Made for Play

Explore child development through play, find inspiration for your next DIY project, and discover tips for selecting the perfect toys for your little ones.

Best Developmental Toys for Toddlers That Encourage Learning Through Play

The Benefits of Playing With a Dollhouse: Inspiring Imagination and Building Confidence

How Kitchen Toys Support Cognitive Development in Young Kids

Best Developmental Toys for Toddlers That Encourage Learning Through Play

Toddlers are little explorers. They’re experimenting with words, testing boundaries, making messes, and expressing big emotions (sometimes all before lunchtime). It’s exciting, exhausting, and endlessly rewarding to watch them grow more independent each day. That’s where the benefits of play come in. Because the right toys can turn all that energy and curiosity into meaningful learning. For children ages 1–3, toddler toys that focus on development add joy to playtime while offering safe ways to practice motor skills, expand language, and strengthen social connections. Learning in Disguise: The Importance of Developmental Toys Developmental toys invite exploration and creativity, giving your toddler stepping stones for lifelong learning. They help little ones: Strengthen fine and gross motor skills Explore language and early math concepts Practice problem-solving Build social-emotional awareness through pretend play and sharing Best Developmental Toys for Toddlers by Age and Skill So which toys are best for toddlers? To make play both fun and purposeful, opt for toys that match your child’s age and stage. Early Learning and Development Toys Perfect for 1-Year-Olds At this stage, discovery is all about textures, sounds, and movement. Some ideal toys for 1-year-olds include: Activity cubes: With colorful bead mazes, gears, and shape sorters, these cubes keep the tiniest hands busy while building fine motor skills and problem-solving fun. Soft stacking rings and cups: These classic sets are perfect for practicing hand-eye coordination and learning about size and order. Slide: Bring the playground home with a toddler-sized indoor or outdoor slide. Climbing up and sliding down nurtures gross motor development, balance, and confidence. Simple musical instruments: Equip your future rock stars with shakers, tambourines, and mini drums. You may want to cover your ears, but they’ll love exploring rhythm and sound. The Best Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds Life with a 2-year-old means lots of “I do it myself!” moments. At this stage, toddlers want to solve problems, copy everything you do, and test their independence through play. The following are some great toy choices for 2-year-olds: Activity tables: Give toddlers a space to build, draw, and explore. Activity tables encourage creativity, fine motor skills, and cooperative play. Pretend-play kitchens: Little chefs can cook up big imaginations in their own toddler café, building language skills and creativity with every “meal” they make. Chunky puzzles: Support cognitive skills and patience while improving dexterity with puzzles that have just-the-right-size pieces for holding. Sandbox: Toddlers love the mess and magic of sand. Digging, pouring, and shaping sand help them develop fine motor skills, creativity, and sensory awareness. Encourage Skills With Play Sets and Imaginative Toys As toddlers grow, creativity takes center stage, and social skills begin to bloom. Two- and three-year-olds especially enjoy toys that let them tell stories, explore feelings, and play side by side with friends or family. Dollhouses, farm sets, and animal figurines: These toys encourage toddlers to create their own scenarios and characters, sparking imagination, emotional awareness, and opportunities for cooperative play. Easels and art supplies: Support your budding artists with easels, paints, crayons, and modeling dough—just don’t forget the smock! They let toddlers doodle, dab, and shape their ideas while nurturing fine motor skills and learning about colors. Climbers and tunnels: Turn your space into a play zone with climbers and tunnels. These indoor and outdoor structures give little ones safe ways to crawl, climb, and explore while building strength, balance, and confidence. Simple board games: Memory or matching games teach turn-taking, attention, and following directions—plus, they’re fun for the whole family. Tips for Choosing the Best Developmental Toys for Your Toddler With so many toddler toy options, it can be hard to know where to start. But a few simple guidelines can help you choose toys that are safe, engaging, and made to last. Safety first: Select sturdy, non-toxic toys designed for your child’s age, so playtime is safe and worry-free. Go open-ended: Blocks, play sets, and dolls can be played with in endless ways, keeping play fresh day after day. Think long-term: Pick toys that grow with your child, offering new challenges and uses as they reach each stage. Encourage togetherness: Toys that bring siblings, parents, or friends into the fun help build social skills and family memories. Inspire Learning Through Play With the right toys, play becomes a joyful way to explore, learn, and grow. From painting to hosting pretend tea parties, each moment builds essential skills. They give all that toddler energy a purpose… at least until naptime hits.

