Activities for 18 month olds

Eighteen months to two is the age of doing it themselves. Pouring water from one cup to another, carrying the spoons to the table, posting socks into a basket one at a time. They want real jobs and they want to be useful, and the good news is that most of what keeps them busy is already in your kitchen. These activities lean into that. Each one has clear steps, a short note on what it is building, from hand strength to early counting, and a switch-up for when your toddler is either flying through it or having none of it. None of them need a trip to the shops.

100 activities

Blanket Tunnel Crawl illustration Blanket Tunnel Crawl from 12 months · 5-10 min Board Book Page Turn illustration Board Book Page Turn from 12 months · 5-10 min Box Fort Crawl-Through illustration Box Fort Crawl-Through from 12 months · 10-15 min Bubble Wrap Stomp illustration Bubble Wrap Stomp from 12 months · 5-10 min Chair Crawl Under illustration Chair Crawl Under from 12 months · 5 min Cushion Mountain Climb illustration Cushion Mountain Climb from 12 months · 10-15 min Cushion Nest Snuggle illustration Cushion Nest Snuggle from 12 months · 5-10 min Fabric Swatch Feel illustration Fabric Swatch Feel from 12 months · 5-10 min Flour Hand Prints illustration Flour Hand Prints from 12 months · 5-10 min Gentle Hum Rock illustration Gentle Hum Rock from 12 months · 5 min Hallway Crawl Race illustration Hallway Crawl Race from 12 months · 5-10 min Ice Cube Melt illustration Ice Cube Melt from 12 months · 10-15 min Jelly Squish Bag illustration Jelly Squish Bag from 12 months · 5-10 min Leaf Crunch Basket illustration Leaf Crunch Basket from 12 months · 10-15 min Mirror Quiet Look illustration Mirror Quiet Look from 12 months · 5 min Pudding Finger Paint Splat illustration Pudding Finger Paint Splat from 12 months · 10-15 min Quiet Box Lid Open & Close illustration Quiet Box Lid Open & Close from 12 months · 5-10 min Rice Bin Dig illustration Rice Bin Dig from 12 months · 10-15 min Scarf Pull Tube illustration Scarf Pull Tube from 12 months · 5-10 min Snow Globe Shake & Watch illustration Snow Globe Shake & Watch from 12 months · 5 min Soft Blanket Burrito Wrap illustration Soft Blanket Burrito Wrap from 12 months · 5-10 min Story Time Lap Snuggle illustration Story Time Lap Snuggle from 12 months · 10-15 min Textured Fabric Basket illustration Textured Fabric Basket from 12 months · 5-10 min Torch Under Blanket illustration Torch Under Blanket from 12 months · 5-10 min Towel Sled Pull illustration Towel Sled Pull from 12 months · 5-10 min Warm Cloth Face Wipe illustration Warm Cloth Face Wipe from 12 months · 5 min Warm Rice Sock Squeeze illustration Warm Rice Sock Squeeze from 12 months · 5-10 min Wet Sponge Squeeze illustration Wet Sponge Squeeze from 12 months · 10 min Big Ball Roll illustration Big Ball Roll from 14 months · 5-10 min Big Box Push illustration Big Box Push from 14 months · 5-10 min Cornstarch Goop Tray illustration Cornstarch Goop Tray from 14 months · 10-15 min Cotton Ball Scoop illustration Cotton Ball Scoop from 14 months · 5-10 min Cup Tower Topple illustration Cup Tower Topple from 14 months · 5-10 min Laundry Basket Haul illustration Laundry Basket Haul from 14 months · 5-10 min Mirror Light Play illustration Mirror Light Play from 14 months · 5-10 min Paper Tear Basket illustration Paper Tear Basket from 14 months · 10-15 min Photo Book Browse illustration Photo Book Browse from 14 months · 5-10 min Picture Card Point & Name illustration Picture Card Point & Name from 14 months · 5-10 min Pillow Path Walk illustration Pillow Path Walk from 14 months · 5-10 min Play Dough Poke illustration Play Dough Poke from 14 months · 10-15 min Put Toys in the Bin illustration Put Toys in the Bin from 14 months · 5-10 min Shadow Puppet Wall Watch illustration Shadow Puppet Wall Watch from 14 months · 5-10 min Slow Breathing Bubble Watch illustration Slow Breathing Bubble Watch from 14 months · 5-10 min Soft Ball Roll Bowling illustration Soft Ball Roll Bowling from 14 months · 10-15 min Sponge Squeeze Bucket Transfer illustration Sponge Squeeze Bucket Transfer from 14 months · 10-15 min Stuffed Animal Heartbeat Listen illustration Stuffed Animal Heartbeat