10 Games To Play With Toddlers

Toddlers range in age from one to three years and there are huge differences in abilities between those ages. The games below must be adapted to your toddler’s abilities at the time, but starting them early offers opportunities to engage in playful activities that enhance their overall development. As a point of reference, a typical 18-month old child can speak and understand at least ten words, complete large-piece puzzles, kick a ball forward, and run well. Wondering how your child’s development is tracking? Find out here.

Here are 10 great games to promote your toddler’s overall development:

1. Hide and seek – Children as young as one-year-old love to play games that involve finding something that is missing. The baby game of peek-a-boo is where this skill begins and it morphs later into games such as hide and seek. As your toddler seeks what is hidden, their brain is learning the important skill of problem-solving. If you don’t want to hide, try hiding an object, such as a favorite toy or book. “Where is your _________?”
2. Hokey pokey – Games involving traditional children’s songs often incorporate performing movements, such as “put your left foot in and take your left foot out.” While these seem childish, your baby is balancing on one foot and following verbal directions that require understanding the words. They are learning to identify which is the right foot and which is left. Plus, musical games are fun and often end in giggles.
3. One for you and one for me – This is a great way to teach sharing and sorting. You can sort blocks or other things. For example, “one blue block for you and one red block for me.” This teaches colors. If you sorted by shape then you are teaching shapes. Your child is also developing strength and dexterity in the hands as they pick up small items. This dexterity will be needed for handwriting and dressing skills (buttons and zippers) later on.
4. Hot and cold – This is a great game that goes well with hide and seek. It helps your child learn active listening and develop self-control, patience, and perseverance. These skills will give them a headstart in preschool.
5. Simon Says – Another oldie but goodie child’s game. Active listening, body awareness and control, and patience are all improved by playing this game. It can be incorporated into daily routines, such as “Simon Says stand still while I brush your hair” or “Simon Says hand me your shoe.” Use a bit of creativity to make it more fun.
6. Puzzles– Please use physical puzzles with large knobs or ones with only a few pieces. Virtual puzzles do not build overall motor development. Picking up and maneuvering puzzle pieces with the hands teaches visual-spatial awareness, depth perception, and enhances hand strength and coordination. Also, physical puzzles can be done together and virtual puzzles on tablets or handheld screens are often done alone so there is no chance for social engagement and turn-taking.
7. Obstacle courses – Easy to do at a neighborhood playground or you can create something simple in your house or yard using chalk, tape, and pool noodles. Physical therapists refer to toddlers as “motor-driven”. In other words, they move a lot because their brain needs them to move and learn the skills that should be mastered at this age. Climbing, stepping over things, crawling under or through, jumping in, out, or down from a height are all skills toddlers should be learning. They don’t climb and jump and crash into the couch to drive you crazy. It does, but they don’t do it for that reason. They need to move.
8. Tug of war – A nylon rope, jump rope, or a towel can be used to play this simple game. Hand strength, balance, leg strength, and healthy competition are benefits. Toddlers can become very upset if they lose because they’re still learning to manage anger and frustrations. However you play it, let them win the final bout. Always let them end up a winner.
9. Chase – Children often play this on their own without even knowing they’re playing a game. Again, strength, balance, speed, agility, and endurance are benefits.
10. Hopscotch – Timeless. Younger toddlers will not have the coordination to balance on one leg or do the game exactly as it is designed. But, they can toss a rock or a beanbag into a square and jump to pick it up. Some creative variations include, “Can you jump into the square with the number 2?” “Can you toss your bag into the red square?” These are ways to build identification of colors or numbers or letters into the game.

Toddlers need to move! These games channel that energy and enhance the overall development of your child’s brain. Each skill they learn improves their readiness for kindergarten.

What games do your toddlers enjoy?

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