simple prize—a piece of candy will motivate them to work even more challenging—if they can locate everything on the list. This will prevent you from becoming frustrated by the situation.

Party with dancing

Tell your young child that you are about to throw the best house party, complete with the loudest music ever recorded in the history of your home, and dim the lights. The only thing you need to do is put together a song list in advance, check to see that it contains a mix of fast and slow songs (so that your child isn’t exhausted after only five minutes of dancing), and then take a seat back and watch as your kiddos practice their smooth moves on the carpet in your living room.

I Spy

I Spy is an excellent game to play with children when you are away from the house, and they cannot play with the toys that are familiar to them. Players choose who will act as the “spy” and then take turns selecting an item to investigate in secret. The spy will then give cryptic hints about the object, such as “I spy something that makes a lot of noise,” and will need to keep doing so until one of the other players correctly identifies the item.

Bingo with License Plates

When it comes to all of the games on this list, playing License Plate Bingo requires the most preparation on the part of a parent; however, the effort is more than worth it when you are going on a lengthy road trip with young children. Before embarking on your journey, you should prepare a “Bingo” sheet by printing it out and pasting photos of license plates across the country. The next step is to walk your children through the rules of Bingo and inform them that they need to watch for license plates on the road that matches the ones listed on their sheet. Make it a point to award winners with something simple, like a candy bar or a sticker. When you have older children in the car with you who can assist the younger children, this game works the best.