The Benefits of Playing With a Dollhouse: Inspiring Imagination and Building Confidence

If you’ve ever seen a child lost in arranging tiny furniture or inventing whole worlds for their dolls, you know the quiet magic a dollhouse holds. Maybe you even had one of your own as a child. There’s something timeless about those miniature doors and little chairs. Dollhouses open up endless role-playing and storytelling possibilities, and it’s through that kind of play that children build skills they’ll carry far beyond childhood. Let’s explore how a dollhouse becomes a stage where a child’s imagination thrives and their confidence grows. How Playing With a Dollhouse Supports Child Development Children can reap some big benefits from those mini homes and mansions. Beyond the fun, dollhouse play helps kids develop important skills in a natural, hands-on way: Fine motor skills: Moving small furniture, opening doors, and arranging figures strengthen coordination. Empathy and cooperation: Role-playing encourages kids to see different perspectives and practice getting along with others. Language and communication: Storytelling builds new vocabulary and helps children express ideas clearly. Emotional growth: The dollhouse becomes a safe place for exploring feelings and working through emotions. Social skills: Playtime with siblings or friends teaches sharing, problem-solving, and collaboration. The Best Age for Dollhouse Play Most dollhouses are designed for children three and up, once small pieces are safe to handle. Preschoolers and early elementary ages are especially ready for this type of play, as their imaginations are expanding rapidly and they’re eager to create social scenarios. Always check the suggested age range on the dollhouse to make sure it’s age-appropriate. How Dollhouses Encourage Imaginative Play Because dollhouse play is open-ended, kids decide what happens next, giving them continual opportunities to experiment with routines and relationships. Observe a child playing with a dollhouse, and you might notice the dolls preparing dinner, putting a baby to sleep, or getting ready for work and school. Minutes later, the scene could shift completely. Suddenly, the dolls are at a dance session, hosting a tea party, or facing a dinosaur stomping through the kitchen. In a dollhouse, everyday life and make-believe live side by side. How to Enrich Dollhouse Play Parents and caregivers can enrich dollhouse play with gentle prompts: “What’s for dinner tonight in your dollhouse?” or “Where will your dolls go on vacation?” Questions like these empower children to take the lead in storytelling, nurturing both creativity and confidence. Choosing the Right Dollhouse and Accessories When choosing a dollhouse, start with your child’s age and personality. Do they dream up stories with pets and families, or are they aspiring interior designers who love rearranging the dollhouse furniture again and again? Sturdy materials and thoughtful touches mean the house will keep up with big adventures, while details like working elevators and moveable staircases make playtime extra exciting. Play evolves with age, and a well-designed dollhouse with interactive features can keep kids engaged, spark new stories, and feel fresh for years. Style counts, too. You might prefer a soft, neutral look that blends with your living room, while your child might be drawn to a cheerful pink mansion or a breezy beach house with vacation vibes. The best dollhouse choice is one that makes a child’s eyes light up, keeps parents happy, and is built for safe, long-lasting play. Inspire Imagination With Dollhouses Encourage imaginative play, growth, and self-expression. Explore our dollhouse collections and choose the perfect one to inspire your child’s creativity today.

