Simple and fun activities for children of different ages

From a young age, children are naturally curious and have a constant thirst to discover the world around them. They are always ready to touch, see, smell, listen and taste new things. 

To support their desire to explore, it is essential that the adults around them – whether parents, childminders or other caregivers – help them grow and develop. At 2 years old, children are often full of energy and constantly seeking new experiences.

It can be difficult to find educational activities and fun at the same time for these young explorers. Here are some ideas for activities that will allow children to flourish, develop their skills and have fun while creating a pleasant and stimulating environment.

Importance of activities with your children

Doing activities with your children is more than just a hobby; it is essential for their development and happiness. Here's why these moments are so precious:

• Strengthens family ties:

Spending time together strengthens family relationships. Whether you play, create or explore, these shared moments create lasting memories and solidify the emotional bonds between you and your children.

• Development of social interaction:

Group activities help children learn to interact with others. By playing with their peers or participating in family projects, they learn to share, cooperate and resolve conflicts, while developing their empathy.

• Help to better manage emotions:

Playtime allows children to manage their emotions in a positive way. Whether by expending energy or relaxing, these activities help them better manage their feelings and develop emotional regulation mechanisms.

• Stimulates creativity:

Activities such as drawing, crafts or imaginative play allow children to explore their creativity. This gives them the opportunity to think differently, create new things and express their ideas.

• Improves motor development:

Active games and sports are great for improving coordination and balance. They help children develop their fine and gross motor skills, while providing a fun way to exercise.

• Helps to learn while having fun:

Play is a natural learning method for children. Fun activities, such as puzzles or role-playing games, teach them important concepts while having fun, making learning more engaging.

• Encourages problem solving:

Building challenges and games push children to think and problem-solve. These activities teach them to plan, analyze and find creative solutions.

• Builds self-confidence:

Succeeding in an activity, whether an artistic project or a sporting game, boosts children's self-esteem. By completing tasks and receiving encouragement, they feel valued and confident.

• Provides some structure and routine:

Regular activities provide some structure to the day. They help establish routines, which provide a sense of security and predictability, essential for children's emotional well-being.

• Create happy memories:

Fun activities together leave precious memories. These shared moments become happy memories that strengthen relationships and bring joy to the whole family.

19 simple activity ideas to do with your little angels

To entertain children aged 2 and over with simple activities using everyday objects, here are some practical and original ideas:

1- Handling and transfer

 Little ones love having fun pouring and moving objects from one container to another. You can use empty tissue boxes, cardboard boxes or bottles for this game. Fill them with items like caps, seeds, uncooked pasta or tokens. 

If you are using materials like rice or semolina, it is best to do so outside to avoid damage. Otherwise, place a large sheet or tarp under where the children are playing. A coffee table, a bin or a tray will do very well for this activity.

2- Games with toilet paper rolls

Toilet paper rolls are very useful for creating fun games and activities. For example, you can cut them into sections and allow children to string them onto a support such as a paper towel holder or a piece of wood attached vertically. This helps children work on their fine motor skills while entertaining them.

These types of activities are perfect for stimulating children's curiosity while using objects you already have at home.

3- Using yogurt pots

Yogurt pots, whether large or small and in different colors, can be transformed into fun building tools. Children can stack, assemble and create various structures. You can also encourage them to build with pots of the same color, such as only red pots.

4- Musical workshop with everyday objects

For a simple musical activity, but fun, gather pans, wooden spoons, plastic boxes and let the children use them as instruments. They will have fun creating rhythms and sounds, transforming the kitchen into a real fanfare. 

Planning a specific time for this activity will allow you to fully enjoy the pleasure without the noise becoming too intrusive.

5- Sensory bins for exploration

Sensory bins are fascinating play spaces where children can touch, explore and invent stories. Filled with a variety of materials, these bins allow little ones to discover different textures and explore their creativity while having fun.

6- Water games

With the arrival of fine weather, the outdoor activities are particularly refreshing. Invite the children to play with a basin of water and various accessories such as spoons, ladles and bottles. They can fill, pour and splash as they please. For extra play, make ice cubes in advance by putting small toys in them before freezing them. Children can then have fun freeing the characters trapped in the ice.

These activities offer moments of pleasure and discovery while using common objects you have at home.

7- Tear and tear

Gather different types of paper like sheets of paper, newspaper, crepe paper or aluminum foil. Let the children have fun tearing these papers into small pieces. The sound of tearing papers is often very entertaining for them, and this activity helps them concentrate while handling the pieces of paper.

8- Sorting games

For example, you can take an egg carton or muffin tins and offer a sorting game. Ask the child to fill the compartments with various small objects you have at home, such as nuts, pebbles, acorns or pompoms. You can also use colorful elements like beads, tokens or markers to make the game even more interesting.

