We all want to encourage our toddlers’ creativity, and play is the best way to do that! But when we try to come up with creative play activities for our toddlers, we can sometimes get focused on our own creativity rather than theirs.
What Is Creative Play?
Creative play encompasses any type of play where your toddler is taking the lead in making something, pretending, or creating their own rules or guidelines for a game. The key here is that we want the kids’ creativity to be what is directing the play session, not our own.
When we think “creative play,” we often focus on ways that we as adults can get creative and come up with new activities for our kids. And there is definitely a time and place for those types of activities! Kids love the novelty, and seeing our creativity can inspire them to come up with their own creative ideas in the future. But we should also be aware that kids’ creativity thrives when we give them the space to explore their own ideas instead of doing things our way.
Think of it like this: we might feel the most creative when we think of a really cool craft for our toddler. We save cardboard tubes, cut out triangles, tape together a construction paper cone, and show them how to craft a rocket ship. But when we let kids take the lead and simply provide the materials and opportunity, they’re likely to produce something totally different. The end result may not be as Pinterest-worthy, but it will be something crafted from their own vision rather than ours. (And just to be clear, there is nothing wrong with either example! Kids learn from a mix of both adult-directed activities and creative play opportunities!)
Why Does Creative Play Matter?
Creative play builds confidence and well, creativity, in kids. They get to take the lead without being concerned about doing things the “right” way by adult standards. Since creative play is such a broad term, it includes activities that help our toddlers develop in nearly every area.
Creating things with blocks, play dough, or craft materials builds fine motor skill and lays foundations for early math skills. Creative pretend play with dolls and toys helps kids develop empathy as they think from multiple perspectives. When they use one object to represent another (i.e.e pretending a block is a car), this symbolic thinking helps lay the foundations for logical reasoning later on. Creative social play with their peers is incredibly important for developing social skills. In short, creative, child-directed play of nearly any type benefits our kids’ minds, bodies, and social development.
Creative Play Ideas for Toddlers
Remember, you don’t need to go overboard with the planning of creative play activities. Over-structured play where the adult determines the “right” way to do things is actually the opposite of creative play for toddlers! Instead, these creative play ideas are all about providing opportunities and materials for your child to explore and play with as they choose! You can model some fun way to use those materials and then let them follow their own instincts!
Open-ended Art Sessions
Don’t get us wrong – we love cutesy Pinterest crafts as much as anyone, but we also love the totally unique crafts our toddlers come up with on their own. In this case, we can help get our toddlers’ creative juices flowing by modeling ways to use the materials but not showing them a final product they need to copy. We can glue sequins, string beads, scribble with sidewalk chalk, and paint with watercolors. The toddlers will no doubt want to join in, and without a final product to work towards, they’ll get to explore their creativity and enjoy focusing on the process rather than the product! Simply demonstrate, leave all materials within their reach (unless your child would rather dump them all out), supervise for safety, and let them go!
You can also incorporate things that aren't usually used as art supplies to see how your child uses them. Sponges soaked with water can add fun effects to paintings; natural objects like rocks and sticks can be painted or incorporated into their crafts; empty spice jars can become shakers for glitter, paint rollers, or circular stamps. The possibilities are endless when you let them explore!
Peer Playdates
Unstructured play with peers is essential for kids’ development. This is how kids learn social norms and engage in complex pretend play. And don’t assume that kids who attend preschool or daycare always get enough of this type of play. They might be engaged in adult-led activities for much of the day with relatively few opportunities for unstructured play. Setting up some playdates can ensure that they get to interact with peers without adult instruction.
Of course, remember that unstructured doesn't mean no boundaries. You can and should intervene to manage inappropriate behavior and conflict. And don’t be discouraged if your young toddler seems more interested in toys than their friends. This type of play is known as “parallel play” and it’s a stepping stone towards more interactive social play. You can read more about the stages of social play in our guide, How Kids Should Play by Age!
Nature Play
Kids can’t help but engage in creative play in the great outdoors! Take advantage of the temperate fall weather to visit local municipal, state, and national parks. Trails through a forest, small rock formations, creeks and ponds are all filled with opportunities for physical play, imaginative play, and discovery. If you’re having trouble finding suitable natural locations, check out some local parent groups on Facebook. You can ask for recommendations or search past posts to learn which parks have the most natural features. And remember that even a little nature – like small parks or your own backyard –can still spark wonder and creative play!
Prepared Play Environment
The increasingly popular Montessori method is all about the “prepared environment” – a setup that lets kids choose which activities they want to do and encourages them to focus. Even without all the details on the Montessori philosophy, you can easily apply a few of the same principles in your home to encourage creative play in your toddlers.
Aim for an environment that lets kids easily see what activities are available and doesn't overwhelm them with choices. Try to minimize the clutter and focus on offering just a handful of developmental toys that promote pretend or constructive play. (Our tips on organizing your playroom and choosing developmental toys can get you started!) Try to minimize distractions like screens and overstimulating toys, and just follow your toddler’s lead! This setup enables focused, child-directed play that allows their creativity to flourish.
Remember, when it comes to true creative play ideas for toddlers, our job is to give them time, opportunity, and a few simple materials and toys. They’ll provide the creativity all on their own! Explore our entire collection of creative play toys now.