How Kitchen Toys Support Cognitive Development in Young Kids

When it comes to supporting early learning, the right toys can help kids build real-life skills while having fun. Among the most beloved and beneficial are kitchen playsets. These imaginative mini-kitchens spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and support key developmental milestones in young children, from toddlers to preschoolers to school-aged kids. Discover how toys, especially play kitchens, support cognitive development and why they’re a staple in so many homes and classrooms. Do Toys Help Child Development? Toys do help child development. While a source of entertainment, they're also tools that help little ones understand the world around them. Through play, kids experiment, problem-solve, and develop social and cognitive skills naturally. And toys that invite open-ended play, like kitchen sets, promote creativity, independence, and confidence. When children engage in play that mimics real-life activities, such as playing kitchen, they build essential brain connections that support memory, decision-making, and language development. What Are the Cognitive Benefits of Playing Kitchen Games? Playing with kitchen playsets provides a wide range of benefits that go far beyond “cooking.” Pretend play like this encourages thinking, planning, and storytelling, which are all crucial pieces of cognitive development in the early years. Play kitchens are toys that help with cognitive development in the following ways: Imagination and Role-Playing Skills Kitchen playsets for kids transform into whatever your child dreams up, from a busy bakery to a five-star restaurant. This type of pretend play helps kids explore roles, emotions, and social situations in a safe, low-pressure environment. They practice empathy and problem-solving just by “cooking” dinner for a teddy bear or serving pancakes to a sibling. Language and Communication Growth Kitchen playsets are excellent developmental toys for toddlers, particularly in building language and communication skills. From naming foods to describing cooking steps, they encourage rich vocabulary and conversation. Whether your child is narrating their actions or pretending to take an order, they’re building these skills in a way that feels completely natural. Memory, Sequencing, and Task Planning Making “meals” in a toy kitchen encourages children to remember steps and follow sequences, such as putting toast in the toaster before serving it. These activities help cognitive development in areas like working memory, task completion, and organizational thinking, all of which are building blocks for academic success down the road. Which Kitchen Toys Help with Early Childhood Development? Look for kitchen playsets that are designed with realistic details and interactive features. Functional doors, light-up stovetops, turning knobs, and built-in sounds all support cause-and-effect learning. Accessories like play food, utensils, and cookware let kids personalize their play and expand their stories. Modern kitchen sets that mimic real appliances give kids a relatable, immersive experience that naturally encourages learning through exploration. The more lifelike the toy, the more likely kids are to get deeply involved in pretend play and have more opportunities to grow their cognitive muscles. Can Toys Increase Intelligence Through Play? While toys themselves don’t increase IQ, the right kinds of play can absolutely support brain development. Engaging, imaginative toys like kitchen playsets stimulate areas of the brain tied to decision-making, memory, language, and problem-solving. They help kids develop executive functioning skills like planning, self-control, and flexible thinking. Overall, one of the benefits of playing with toys that encourage creativity and critical thinking is that they can lay the groundwork for emotional intelligence and academic readiness. See How KidKraft’s Kitchen Playsets Got a Modern Makeover At KidKraft, we believe that when pretend play feels real, the learning comes naturally. That’s why we’ve reimagined our kitchen playsets with updated designs, modern finishes, and thoughtful details that both kids and parents will love. Our latest kitchens combine fun and function to create an engaging experience from toddlerhood and beyond. Before: A Classic Favorite Our original kitchen playsets had all the charm of a timeless classic—soft colors, sturdy construction, and all the essentials for endless make-believe cooking fun. They’ve been a beloved part of countless childhoods, sparking creativity for years. After: A Fresh Take for Today’s Kids (and Interiors) Our updated design keeps the timeless charm and sturdy construction of the original, while introducing a lighter, brighter feel. This beloved play kitchen now comes in white and natural wood, offering versatile options to complement any space. It features upgraded materials, a warmer color palette with soft brass accents, and realistic finishes that bring extra charm to playtime. Thoughtfully placed interactive features invite imaginative play, while its clean, modern style blends easily into your home. Explore the Full Collection From compact corner kitchens for small spaces to deluxe sets for imaginative chefs-in-training, there’s something for every little learner in our redesigned lineup. Each set is built to inspire storytelling, skill-building, and—of course—big-time fun. Bring home a kitchen where learning is always on the menu when you shop KidKraft. Here, pretend play meets real learning. Discover our updated kitchens today.

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Backyard Party Ideas for Families: 4th of July, Barbecues, Birthdays and More

