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Indoor activities for 2–3 years

10 simple play ideas for little ones aged 2–3 years.

Always supervise play. These are play ideas, not developmental or medical advice.

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Bubble chase

  • 6–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Outdoors
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Blow bubbles for your little one to watch, reach and pop.

  • Moving
  • Senses

You’ll need

  • Bubbles
How to play
  1. Blow a few bubbles above your baby.
  2. Let them reach, clap or chase.
  3. Count the pops together.

Play safely: Keep the bubble mix out of reach.

Cup stacking towers

  • 9–30 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Build towers, knock them down, repeat.

  • Hands
  • Puzzling it out

You’ll need

  • Plastic cups
How to play
  1. Stack two or three cups and let them knock it down.
  2. Build again, one cup at a time.
  3. Older toddlers can try nesting cups by size.

Freeze dance

  • 18–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Dance while the music plays, freeze when it stops.

  • Moving
  • Together time

You’ll need

  • Music to play
How to play
  1. Play upbeat music and dance together.
  2. Pause the music and freeze.
  3. Swap who controls the music.

Name that sound

  • 12–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Outdoors
  • Low mess

Listen for sounds and guess what made them.

  • Words & sounds

You’ll need

Nothing but you

How to play
  1. Sit quietly for a moment together.
  2. Ask “What can you hear?”
  3. Name the sounds: birds, cars, the kettle, footsteps.

Shape sorting

  • 10–30 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Match shapes to holes — or just enjoy dropping things in.

  • Puzzling it out
  • Hands

You’ll need

Nothing but you

How to play
  1. Start with one or two easy shapes.
  2. Show how a shape fits, then let them try.
  3. Praise the trying, not just the getting it right.

Sock matching game

  • 24–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Turn the laundry into a matching game.

  • Puzzling it out
  • Words & sounds

You’ll need

  • Pairs of socks
How to play
  1. Mix up a few pairs of socks.
  2. Hold one up and ask your toddler to find its partner.
  3. Name the colours and patterns as you go.

Story time snuggle

  • 0–36 months
  • 10 min
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

Share a board book — chewing it counts too.

  • Words & sounds

You’ll need

  • Board books
How to play
  1. Snuggle up with a board book.
  2. Point to pictures and name them.
  3. Let your baby turn the pages, even if it’s out of order.

First crayon scribbles

  • 15–36 months
  • 15 min
  • Indoors
  • Some mess

Big paper, chunky crayons, no rules.

  • Hands

You’ll need

  • Paper
  • Chunky crayons
How to play
  1. Tape a large sheet of paper to the table or floor.
  2. Offer one or two chunky crayons.
  3. Talk about the colours and shapes they make.

Play safely: Choose non-toxic crayons and stay close.

Splashy water play

  • 6–36 months
  • 15 min
  • Indoors
  • Outdoors
  • Messy

Pouring and splashing with a few cups in shallow water.

  • Senses
  • Hands

You’ll need

  • Tub or bowl of water
  • Plastic cups
How to play
  1. Put a few centimetres of water in a tub or bowl.
  2. Add cups for pouring and scooping.
  3. Show how to fill and pour, then let them explore.

Play safely: Stay within arm’s reach around any water, and empty the tub straight after.

Box car pretend play

  • 18–36 months
  • 20 min
  • Indoors
  • Low mess

A box becomes a car, a bus or a boat.

  • Together time
  • Puzzling it out

You’ll need

  • Cardboard box
How to play
  1. Let your toddler sit in a sturdy box.
  2. Add a paper-plate steering wheel if you like.
  3. Go on a pretend trip — where are we going?
Get 3 ideas for your baby

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