
Do you often drink your coffee cold?
Maybe you just gulp it down in an attempt to get it out of the way?
After all, you are a parent to a toddler who just won’t let you sit and “enjoy a cup of coffee in peace.”
But what if I told you, it was possible? And no, you don’t have to wait till the kids are off to college. Thanks to these 8 simple activities to keep toddlers busy, you can now enjoy a hot cup of coffee, send that email, and even simply just have a moment to yourself.
Activities for Toddlers that are Mess-Free, Simple, And Quick:
Isaac Newton stumbled upon gravity when an apple fell on his head – well, next to him. Similarly, parents discovered genius hacks and activities to keep toddlers busy during moments of extreme frustration and sometimes just by accident.
Some of them are simple and some are pure genius! (No need to reinvent the wheel)
I’ve chosen activities that require basic materials and result in minimal clean-ups. However, if I can tell you anything from experience is that never underestimates a toddler’s ability to make a mess with even the simplest of activities.
This is why, to stay one step ahead of the game when I talk about ideas to keep your toddlers busy, I also suggest tips to keep the mess contained and precautions to keep your child safe.
Because at the end of the day, spending 15 minutes scrubbing slime out of carpets or crying over your favorite China isn’t worth the five-minute break!
Let’s begin:
Activity 1. Wash Your Own Toys Day
Take this activity outside on a nice warm day. Add some tear-free shampoo to a small flat plastic container. A good idea is to encourage a specific toy only like only plastic dinosaurs like to be cleaned. Keep an old towel and once he’s done washing, the towel can be used to wipe the toys and any other mess.
Tip 1: Avoid bowls that can topple over and encourage your child to use a toothbrush, or a sponge to watch his plastic toys.
Tip 2: Make sure all battery toys are out of his sight
Tip 3: Use tear-free shampoo because they will rub their eyes.
Activity 2. Ice Cube Paints
This is one of my favorite activities to keep toddlers busy and make them enjoy art, color, and sensory play: make ice cube paints.
Mix different food colors in water to make colored water and pour it into an ice cube tray. If you don’t want the child holding on to the ice for long, add popsicle sticks. Once frozen, lay out a thick piece of paper on the kitchen island or the floor.
You can also add some leaves and flowers to some plain ice cubes and watch the children color with them and explore new textures as the ice melts.
If you suspect your toddler would lick it (and we don’t blame him for trying,) skip the tap water and use bottled water with kool-aid instead.
Tip 1: Take it outside in the garden or the porch to completely avoid the little puddles that form as the ice melts.
Tip 2: If you are inside the house, cover the surface with a plastic tablecloth, make sure you pick a designated area, and use smaller cubes.
Activity 3 to Keep Toddlers Busy: Balloon Tennis

Many studies have shown how balloon play supports child development by improving hand-eye coordination and other cognitive abilities in a toddler. And if your toddler is like a little energizer bunny who needs to utilize all that power, it’s time to introduce him to balloon tennis.
Pick up a bunch of thick balloons and hang them with a string in an open area preferably in a garden or open area- far far away from vases and frames that can be knocked over.
Make sure it is at the right height so that the child can hit it with a plastic racket. Alternatively, you could also give a pool noodle. While he may still accidentally knock over a pot, no one is going to lose an eye.
Top tip: If you are super-worried using balloons around your toddler (a lot of Beansmama moms are!) check out our ball activities for toddlers article and scroll down to Activity 3: Balloon Covers – it’s genius!
Activity 4. Painting with Water

Let your toddler paint with water on stone and cement surfaces outside. Simply fill a few jars with water and offer different brushes and rollers. Encourage them to notice how their paint “magically disappears”.
Top tip: Doing this inside the house? No problem. Just use large sheets of colored construction paper taped to the floor and use small brushes instead of larger ones.
Activity 5. Popping and Holding Bubbles
Bubbles are great for learning. They build cognitive skills and help in the physical development of toddlers. They are also safe and easy to make with simple homemade ingredients.
One great activity is to put up a bubble machine for your toddler and ask them to pop all the bubbles. But once your toddler is bored with that game, here’s another fun idea to try:
Ask your toddler to try and hold a bubble. How? All you have to do is wet your palms and hold them out as the bubble comes down.
Top tip: Get a battery-operated bubble machine. It is worth the investment.
Activity 6. Play-Doh Animal Tracks
Another fun activity is to roll out Play-Doh in a tray and use different animals to make animal paths or trails. Ask your child to pick animals that have large paws, talons, or webbed feet and ask them to make tracks from one end to the other.
Activity 7. Obstacle Course
Get a little movement by using stickers to make an obstacle course. Cut out footprints or even simple shapes. Place them on the floor or the hallway. Now ask them to step, hop and jump on them. Add a few areas for crawling, and some for walking backward to make a fun challenge. Place a cross or danger sign to mark areas where they simply can’t touch.
Top Tip: Make sure there are no sharp corners and tables in case they run and slip.
Activity 8. Printable Activities To Keep Toddlers Busy
If you want your child to stay put in a spot, try these simple maze pintables, fun farm animal printables, and simply cut and paste activities that improve their cognitive skills and get them ready for preschool.
All you need is a few craft supplies, crayons, and glue, and your toddler will be busy for hours.