Backyard Party Ideas for Families: 4th of July, Barbecues, Birthdays and More There’s nothing quite like the joy of a backyard celebration with family and friends, where conversation is easy, kids play freely, and the smell of delicious food fills the air. Whether you’re planning a festive 4th of July, a fun-filled birthday bash or a laid-back barbecue, your backyard is the ultimate party destination. Keep reading for backyard party ideas and tips to make your next outdoor gathering an unforgettable one! Why Choose Backyard Parties for Family Fun? There’s something truly special about celebrating right in your own backyard. Summer backyard parties offer a relaxed, safe and convenient way for families to come together and make lasting memories—without worrying about booking a venue or dealing with crowds. Your backyard party setup provides the perfect space for laughter, games and good food. Plus, with the kids’ swing sets and playhouses just steps away, the fun can last for hours! How to Set Up the Perfect Backyard Party: Tips and Essentials Planning a backyard bash doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a few essentials, you can bring your small backyard party ideas to life and create a welcoming, festive atmosphere everyone will enjoy. Here’s a quick checklist to get you started: Comfortable seating (think picnic blankets, foldable chairs or outdoor cushions) Shade options like umbrellas or pop-up tents String lights or lanterns for evening ambiance Portable Bluetooth speaker for music Easy-to-use grill or BBQ setup Coolers stocked with drinks and ice Fun games and activities (cornhole, water balloons, bubble wands, etc.) Disposable or reusable plates, cups and utensils Bug spray or citronella candles for pest control Trash and recycling bins for easy cleanup Types of Backyard Summer Parties for Families Backyard summer parties come in all shapes and sizes, offering something fun for every family and occasion. Get inspiration from these outside party ideas that bring everyone together for memorable backyard celebrations. Birthday Parties: Celebrate Your Little One Birthdays are a perfect excuse for outdoor parties! For simple backyard party ideas for kids, go with bright decorations, a themed cake and activities like a treasure hunt, sack races or craft stations. Set up a small gift table and have plenty of snacks and drinks ready. With your swing set and playhouse, kids have built-in entertainment that will keep them happily busy. 4th of July Celebrations: Red, White and Blue Fun For 4th of July party ideas with a festive flair, deck out your yard in red, white and blue banners, balloons and tableware. Serve classic favorites like hot dogs, corn on the cob and berry parfaits. Add lawn games like horseshoes or a patriotic-themed scavenger hunt. As the sun sets, gather for sparklers or a family-friendly fireworks display to cap off the night. Backyard BBQ Parties: Grill & Thrill Nothing says summer like a backyard BBQ, and these ideas are all you need for a memorable one. Fire up the grill with crowd-pleasers like burgers, veggie skewers and grilled corn. Arrange seating in cozy clusters to encourage conversation. Add lawn games or a music playlist for entertainment. For a sweet finish, consider a simple yet tasty dessert like fruit salad or s’mores. Small Backyard Party Ideas: Make the Most of Limited Space Even if your yard is on the smaller side, you can still throw an amazing party. Opt for space-saving seating like benches or stackable chairs. Use vertical décor like hanging lights or banners to add charm without crowding the ground. Choose compact games like ring toss or cards. Keep the menu simple with finger foods and easy-to-serve drinks. FAQs About Backyard Parties What are the best backyard party ideas for kids? Kids love parties where they’re free to move around a lot and use their imaginations. Setting up a mini obstacle course, craft stations or a themed scavenger hunt are all ideas that are sure to be a hit. Don’t forget to use your playhouse and swing set, as they’re natural gathering spots for creative play! How do you set up a backyard party on a budget? For backyard party setup ideas that are budget-friendly, focus on DIY decorations, simple menus, and using what you already have. Homemade snacks, playlists instead of hiring a DJ, and borrowing extra chairs or tables from friends rather than renting can go a long way. Also, choose activities that require minimal supplies like water balloon tosses or classic lawn games. Create Unforgettable Backyard Memories with KidKraft With a little planning and the right touches, your backyard can become the go-to spot for family fun and celebrations all summer long. Good food, some games and time with family and friends are all you need for a memorable backyard party. Be sure to check out our at-home summer camp, summer STEM activities, and summer bucket list for kids posts for more at-home ideas for summer fun with the kids! Ready to make your backyard the ultimate party hangout? Explore KidKraft’s outdoor playsets.

8 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

If we’re being honest, Thanksgiving is definitely an adult’s idea of a holiday: watching football and parades, eating until we’re stuffed, reflecting on gratitude, and sneaking in an afternoon nap. Heaven, right? But with no presents, fireworks, or snowball fights, Thanksgiving for kids can be a little underwhelming. Thankfully, all it takes to change that is a little imagination, and we’ve got ideas to make this Thanksgiving memorable and fun for your kids. Here are eight easy activities to get kids in the Thanksgiving spirit and keep them busy and engaged on the big day. Gratitude Box A little box and a few index cards are all you’ll need for this simple yet meaningful activity. Each day leading up to Thanksgiving, have kids name or write one thing they’re thankful for, and then read them together over Thanksgiving dinner. You’re bound to end up with a few silly answers that make for great keepsakes! Add to the fun by letting kids decorate the box. Leaf Rubbing Garlands Leaf rubbing is a classic kid activity that’s educational (hello, vascular system) and nearly free. Place a leaf under a blank piece of paper and have the kids rub over it with a fall-colored crayon until they can see the entire outline of the leaf on the paper. The only downside? It doesn’t last very long. Stretch out the fun by letting kids collect their own leaves in the yard. After they’ve completed their leaf rubbings, they can carefully cut around each one and tape it to a streamer or ribbon. They’ll love hanging up their DIY fall decorations in their room. Thanksgiving Sensory Bins When it comes to simple, engaging play for toddlers, sensory bins are where it’s at. Fill the bins with whatever Thanksgiving-related items you think your child will find interesting to touch, shake, or smell. Small pumpkins are cheap and fun to splash in bins of water; spice jars or freezer bags filled with popcorn kernels are great for shaking; and crunchy autumn leaves are always a hit. Sensory bins can get messy, so take this activity outside or keep it tidy in the bins of a kid-sized crafting table. Fine Motor Turkey Feathers With a few tweaks, this one works well for toddlers as well as the older kids in your family. You’ll need some large crafting feathers and styrofoam crafting balls. The fine motor challenge of pushing the feather into the styrofoam will keep younger kiddos engaged while you work on the real turkey. For older kids, throw in a few extra crafting supplies so that they can create a centerpiece-worthy turkey (paint, googly eyes, construction paper for beaks and waddles, and pipe cleaners for feet). If your tiny toddler doesn’t have the strength or dexterity to push feathers into styrofoam yet, swap out the balls for a toilet paper roll. Use a pencil or hole puncher to add holes for the feathers on one end and create your turkey face on the other. Pretend Thanksgiving Cooking Your kitchen will be going full steam Thanksgiving morning, so it’s only natural that the play kitchen will be too. Kids will love mimicking your special Thanksgiving meals, so in addition to their usual pretend cookware and pretend food, set them up with a few extra goodies to make their own pretend Thanksgiving meals. If you have any turkey crafts lying around, repurpose them by putting them in the play oven. Provide a small baking sheet or bowl and some clean veggie scraps for them to add to the “pan.” Throw in the right playdough colors to make pumpkin pie, rolls, and some cranberry sauce, and they can “cook” up their own Thanksgiving spread. Real Thanksgiving Cooking No, we’re not crazy. We know the littles probably aren’t up to basting a turkey, but there are plenty of small tasks they can help with. From rinsing cranberries to measuring French onion straws to stirring green beans, let them get involved however they can – they just might be extra thankful for the dish they helped create. DIY Turkey Placemats The kids’ table will be looking fly this year (pun intended) with this spin on the classic paper plate turkeys. Help kids trace the outline of the plates they’ll use onto a placemat-sized piece of construction paper or poster board. Provide some crafting feathers and a glue stick to let them create a turkey tail around the outline of the plate. Come dinner time, their plate full of turkey will look like a turkey too. Thanksgiving Pictionary When you’re too stuffed to move, a nice game of Pictionary is the perfect post-dinner activity for the family to do together. Write a list of Thanksgiving-themed words (or pictures for pre-readers) and throw them in a hat, tailoring the level of difficulty to your kids’ ages. Set up the kids’ art easel in the living room and have fun.

