Ever watched your tot stare longingly at their older sibling’s world of bikes, board games, and all things “big kid,” while clinging to a stuffed rabbit with one hand and a half-eaten cracker in the other?
Welcome to that magical parenting stage where your little one’s ambition has outstripped their fine motor skills by a mile.
Good news: with a little creativity (and a lot of patience), you can let your toddler feel like they’re keeping up with the cool crowd—without risking a trip to A&E or a catastrophic glitter spill.
Why Toddlers Crave Big Kid Activities
Toddlers are notorious for their “I do it!” phase—and who can blame them? They’re watching older siblings, cousins, and neighbours tackle everything from board games to baking, and naturally, they want in on the action.
According to child development experts, this desire is rooted in a drive to imitate, learn, and assert independence. The trick is finding ways for them to get involved without turning your kitchen into a flour-dusted war zone.
Board Games That Won’t End in Tears (Yours or Theirs)
Big kid board games tend to require patience, rules, and a suspicious amount of counting. Toddlers, meanwhile, have the attention span of a goldfish with a caffeine habit.
Cue: “toddler-ized” versions of family favourites.
Try games with chunky pieces and simple concepts. Think First Orchard, which is all about matching colours and taking turns. Or adapt an old classic—turn Connect Four into “drop the discs and cheer whenever one lands properly.”
Everyone’s a winner, and no one’s keeping score (thank heavens).
You can even make your own game out of coloured blocks or cards. The only real rule: everyone must clap dramatically when the toddler makes a “move.”
Baking Together Without Needing a Hazmat Suit
Baking is one of those big kid dreams—so much mess, so much glory. While you might want to delay soufflés for a few years, simple recipes are well within a toddler’s reach.
Set up safe, manageable tasks such as pouring pre-measured ingredients, stirring batter, or decorating biscuits. Silicone spatulas, plastic bowls, and a little patience make all the difference.
Yes, flour will fly. Yes, fingers will be licked. That’s half the fun.
Try “no-bake” recipes: roll cereal balls, spread cream cheese on rice cakes, or make fruit kabobs. Toddlers can poke, roll, and squish to their heart’s content—and you won’t spend the evening chiselling burnt sugar off the oven.
Arts and Crafts Without Destroying Your Home
Big kid art projects can look like a Jackson Pollock tribute gone wrong when a toddler joins in. Fear not. There’s a way to satisfy even the most creative tot.
Set up a craft zone with washable markers, fat crayons, stickers, and chunky glue sticks. Skip the glitter unless you fancy finding sparkles in your tea for the next eight months.
Try painting with water on construction paper—toddlers get all the joy of “real” painting, minus the cleanup.
If your older child is making friendship bracelets, let your toddler string large pasta onto shoelaces or create their own “jewellery” from pipe cleaners.
Everyone’s busy. No one has glued their sibling to the carpet (today).
Bike Rides and Scooter Adventures (Tiny Edition)
Big kid wheels—now there’s a rite of passage. For little ones eager to join the neighbourhood peloton, balance bikes and three-wheeled scooters are your secret weapons.
Balance bikes—essentially bikes without pedals—let toddlers learn coordination at their own pace. They can walk, toddle, or scoot as confidence builds.
If you’re in the UK, Islabikes makes tiny bikes built for even the littlest legs. For scooters, look for those with wide bases and adjustable handles.
Don’t forget the helmet. Yes, they’ll look like a bobblehead. Adorable and safe? That’s a win.
Miniature Chores for Maximum Pride
Few things make a toddler puff up with pride like “helping” with grown-up tasks.
Sure, their “help” may involve watering the same houseplant five times or enthusiastically wiping down a window with a tissue. Still, these are real learning moments.
Hand over a miniature broom, a spray bottle of water, or a basket for clean socks. Invite them to “sort” laundry by colours or “fold” facecloths. Give them a small watering can for the garden.
The results may not be Instagram-worthy, but the sense of importance is real.
Involving toddlers in chores supports responsibility and boosts their self-esteem, according to research from the University of Minnesota’s Child Development Institute.
Sports and Outdoor Games That Level the Playing Field
The next time your older child sets up a backyard football match, don’t resign your toddler to the sidelines. There’s a way to involve even the wobbliest kicker.
Swap out full-size gear for soft balls and pint-sized goals. Modify the game: instead of “football,” try “kick the ball and shout hooray.” Or invent your own rules—toddlers excel at making up games, so let them lead.
If you’re at the playground, work as a team: your toddler can push toy dump trucks through the sand while the big kids dig, or take turns sliding (with you close by, arms ready to catch).
Story Time That’s Actually Interactive
Big kids love chapter books and epic tales. Toddlers, meanwhile, are notorious for interrupting every other sentence with, “What’s that?” or “Why?”
The solution: stories designed for participation.
Choose books with flaps, textures, or sound buttons.
Try storytelling apps like Novel Effect, which adds music and sound effects as you read aloud. Or, make up stories together—let your toddler choose the hero or decide what happens next.
For family story time, invite your toddler to “read” a favourite book in their own words, or act out scenes with soft toys. Everyone feels included, and you might just discover your little one’s hidden talent for dramatic pauses.
Crafting “Big Kid” Parties They Can Attend
Birthday parties and playdates often revolve around activities that leave toddlers in the dust—pin the tail, sack races, or crafts with tiny beads.
Hosting? Create a toddler-friendly zone.
Offer a bubble machine, a colouring table with chunky crayons, or soft building blocks. If there’s a scavenger hunt, make a toddler version: “Find the red ball,” “Show me a teddy bear.”
Toddlers can feel part of the action, even if the “prize” is a biscuit and extra balloon.
If you’re attending a big kid party, pack a “busy bag” with stickers, snacks, and a small toy. That’s your sanity-saver.
Screen Time Siblings Can Share
Older kids beg for the latest games or movies. Toddlers often want to join—sometimes with less-than-ideal results (“I pressed all the buttons, Mummy!”).
To keep the peace, look for apps and shows designed to engage multiple ages.
Try collaborative games like Toca Boca apps, where toddlers can tap, drag, and laugh right alongside older siblings.
For family viewing, choose gentle shows like “Bluey” or “Sarah & Duck,” which amuse everyone without questionable jokes or endless explosions.
Keep screens short and sweet—then send everyone outside before you melt into the sofa.
Building Big Kid Confidence, Toddler Style
Every time you adapt a grown-up activity for your toddler, you’re feeding their sense of confidence and belonging.
They see themselves as capable, valued members of the family—even if their “pancakes” are really just squished bananas on toast.
Try not to get too hung up on tidiness, rules, or results. Give your toddler real materials, real tools (plastic knives, child-safe scissors, mini brooms), and real roles.
The more you trust them to try, the more they’ll grow.
Finding Joy in the Chaos
The magic of toddlerhood is in these attempts to “do it like the big kids”—even when the results are messy, noisy, or entirely unexpected.
Every wobbly bike ride, flour-dusted apron, or lopsided tower is a reminder that your little one is learning at lightning speed.
Will your house be tidy? Unlikely. Will you need to rewash half the laundry? Almost certainly.
But you just might find that small hands make the sweetest memories.
And isn’t that what being a family is all about?
