Inside activities for 2-3yo

[nalazimbala]

It's been raining off and on here lately and I'm trying to wear DD out in the mornings so that she will nap early enough. When it's rainy outside, any ideas for indoor activities that burn alot of energy?

[ttachuk]

Hide and seek, hop scotch (you could use pieces of felt to make the squares), bean bag\ball toss (into laundry bins, buckets, etc), ring a round the rosy, Simon Says, What Time is it Mr. Wolf

[jnno]

Dancing is always a hit at our home.

We play Follow the Leader, and take turns doing silly things (or picking up ). It would be easy to incorporate lots of physical stuff that way.

We practice somersaults, jumping (I hold my arm progressively higher and she tries to get it each time), hopping on one foot, etc.

[MrsLiberty]

When my daughter was that age, we lived on the 2nd floor, so no yard. I know all about indoor activities for that age of kids! (BTW, we used to drive our childless downstairs neighbors nuts, so this works best for those who do not have downstairs neighbors! LOL)

Dancing is great, but for something even simpler that burns just as much energy, my daughter would watch Aerobics videos with me and try to do the moves. It was hilarious, and she'd do it anytime because she felt so grown up! LOL

We also used to play hide and seek a lot.

If you've got hardwood or tile floors, scooters can be fun.

Indoor soccer with a beach ball was a favorite as well.

There are many great things you can do inside!

[Suzi]

I agree on the exercise videos. Definitely a hit here

We play soccer where we clear a room out as much as possible

Dancing and we try to do moves we find on you tube or wherever

tumbling stuff somersaults, crab walk, "cartwheels", I think I actually googled tumbling to get ideas.

[nalazimbala]

thanks for all the great ideas! we have been doing some dancing lately as well as some songs with hand/body motions. The aerobics might work too...she got pretty excited when a friend of mine taught her to do a jumping jack (sort of).

I also like the bean bag toss idea.

[doodah]

My daughter rides her tricycle inside. We also have a small tent that unfolds to use indoors and the Rose Petal Cottage playhouse (sort of tentish) and those are big hits with my girls and the daycare kids. They spend HOURS crawling in and out of those things and it never gets boring. My older likes to vroom cars around or "help" wash dishes. Just throw a few non breakable items into some soapy water and let them wash.

[nalazimbala]

Originally Posted by doodah My daughter rides her tricycle inside. We also have a small tent that unfolds to use indoors and the Rose Petal Cottage playhouse (sort of tentish) and those are big hits with my girls and the daycare kids. They spend HOURS crawling in and out of those things and it never gets boring. My older likes to vroom cars around or "help" wash dishes. Just throw a few non breakable items into some soapy water and let them wash.

we had the cottage, but DD rarely played in it unless she had a friend over. As for the "dishes" if I let her have water indoors then she will inevitably find a cup and start pouring which usually ends up on the floor. It seems pouring is her favorite activity but the only place I've found to let her do it safely is outside at her water table...then she comes inside soaked.

[kjo]

We to the tricycle too and he has a powerwheels 4 wheeler that I let him ride inside. He likes to help me make the salad for supper so I give him a butter knife and a cutting board and he goes at it. Puzzles keep him entertained by himself for a long period of time. We have the big cardboard blocks and he loves building with those. Also, we go to the mall and walk around just to get the energy out. He pretty much just wants to help with whatever DH and I are doing...laundry, cleaning out cars, working in the garage. We just give him 'projects' so he stays out of trouble. A bored 2 year old is an in trouble 2 year old in our house because he will find something to do.