Best Gifts for Toddlers Who Love Animals

Have a tiny animal lover in your life? Boy, have we got some gift ideas for you! KidKraft animal toys are made with toddlers and preschoolers’ developmental needs in mind. These interactive animals toys are geared toward child-led play, so your little one can build, pretend, and role play at their own speed with their favorite animal pals! Safari 2-in-1 Ride & Play This transforming toy is another great way to bring the animals of the African savanna to your toddler’s play room! Kids can scoot around the house on the safari vehicle and then open it up to reveal full safari landscape and play set inside. This set comes with all their favorite African animals plus a safari guide and small safari truck for him to ride in! Farm Train Set Maybe it’s because of the “Old McDonald” song. Maybe it’s because we always ask them to make their best “moo” or “neigh” noises. Whatever it is, there’s no double that toddlers love farm animals! The farm train set give them two types of toys in one – a train set to build with and farm set to pretend with. A horse, chicken, cow, duck, pig, and farmers make up the cast of characters in this barnyard adventure waiting to happen! Sweet Meadow Horse Stable Shopping for a budding equestrian this year? They’ll gush over the Sweet Meadow Horse Stable. Designed for medium-sized horse toys (think the size a Barbie could ride), this stable setup lets your little one act out a real horse care routine, from feeding in the stalls, grazing in the paddock, or practicing show jumps over hurdles. Grand Horse Stable & Dollhouse with EZ Kraft Assembly™ Standing at almost five feet tall, the KidKraft Grand Horse Stable Dollhouse will have the “neigh”-bors galloping with envy. This 2-in-1 play pattern features a four-story mansion with expansive rooms, walk-through doors and see-through windows plus a connected two-story barn, complete with resident horse. A spinning weathervane tops the structure that includes a room for a live-in groomer or trainer to stay. Need gift ideas for other kids? Get super fun suggestions in our Shop by Age and Shop by Skill pages.