Listen from 14 months · 5 min Toilet Roll Post illustration Toilet Roll Post from 14 months · 5-10 min Towel Tug Fold illustration Towel Tug Fold from 14 months · 5-10 min Unpack The Shopping illustration Unpack The Shopping from 14 months · 10-15 min Velcro Strip Pull Apart illustration Velcro Strip Pull Apart from 14 months · 5-10 min Window Raindrop Watch illustration Window Raindrop Watch from 14 months · 5-10 min Wipe the Highchair illustration Wipe the Highchair from 14 months · 5-10 min Wipe The Mirror illustration Wipe The Mirror from 14 months · 5 min Yogurt Finger Paint illustration Yogurt Finger Paint from 14 months · 10 min Animal Walk Parade illustration Animal Walk Parade from 16 months · 5-10 min Bean Bag Toss Basket illustration Bean Bag Toss Basket from 16 months · 10-15 min Carry The Cutlery illustration Carry The Cutlery from 16 months · 5-10 min Carry the Mail illustration Carry the Mail from 16 months · 5-10 min Cotton Swab Paint Dots illustration Cotton Swab Paint Dots from 16 months · 10-15 min Cup Nesting illustration Cup Nesting from 16 months · 5-10 min Dust The Shelf illustration Dust The Shelf from 16 months · 5 min Fill the Pet Bowl illustration Fill the Pet Bowl from 16 months · 5 min Frozen Toy Dig illustration Frozen Toy Dig from 16 months · 10-20 min Hula Hoop Step Through illustration Hula Hoop Step Through from 16 months · 5-10 min Music Box Wind & Listen illustration Music Box Wind & Listen from 16 months · 5 min Pom-Pom Water Scoop illustration Pom-Pom Water Scoop from 16 months · 10-15 min Rope Line Balance Walk illustration Rope Line Balance Walk from 16 months · 5-10 min Sock Ball Basket illustration Sock Ball Basket from 16 months · 5-10 min Soft Toy Tuck In illustration Soft Toy Tuck In from 16 months · 5-10 min Spoon Scoop Pom Transfer illustration Spoon Scoop Pom Transfer from 16 months · 10-15 min Stair Step Climb illustration Stair Step Climb from 16 months · 5-10 min Wall Push Plank illustration Wall Push Plank from 16 months · 5-10 min Water Bottle Fill Help illustration Water Bottle Fill Help from 16 months · 5-10 min Water Pouring Station illustration Water Pouring Station from 16 months · 10-15 min Wipe The Table illustration Wipe The Table from 16 months · 5-10 min Backpack Marching illustration Backpack Marching from 18 months · 5-10 min Broom Sweep March illustration Broom Sweep March from 18 months · 5-10 min Brush the Pet illustration Brush the Pet from 18 months · 5-10 min Bubble Bath Whisk illustration Bubble Bath Whisk from 18 months · 5-10 min Egg Carton Pom Sort illustration Egg Carton Pom Sort from 18 months · 10-15 min Envelope Stuff Mail illustration Envelope Stuff Mail from 18 months · 10-15 min Fold the Washcloths illustration Fold the Washcloths from 18 months · 5-10 min Hang Coat on Hook illustration Hang Coat on Hook from 18 months · 5 min Muffin Tin Sort illustration Muffin Tin Sort from 18 months · 5-10 min Music Freeze Dance illustration Music Freeze Dance from 18 months · 5-10 min Playdough Squeeze Cutter illustration Playdough Squeeze Cutter from 18 months · 10-15 min Put Shoes on the Mat illustration Put Shoes on the Mat from 18 months · 5-10 min Recycling Sort Bin illustration Recycling Sort Bin from 18 months · 10-15 min Sock Puppet Hush illustration Sock Puppet Hush from 18 months · 5-10 min Spoon Transfer illustration Spoon Transfer from 18 months · 5-10 min Sticky Note Peel illustration Sticky Note Peel from 18 months · 5-10 min Sweep The Crumbs illustration Sweep The Crumbs from 18 months · 5-10 min Water The Plant illustration Water The Plant from 18 months · 5 min Jar Lid Twist & Unscrew illustration Jar Lid Twist & Unscrew from 20 months · 5-10 min Lid Match Stack illustration Lid Match Stack from 20 months · 5-10 min Set the Napkins illustration Set the Napkins from 20 months · 5-10 min Sock Pairing Basket illustration Sock Pairing Basket from 20 months · 5-10 min Sticker Peel Page illustration Sticker Peel Page from 20 months · 10-15 min Zipper Pull Practice illustration Zipper Pull Practice from 20 months · 5-10 min Laundry Sorting Pile illustration Laundry Sorting Pile from 22 months · 5-10 min

Other ages

Activities for 1 year olds · Activities for 2 year olds · All activities