60+ Engaging Activities for 18-Month Old Toddlers

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We love free play in this household, but it is also helpful to have a list of activities for 18-month old toddlers.

Some days you may need to switch things up. Teething and toddler meltdowns can make things difficult, so a change of scene or an engaging activity really helps!

I remember the frustration that often comes at that age simply because their verbal skills aren’t yet established.

They are changing and growing at a speedy rate. It’s a lot for their little minds to handle.

These fun activities will bring some structure to the day, which can often feel long.

Fun Activities for 18-Month Old Toddlers

I’m sharing these activities from a purely fun point of view. At that age, little ones don’t need any kind of formal teaching. They’re amazingly adept at learning from their surroundings and practicing it through play.

I mean, there’s a reason that they get into a million things they’re not supposed to every day. There are a whole lot of gadgets out there that you can install to stop toddlers from getting into things they shouldn’t.

While it can be super frustrating at times, it is helpful to realize that they’re built that way in order to learn. They learn from doing, even if that doing isn’t always safe. We as parents get to guide them in a direction that’s still full of learning opportunities but won’t end up with them getting hurt.

Things Your Toddler Should Be Learning

Sometimes, social media can inundate us with information, especially as parents.

My own mom told me she believes parenting is much trickier these days with all the information being thrown at you.

You may see amazing toddler activities set up in a picture on Instagram and suddenly feel as though you’re inept as a parent.

The truth is, it is completely unnecessary to add formal learning activities to your child’s day at that age.

Is there anything wrong with doing it? No. But, do you HAVE to do it or it will be detrimental to them? Also, no.

I did absolutely no formal teaching with my son until he was close to 5, and even then, it was just a little each day.

Play is a child’s work and they will learn best if you allow them to do that.

The best things you can be doing for your child at this age are reading to them and spending lots of quality time together. Toddlers are really good at using their imaginations. We can simply give them a few simple tools to enhance learning.

If you want to set up some play-based activities for them, then by all means do!

Some things that are great for them to practice are:

Fine-motor skills
Gross motor skills
Logic
Critical thinking
Spatial reasoning
Hand-eye coordination

All of these can be encouraged with a few fun activities.

2 Things to Help With Grumpiness

One tip I wanted to mention was what to do when you have a toddler that is just absolutely miserably grumpy.

As adults, we have those days too but we’re not allowed to throw ourselves on the floor and wail so loud the neighbors can hear…

As a parent, you can feel super overwhelmed and frustrated with your toddler in those moments.

When my kids were having days like that, two things were really helpful.

Either, take them outside, or put them in water.

Better yet, take them outside and let them play in some water!

Seriously though, go for a walk, go to the backyard, or find a local playground.

If the weather is awful, run them a bath and let them play there.

There’s just something about those two things that really helps to calm little ones and take the pressure off mom or dad.

Basic Supplies to Have

Playdoh (or ingredients to make playdoh)
Painters tape
Glue
Washable Markers
Finger Paint
Toddler apron
Bins for sensory play
Pom Poms

One thing that is often mentioned is water beads, however, I don’t like to encourage them really. While they are a really fun sensory activity, they require very close supervision. Little ones have been known to swallow these beads and the result is very dangerous.

While water beads are a fun way to explore sensory activities, I would save them for when your child is more like preschool age and less likely to put things in their mouth all the time.

#1 Shape Sorting Puzzles

These are a really great introduction to puzzles. You can purchase many different versions of this, but I still love the classic shape ball.

You can sit down with your toddler and work on this together, or leave it to them to figure out.

Just be aware that some kiddos may get frustrated quickly if they can work things out. Be on hand to step in if needed.

#2 Colored Bath

Get some fun non-toxic food coloring and add it to some bath water.

Give your toddler and bunch of toys to play with and let them enjoy a fun bath time. This was the kind of activity that I found helpful when I was pregnant.

I could put my toddler in the bath and then sit in the bathroom and rest while they happily played.

#3 Go for a Walk

Toddlers love being outside. Put your toddler in their stroller and take a walk. It could be down your street or further outside of your neighborhood.

It can be enjoyable to walk in the same area every day and watch how nature changes with the seasons. You could even pick a specific tree that you know will change throughout the year. Visit it together each season and you can show your child those changes.

#4 Playdoh

My children have all loved playing with playdoh for many years now.

At 18 months, kids are often still very prone to tasting anything and everything they come into contact with. It’s a fun time.

Therefore, if you’re going to give your toddler playdoh, it’s best to look for non-toxic versions or to just make your own.

Even with homemade playdoh, I would keep an eye on them. The high salt content means you don’t want them to ingest much at all.

With all that said, playdoh is a very affordable activity and really encourages open-ended play.

#5 Washing Dishes

Now, you can set this up in a container with some plastic dishes. You could also invest in this super cute toddler sink.

Either way, your child will get so much enjoyment from washing their own dishes.

Kids very often wish to imitate what they see. It’s great to be able to give them that opportunity.

#6 Water Play

On many evenings when I had a particularly grumpy toddler and was trying to get dinner on, I would set up this activity.

Of course, they wanted to be right by me, but it wasn’t very safe when I was trying to open a steaming hot oven.

So, I would set them up in the kitchen a little way off with a little water in a container and a bunch of other plastic cups and containers.

My toddlers absolutely loved simply transferring water from one container to the next.

I did set it up on a big beach towel so that it was easy to clean up afterward.