Gifts to Update Your Toddler's Playtime

As your toddler grows and develops new abilities, incorporating a few new, high-quality toys that match the skills they’re working on is a great way to support their development and keep playtime exciting. (Plus, opting for developmentally appropriate toys means your toddler will actually play with their holiday gifts for months or years to come!) And the holidays are the perfect chance to do just that – especially if you’re shopping our Holiday BOGO Bundles! Here are a few of the time-tested, toddler-approved toys sure to update playtime. Realistic Play Kitchens for Dramatic Play Unwrap a realistic-looking play kitchen on Christmas morning, and we guarantee your toddler will be whipping up pretend Christmas treats all day long. Play kitchens are great for encouraging practical life skills as well as imaginative and dramatic play. This year you can take advantage of the Holiday bundle with the cute and colorful Morning Sunshine Play Kitchen, the sweet and simple Uptown Elite, the super chic Modern Metallics Farmhouse, or the spacious Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen. With a variety of sizes, styles, features, and price points, we chose these play kitchens so that everyone could choose one that works for their budget, space, and toddler’s interests. Outdoor Playset for Active Play A new swingset is the ultimate “Wow” present, and it’s a gift that comes with years of benefits like tons of motor skill practice and more time spent getting active outdoors. Want to score your playset as part of the Holiday Bundle? You can choose from one of nine options, from the budget-friendly McKinley to the sprawling Bear Cave Lodge Swing Set/ Play Set. Kid-Sized Tables for Creative Play Around age 2, toddlers are starting to move beyond the “eating-the-crayons” stage and are getting more interested in actually scribbling and creating. Around age 3, they’ll actually attempt to start drawing shapes and pictures. And at any age, toddlers love playing with sensory activities and other craft materials. Providing them with an ergonomically correct table can help them focus on and feel ownership over types of activities even more as they’re better able to reach their materials and sit comfortably. Plus, they make great setting for tea parties! Our Holiday Bundle has three options for you: The Farmhouse Table & Chairs and the Arches Expandable Table & Bench Set both seat four. The Arches Floating Wall Desk is a great space saver and makes the perfect homework spot when they start school. Dollhouses & Play Sets for Imaginative Play Isn’t there something so classic about an unwrapped dollhouse or train set waiting under the tree on Christmas morning? And even when the holiday decorations are packed away, and the novelty has worn off, dollhouses still get played with as they encourage your toddler to engage in child-led, imaginative play. For a few classic “girly” dollhouses, check out the Celeste Mansion Dollhouse, the uptown Dollhouse, or the Grand Horse Stable & Dollhouse.For a more gender-neutral option that blends well with chic, minimalist decor, try the So Stylish Mansion Dollhouse in Boho Naturals. Or for boys or girls who don’t want a dollhouse at all, you can offer similar types of fun imaginative play with the Everyday Heroes Wooden Playset or the Waterfall Mountain Train Set & Table. To take advantage of our seasonal 50% off discount, simply add any two eligible Holiday Bundle items to your shopping cart, and don’t forget to enter code BOGO50 at checkout!

7 Halloween Ideas for Toddlers

No need to get spooked by Halloween activities that cost an arm and a leg or take hours to prep. These Halloween ideas for toddlers are easy, cheap, and most importantly super fun for your favorite little monsters! Easy Witch’s Brew From Toddler ApprovedIf you’ve ever made “Nature Soup” in your backyard, you know how oddly entertained toddlers are by adding random objects to buckets of water and stirring away. All you need to turn that “soup” into a spooky witch’s brew is a few inexpensive Halloween-themed objects. This version uses eyeball “ice cubes,” plastic spiders, and fake cockroaches, but anything you have on hand works! If you have any witches’ hats and cauldrons around, be sure to use them to add to the fun! Pumpkin Bath From Busy ToddlerDo pumpkins need a bath? Nope. Will that stop your toddler from absolutely loving the responsibility of bathing the pumpkins? Nope. They’ll love it. Just fill up your sink with some water and suds, toss in a few small pumpkins and hand the kiddos a few scrub brushes or rags. Jack-o-Lantern Sensory Squish Bags From Fantastic Fun and LearningSensory activities are great for toddler engagement. The only major downside is they tend to be… messy. Like sometimes really, really messy. But not these easy jack-o-latern sensory bags. All you’ll need is some yellow or orange food coloring, corn syrup or cheap hair gel, and black felt for the jack-o-lantern face. We like the approach of taping it to a window, so the light can shine through as they squish the orange “pumpkin” gel and rearrange the jack-o-lantern’s face. And the best part? All the mess is contained in the bag, so you can get a few things done while they play! Spider Stamping From Crafty MorningIs there anything better than activities that are free and ridiculously easy? As long as you have some paint and paper somewhere (and what toddler parent doesn’t?), you can make these easy spider stamps with almost no prep or extra cost. Just cut a few slits into an old toilet paper roll, dip it into the paint, and let your little ones stamp away as they create their spiders. Googly eyes add an extra layer of fun...especially if they want to add 8 eyes to each spider! Pumpkin Hammering From Montessori Dad’s WayThis activity has been popping up all over Insta for good reason. It’s endlessly entertaining and helps develop strength and fine motor coordination. Poke some golf tees into a pumpkin (you can use a real one or a foam one), provide some wooden hammers, and let your toddler hammer them into the pumpkin. You can adjust it to their level depending on how deep you make the holes for them. Little ones may need you to push the tees all the way in and then pull them back out. Pour Painted Pumpkins From Homegrown FriendsKids already love pouring and painting, so just add a pumpkin, and you’ve got a Halloween toddler activity that yields surprisingly pretty results. Use white pumpkins and colors that blend well together, and you just may end up with something front-porch worthy. The Switch Witch Part activity, part brilliant way to prevent your toddler from eating 5 lbs of candy on Halloween. Just like Santa and the Easter Bunny, the Switch Witch brings kids special surprises on her favorite holiday. The only catch? She’ll want to “switch” that surprise out for a big bucket of candy! Kids are pumped about their new toy (maybe go for something they’ve had their eye on for a while), and the Switch Witch always leaves a few pieces of candy for the littles to enjoy. You can give the kiddos some control by letting them decide what candy they really want to keep and how much they’ll leave out for the Switch Witch. Turn it into an all-October activity by building up the Switch Witch, drawing your own Switch Witch pictures, or reading a Switch Witch book together.

