Toddler Games

Turn Life into a Game

Most parents know that toddlers tend to get more enjoyment out of a cardboard box than the toy that comes inside of it. Realizing this, appropriate games for toddlers do not have to involve anything expensive. A great game for a young child can be as simple as jumping over the cracks in the sidewalk or playing with pots and pans on the kitchen floor.

Most toddlers like to have fun, and even the most mundane chores, like putting the laundry away, dusting the furniture, and clearing dirty plates and cups from the kitchen table, can be made exciting and fun if they are made into games. For example, if a parent tells two children, "The first one to clear all of the plates from the table wins!" The children will race to get the table cleared – even if there is no prize involved.

Birthday Party Games

When a child turns one, parents may be able to get away with not throwing a birthday party. However by the age of two – and definitely by the age of three – a child knows it's his or her birthday, and a small party is almost a necessity. It’s a shame, however, to spend a lot of money on a birthday party for a two- or three-year-old.

There are plenty of entertaining and fun toddler games that can be played at a party which will not cost parents a small fortune. In addition, since toddlers don’t have the largest attention spans in the world, these games can be played quickly so that the kids won’t lose interest.

Bubbles

Something as simple as bubbles can make toddlers squeal with delight. Parents can spend as little as $15 on a bubble machine (so they won’t hyperventilate blowing bubbles themselves all afternoon), and a bubble game can be invented on the spot. A couple of game ideas are:

• Tell the toddlers to try and pop all of the bubbles while they’re still in the air.
• Have the toddlers take turns standing in front of the bubble machine and see how many bubbles stick to their arms and legs.

Duck-Duck-Goose

"Duck-Duck-Goose" is not a hard game to teach and learn. Toddlers love to sit in a circle and wait to be chosen for a run around the circle. Even if the official rules of this game are not followed correctly, toddlers love to play. Even more importantly, the game holds their attention.

Bean Bags

As simple as bean bags are, they offer plenty of potential toddler games. Young kids love to sit in a circle and play either "Toss the Bean Bag" or "Pass the Bean Bag." These are great games that toddlers enjoy because they're simple and they get each child actively involved.

Board Games for Toddlers

There are several board games on the market which are marked "Ages 2 and Up," but in reality, they are too difficult for kids that young. Therefore, it’s always safe to go with the old stand-bys: Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders.

Candy Land

This is a great game for three-year-olds. Even if children are not old enough to follow the official rules of the game, they can still enjoy Candy Land. This game is also educational, as it teaches:

• Turn-taking
• Color matching
• Visual discrimination

Chutes and Ladders

This is another board game that is suited for toddlers of the age of three. Again, even if the official rules cannot be understood and followed by a toddler, playing the game is a good way to learn how to recognize numbers and how to get to the winning square on the board.

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