9- Prints with paint

Use paint to make prints of fruits and vegetables. Each fruit or vegetable will leave a different imprint, which allows the child to discover new shapes. 

It’s also an opportunity to let him try fruits or vegetables that he’s never tried. You can also make prints with toys like Legos or Playmobil.

10- Activities with stickers

Stickers are ideal for creative activities. And yes! They help children develop their fine motor skills while providing a fun way to express their creativity.

11- Creation of puppets

Why not make some DIY puppets from old socks? Great idea, right? Add eyes and a mouth to bring them to life. Children will love personalizing their puppets and, if they are older, they can participate in the creation.

12- Yoga

You can also create moments of relaxation with hugs, caresses and tickles. Use accessories like feathers or soft fabrics to explore different parts of the child’s body. Place it comfortably on a rug or sofa with soft music playing in the background.

These activities not only entertain children, but also promote their development while using common and easy-to-find objects.

13- Create a treasure box

Collect various items you have at home in a box or basket to create a treasure box. You can organize them by theme, like specific colors, different textures, or even by a particular season or occasion. 

You can also just use whatever you have on hand. Let children explore and manipulate these objects to stimulate their curiosity and sense of touch. Here are some ideas for items to include:

• Bottle stoppers
• Small plastic pots
• Keyring
• Glitter
• Glass marbles
• Small figurines
• Business cards
• Decorative adhesive tapes
• Wallpaper samples
• Empty jewelry boxes
• Buttons
• Stones or pebbles
• Tags
• Clips or fasteners
• Small metal objects (like keys or screws)
• Wooden building blocks
• Pieces of shells

These varied objects offer a wide range of textures, shapes and materials to stimulate curiosity in children.

14- Games with blankets and sheets

Use a blanket to build a playhouse where children can hide and play. The cabins are always a hit and often bring back fond childhood memories. 

You can also use a sheet to do a little trick: place the child on the sheet on the floor, hold one end of the sheet and gently pull it to slide the child around the house.

15- Table of nature

During your walks, collect natural treasures like sticks, pine cones, flowers, pebbles or leaves. Come home and create a special table for these finds. You can provide pots so that the child can sort and organize their treasures as they wish.

16- The timeless sensory bottles

Create sensory bottles with small containers. You can fill them with various items that you have at home or in your garden, such as solid foods, water, oil, food coloring, rice, pasta, semolina, pompoms, soil, flowers or glitter. Vary textures, colors and sounds to stimulate the senses children. Involve them in creating these bottles for an even more engaging activity.

These simple activities allow children to discover, explore and have fun while fostering unforgettable moments with you.

17- Manipulating modeling clay

Whether it's homemade modeling clay, salt dough or store-bought clay, children enjoy playing with it. This activity is great for relaxing because they can knead, create, tear or cut the dough. Older children can also create characters or objects, stimulating their imagination.

18- Prepare simple recipes suitable for children

Preparing simple recipes with children is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen while providing a fun and educational experience. Here are some easy, child-friendly recipe ideas:

• Mini-pizzas :

Ingredients : Hamburger buns or rolls, tomato sauce, grated cheese, toppings of your choice (ham, vegetables, etc.).

Preparation : The children spread the tomato sauce on the buns, add the cheese and their favorite toppings. Bake until the cheese melts.

• Funny sandwiches:

Ingredients : Sliced ​​bread, butter, ham, cheese, vegetables (like tomatoes or cucumbers).

Preparation : Kids can spread the bread, add toppings and cut the sandwiches into fun shapes with cookie cutters.

• Fruit skewers:

Ingredients : Fresh fruits (like strawberries, bananas, grapes, etc.).

Preparation : Children skewer pieces of fruit onto wooden skewers to create their own fruit combinations.

• Yogurt :

Ingredients : Plain or flavored yogurt, fresh or stewed fruit, granola or cereals.

Preparation : Children layer yogurt, fruit and granola in glasses to create parfaits.

• Easy Pancakes:

Ingredients : Pancake mix (ready to use), eggs, milk.

Preparation : The children mix the ingredients for the pancake batter. You can help them cook them and let them top their pancakes with fruit, chocolate or syrup.

• Popcorn maison :

Ingredients : Corn kernels to pop, a little oil.

Preparation : Children can pour the corn kernels into a large saucepan with a little oil. You can help them shake the pan while cooking.

• Vegetable sticks:

Ingredients : Carrots, cucumbers, peppers cut into sticks, hummus or natural yogurt for dipping.

Preparation : The children prepare the vegetables into sticks and dip them in the dip of their choice.

These recipes are not only easy to prepare but they also allow children to actively participate, learn the basics of cooking and discover new flavors while having fun.