two kids eating snacks on KidKraft outdoor table

Fourth of July Activities for Toddlers

The Fourth of July comes with a ton of built-in entertainment for kids… I mean what’s cooler than fireworks and parades? Unfortunately, a lot of those activities aren’t so toddler-friendly. (Two-year-olds + late bedtimes + sparklers = recipe for disaster.) But no worries – to make sure the littlest members of the family get in on the July 4th fun, we’ve put together this list of Fourth of July activities for toddlers! Fizzy Chalk Fireworks Real fireworks and sparklers are probably still a little (okay, a lot) too dangerous for your toddler to handle, but they can draw and “pop” their own kid-friendly firework paintings with this fizzy sidewalk chalk paint. This super simple chalk paint is a combo of baking soda, water, cornstarch, and food dye. Once they’ve drawn their fireworks on the sidewalk, hand over a bottle of vinegar so they can spray their artwork and watch it fizz! Red, White, & Blue Fruit Skewers Your toddler will love that they can actually help make these healthy fruit kabobs. Depending on their skill level, they can chop the banana with a butter knife, place fruit on the skewers, and ( if they’re a bit older) work on their pattern recognition skills! DIY Sparkler Wands These sparkler wand crafts are a fun, safe alternative to actual sparklers. They may not be quite as enticing as an actual sparkler, but your little one will still have fun waving and shaking them – not to mention all the fun they’ll have making them with you! Temporary Tattoos & Face Painting Even if you’re not an artist, stars, stripes, and fireworks are pretty easy to paint. No matter how they turn out, your toddler is sure to love them! They’ll probably want a turn too, so be prepared to get a few red, white, and blue scribbles on your own face! Be sure to pick up a few bottles of face paint as even the non-toxic craft paints might irritate sensitive skin. Or make it even simpler and just pick up a few packs of 4th of July temporary tattoos. “Fireworks” in a Jar These fireworks in a jar are a July 4th-themed take on one of our favorite water activities for toddlers. Just add some water, oil, and a few drops of food coloring to a jar and let them shake away. The oil will create a lava lamp effect as the colors mix around. Add in some glitter or star-shaped confetti for a little extra sparkle. Red & Blue Dyed Flowers Dying flowers with colored water is a popular science experiment to teach kids about the vascular system of plants. In this Fourth of July version, White daisies and red and blue food coloring give this classic science experiment a patriotic twist. While your toddler might not understand all the science-y details yet, they’ll still be delighted as they watch the white daisy petals take on red and blue hues throughout the day. They also make a great sparkler alternative for your little one to wave around! Paper Tube Firework Stamps Say hello to the easiest, cheapest Fourth of July activity ever. Just repurpose some old paper towel or toilet paper tubes into firework stamps and use whatever paint and paper you have on hand.Now finish off the planning by adding a few of these Kid-friendly Summer BBQ Ideas to your July 4th menu, and the whole family is set for some Fourth of July food and fun!

