Active Play Ideas to Help Energetic Toddlers

If your toddler is anything like mine, no matter how much outdoor time we get, the energy does not stop! When all of this energy gets pent up during the day, it can creep into nighttime and interrupt sleep. Ummm….no thanks!!

Moms on Call is here to bring nighttime interruption to a halt and help your energetic toddler get back on track!

We have compiled a list of active activities that get your toddler moving!

Active play ideas for your energetic toddler

• Dance Party!!
  • Okay, for this one, we drop the dishes and join in! Put on some music and let them dance!!
  • AND If we’re exhausted, we can wiggle a limb here and there to keep the momentum going.
• Laundry Basket Relay
  • This is not only fun but also efficient!
    • Place your laundry basket across the room and race to see who can bring you something to fold as you sit on the couch/bed and get this chore done… AS A FAMILY!
    • Picking a specific color or article of clothing makes this even more fun!
• Olympic Charades
  • Create a 2FT by 2FT square. (Painter’s tape for the WIN!)
  • See how long you can make your littles believe you are… rowing, running track, ice skating, high jumping, etc.
    • Before you know it, they will join in or ask for their turn in the square.
  • Add a timer to make it competitive yet fun!
• Work Out Madness
  • Create OR copy floor exercises that involve your toddler.
  • Stretch and make faces at one another to see who cracks first! (I can already hear the giggles.)
    • Switch up the exercises and see who can keep a straight face the longest.
• Play Chase & Hide and Seek
  • Jump back into childhood with these household staples.
    • We can play at any age!
  • Create a game within the game. While seeking, add “I SPY” -- “I SPY with my little eye something blue, could that be a shirt?? Have I FOUND YOU!?”
• Head Outside
  • Go for a walk.
  • Run from one point to the next and count how many times they can do it before the timer goes off.
• Family Chores
  • Kiddie-size broom/mop
  • Help with dusting
  • Putting clothes away in different rooms
  • Helping to bring laundry to the washer

The most cherished part of parenting is enjoying each and every moment of childhood, even the wild ones. So, whether we tell our little ones to hide while we wash one last dish or jump in for a little workout at the end of the day, we are ALL in this together. Parenting is hard. Let’s at least have fun while we’re at it!

Find more easy-to-understand toddler tips in the Moms on Call Toddler Book and Online Course.