Fun Toddler Games For Your Kids And For The Entire Family To Enjoy At Home
Time for toddler games! But what do toddlers like to play? Games that are simple, repetitive, but fun! The toddler years are exciting because they start with an almost-baby who can’t play much more than ‘peek-a-boo’ or ‘this little piggy’ and end with a engaging little person who can enjoy a wide variety of games.
Toddler Games for the Youngest Toddler
Your new toddler won’t be ready for much in the way of group games yet, but he will love to play one-on-one games with you. The best games are those that go with a little song or rhyme; the music and rhythm opens important pathways in your toddler’s growing mind.
Pat-a-cake
Show your toddler how to clap his hands to yours, clap himself, and then clap to your hands as you recite:
Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake, Baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Pat it, and prick it, and mark it with a B
And put it in the oven for baby and me!
Really little people won’t be able to manage different claps; but they’ll love holding their hands up as you clap to them. As your child grows he’ll become able to manage it if you do it slowly, with lots of prompting, and finally be able to do it ‘pepper fast’ while you recite the rhyme as quick as you can say the words. This game is an all-time favorite, and helps your toddler work his coordination and fine motor skills.
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Make your hand into a spider, running up your child’s leg. Tell him:
The itsy bitsy spider ran up the water spout (run the spider up your child’s side, starting at the foot; time it so you haven’t quite reached to under his arm/ tummy/whatever is the most ticklish place when the line finishes)
Down came the rain, and washed the spider out (Use your other hand to brush the spider off)
Up came the sun, and dried up all the rain (The rain hand becomes a sun in the sky; opening and closing )
The itsy bitsy spider ran up the spout again! (Little spider runs up your toddler, ending with a tickle)
Toddler Games for Your Growing Toddler
When your toddler reaches three or four—or even the far side of two—he’ll be ready for a wide variety of simple group games. Ring around the Rosies may be the first group game your child enjoys, but soon he’ll be ready for slightly more complicated play, like London Bridge
Ring Around the Rosies
Hold hands in a circle and turn in time to the music while you sing
Ring around the rosies
A pocket full of posies
A ticho, a ticho, we all fall down!
At fall down, everyone goes tumbling to the floor laughing!
London Bridge
Two children join hands, making a bridge. The other children line up and go under it, while they all sing
London Bridge is falling down
Falling down,
Falling down
London Bridge is falling down
My fair lady!
The children keep circling back and going around and around under the bridge throughout the song. On ‘my’ the bridge falls and catches whoever happens to be underneath at the time. The two jailers sway to the music as everyone sings
Take the key and lock her up
Lock her up
Lock her up
Take the key and lock her up
My fair lady!
The captured child trades places with one of the bridge-players, and the game continues.
Have fun playing these toddler games with your toddler—these are special times you will never get again!
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