Your Guide to the Ultimate Easter Egg Hunt for Toddlers

Peter Cottontail is officially hopping down the bunny trail, folks. That’s right, Easter is just around the corner, and we’ve got just the thing to help make it a great one for your toddler. All About Eggs We like a combo of dyed eggs and plastic eggs—you get the fun of coloring eggs together and the yumminess of chocolate Easter treats! Plus, with a few dozen boiled eggs in the mix, you can give your kid more eggs to hunt without giving them more sugar. Tips for Dyeing Eggs with Toddlers If you’re getting a dye kit, be sure to get it early before they sell out! Or make your own by filling small bowls with enough hot water to cover an egg and adding 1 tsp of vinegar and 20 drops of food coloring per bowl. Use one of your old t-shirts as a smock for your toddler. It will completely cover their clothes and makes for a cute picture! Go with the flow—even if that means your toddler wants to mix colors and ends up with a dark brown egg. It’s all about having fun, right? Be sure your toddler knows the water is hot! Tips for Filling Plastic Easter Eggs Fill them on Saturday night after the kids are asleep and keep them out of sight until it’s time for the big hunt. Toddlers are not known for their patience, after all. Candy is the obvious filling choice, but you have plenty of options. Your toddler probably doesn’t have any expectations about what they’ll find in their eggs, so go with whatever you want. Raisins, peanut butter crackers, dark chocolate, you name it. Almost any toy that can fit into an Easter egg is probably a choking hazard for a toddler. Opt for stickers instead if you want some non-food fillings! Remember that many hard or chewy candies are also considered choking hazards for toddlers. Get a Toddler-Friendly Easter Basket Keep those tiny hands in mind when you pick their Easter basket. Long handles and large baskets will be tougher for them to handle as they hunt. Time to Hide Keep Count Rotting eggs smell like… well, rotting eggs. Avoid all of that by keeping track of how many eggs you’ve put out and make a basic map if necessary. Keep It Simple You have plenty of years for creative Easter egg hiding places that make your kids really work for it…the toddler years are not those years. They’re likely to get bored or frustrated before all of the eggs are found. Eggs scattered out in the open or “hidden” in easy spots are plenty for toddlers! The novelty of the activity and the process of gathering things in a basket are enough to make it fun.If you’ve got older kids too, make sure they know they know to leave plenty of “easy” eggs for their younger sibling. If you do want to add some creativity to your hiding places, go for funny instead of difficult. Leave eggs in silly but obvious places like chairs, flower beds or doormats, and have a few stuffed animals “lay” eggs in the backyard. Time to Hunt When it’s time for the main event, remember that any amount of fun is a success. Young toddlers may not get the concept, and even older toddlers may be way more interested in the snail they find than the eggs. Lots of hints and help can help keep them interested and focused, but if they decide to plop down and enjoy each treat as they find it, that’s okay too! We have a feeling the Easter Bunny won’t mind.

St. Patrick's Day Activities for Kids

Corned beef, cabbage, and beer are definitely not kid-friendly cuisine but never fear – there are a ton of fun (and yummy) ways you can celebrate St. Patrick’s day with your kids. Make your kids feel like the luckiest little leprechauns in town with these eight St. Patrick’s Day activities for kids! Dress Up in Green The pinching thing we can do without, but dressing up in your greenest garb is always fun! If your kids are in school, put a fun outfit together the night before. If you’ll be spending the day at home, get a little goofy with it and challenge each other to put on as many green items as you can. Read all about St. Patty’s Day We love this list of Irish-themed kids books from A Teachable Teacher. If you don’t want to spend money on new books, odds are your local library has some fun kids’ books that feature St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland, or leprechauns. If they’re all checked out, check out National Geographic Kids’ quick facts on St. Patrick’s Day. Make Irish Soda Bread If your child is old enough to help in the kitchen, whip up a loaf of Irish soda bread together. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making bread – Irish soda bread comes together easily, doesn’t need any yeast or special flours, and can be baked on a regular old baking sheet. Make fizzy shamrocks This fizzy shamrock activity is equal parts craft and science experiment. It’s a simple St. Patty’s Day-themed take on the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment. A little green food coloring and some paper are the only other materials you need, making it the perfect activity if you don’t want to shop for new craft supplies. Serve something green While you’ve got that green food coloring on hand, put it to good use by surprising your kiddo with a green snack or drink. Even something as simple as green milk in the morning is enough to put a smile on their face! Do a leprechaun photoshoot Image from The Crafting ChicksLeprechaun hats and beards make the perfect photo booth props. Craft your own, download and print some, or find a set online or at a party store near you. Craft shamrock window hangings Image from A Little Pinch of PerfectYou have a ton of options when it comes to shamrock crafts, but we’re partial to these colorful tissue paper shamrocks. They look lovely in the sunlight, and they’re perfect if you have a variety of ages. Older kids will have fun designing their “stain glass” cutouts, and preschoolers and toddlers will just love the chance to use a glue stick! Lucky Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt We love this easy St. Patrick’s Day game from Play Party Plan. All you need for the Lucky Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt are common household items and the free printable checklist. Once your little one has checked off the list, extend the game by asking them to hide their “treasure” like a leprechaun and play “Hot or Cold” as you search for the items!