Another option is to invest in a water table. While you will always need to supervise, I found it to be a fairly safe way for my 18-month-old toddler to play and have a great time with water.

#7 Read Together

This activity can be difficult when you have a very rambunctious toddler. However, it is so very beneficial for them. The vocabulary they’ll learn is so great and will aid in their language skills.

I’ve had toddlers who loved to snuggle on my lap while I read and others who could not be contained for more than a couple of seconds.

When it comes to the latter, I would just set up some other toys nearby that they were interested in and would read the book to them while they played.

They’re still going to get all the benefits of reading without the shared frustration.

Just don’t be surprised if they have a favorite book that they’ll want you to read over and over.

We underestimate just how powerful reading can be for our kids. It aids in imaginative play, social skills, cognitive skills, and literacy. Those times of reading to your toddler really will make an impact.

#8 Finger Painting

This is one of those sensory play ideas that I prefer to have my toddlers do outside, for obvious reasons.

However, if you are going to let them do it inside, be sure to use a plastic tablecloth and have them wear an apron to protect their clothes.

Finger painting is a wonderful sensory activity for toddlers. They can have creative freedom and enjoy playing with different colors.

#9 Water Painting

As a less messy alternative to traditional paint, you can set up water painting for your toddler.

You’ll need something that water will show up on such as a fence or concrete.

Give them a little water and a paintbrush and let them have fun “painting”.

Alternatively, little hands can work on fine motor skills by using cotton buds instead of paint brushes.

#10 Stickers

If you’re looking for indoor activities, this one will work. There’s a trick to making stickers not frustrating for toddlers. That is to remove the background of the sticker paper.

This makes it far easier for them to lift the stickers with their little fingers.

Set out a great big piece of paper for them to stick all their stickers on.

#11 Straw Drop

This is a great way to use up old formula containers. Simply create holes in the lid of an empty formula container that is big enough to fit straws through.

Give your toddler several straws and let them fit them through the holds. Not only will they be working on spatial reasoning, but this is one of those fine motor activities that they’ll learn from without even realizing.

#12 Sensory Bin

Sensory bins can be used over and over again. Invest in a few of them so that you can keep things interesting for your toddler.

There are a seemingly endless number of themes and ideas with which to create sensory bins.

You can use pantry items such as beans or rice and then place several toys inside for your toddler to play with. It is one of the best activities for allowing young toddlers to explore different textures.

Take a look at a few sensory bin ideas here.

#13 Car Wash

If you’re outdoors, create a car wash station for your toddler.

You’ll just need a few toy cars, a scrubbing brush, and some water. If you’re not afraid of a little dirt then add some mud into the mix.

#14 Card Drop

Similarly to the straw drop activity, you can make this one out of any kind of old empty container.

You can then give your 18-month-old a few playing cards and they can have fun dropping them into the container.

This is much better than them dropping toilet rolls into the toilet, right?

#15 Water Mat

My toddlers loved this style of water mat! It’s such a fun sensory experience for them with absolutely no mess involved.

Set this up near where you’re working on whatever and your toddler will have fun playing while feeling secure and close to you still.

#16 Fun Fridge Magnets

I cannot tell you how many hours my children have spent sitting on the kitchen floor in front of the fridge playing with fridge magnets.

As long as you invest in some high-quality, toddler-safe magnets, this is a great activity.

They will have so much fun playing and setting up magnets the way they want to.

#17 Cardboard Box Washing

This is fun to do outdoors but can also be done indoors if you lay down a towel or tarp first.

Give your toddler a cardboard box, some water, and some sponges.

Show them how to “wash” the box and then leave them to it.

They’ll likely wash it for a while but then end up playing in the box before long.

#18 Stacking

This ring-stacker and a really great activity for 18-month-olds. They get exposed to color recognition and also shapes.

It’s a classic toddler toy that’s well worth having in your toy stash.

#19 Ice Cube Scoop

This is an activity that you can very easily set up at home. All you need are some household items: two containers, a scooper (can just be a large serving spoon), and ice cubes.

Put water in both containers and the ice cubes in just one of them.

Let your toddler have fun scooping the ice cubes from one container to the next. It’s a simple activity that will keep them occupied for a good long while.

#20 Washable Markers (or Crayons) in a Box

You may be terrified of your toddler having access to markers or crayons. However, there are safe ways to make it happen.

Just be sure to invest in washable markers or crayons.

Next, get a large cardboard box that your toddler can comfortably sit in. Hand them the markers/crayons and let them have fun decorating the box.

More Activity Ideas

Most of the activities I’ve listed above aren’t ones that require a whole lot of set up. I also like activities to be open-ended in the sense that your toddler can use their imagination to create without any set activity boundaries.

For activities that have more of a direct educational focus, take a look at the linked posts.

Final Thoughts

Young children are such a blessing but no one will say that it’s easy raising them. Maybe you need a bit of a break, or maybe you want to be a bit more intentional about the different activities you provide for your 18-month-old.

Regardless of the reason, these simple activities are sure to bring lots of fun without a whole ton of work.

Sensory activities are always a good place to start and there are different ways to make them work well for your home. Not everything has to be messy!

However, if this all just feels too overwhelming, remember that one of the most important things you can give your toddler is quality time. Snuggling them up or just watching them play will make them feel so loved and secure.

60+ Engaging Activities for 18-Month Old Toddlers

Fun Activities for 18-Month Old Toddlers

Things Your Toddler Should Be Learning

2 Things to Help With Grumpiness