12 Exciting Group Activities For Your Toddler

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Life isn’t so easy when you have a hyperactive child at home. Group activities for toddlers are what you need to keep them engaged productively, especially when they are with a large group of people. If your toddler’s summer vacations are near or they like to spend time on playdates, group activities and games are fun ways to help them stay fit, boost their socialization skills, and make them learn while they are with friends. If you have run out of ideas to get your toddler involved in constructive activities, here are some interesting ideas to help you out. Read this post to know more.

In This Article

1. Passing the ball

Passing-the-ball, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

All toddlers love exploration and experimentation. Playing with a ball is a simple yet effective way to make them explore the world around them. This game is sure to be a hit. It is a very easy game where a group of toddlers stand in a small circle and pass the ball to each other. As the toddler passes the ball to the next person, he learns to interact and share in a group.

2. Painting together

Painting, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

Colors are a toddler’s best friend. Involve your little one and his gang in some painting activity. This classic art activity will increase their knowledge of different colors. It will also help nurture their motor skills and creativity!

protip_icon Quick fact
Participating in painting activities and interacting with others can help toddlers develop self-confidence and social skills that can benefit other areas of their lives.

3. Planting a tree together

Planting a tree together, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

Why not involve your toddler in an outdoor play activity that not only spells fun but also serves as a learning experience? Take your little darling and his friends out into your garden and help them plant a sapling. The exercise will help toddlers realize the importance of planting trees and saving the environment early on in their lives.

An anonymous blogger named BB shares an experience where she attended her husband’s book event. She and her husband helped children plant trees. She narrates, “Lastly and most importantly, we had the tree planting activity. PP (husband) at this stage completely shook off his shyness and got into the groove of what he loves doing the most- planting. PP and BB then helped all the kids fill a pot each with soil and plant the Pongamia seeds (i).”

4. Hide and seek

Hide-and-seek, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

It is a classic game and a popular one too! You toddler can play this in a large as well as a small group. In this game, one toddler has to close his eyes and start counting while others hide. Now the toddler has to seek his hidden friends.

protip_icon Do remember
It might be best to play the game indoors, where you can always keep an eye on them if there are a lot of toddlers around. Leaving a big group of toddlers free to hide outside can be risky.

5. Dance

Dancing, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

You can play your little one’s favorite number and let his friends hit the dance floor. This physical activity for toddlers will not only increase their confidence but also bring out their hidden talents. It also provides bonding time and lets toddlers familiarize with each other.  You never know that your toddler may turn out to be the next Michael Jackson! So all the moms let your toddlers dance, and you can also let your hair loose and shake a leg with your little darling. You can also teach them a specific movement and see how much they can follow.

protip_icon Quick tip
Include a range of dancing activities, such as the chicken dance, the freeze dance, and I’m a tiny teapot dance, since these activities aid in the toddler’s development of significant motor skills, balance, coordination, and rhythm (5).

6. Who will eat first?

Who will eat first? game as group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

Make all the toddlers sit together at the dining table and serve them a bowl of fruit salad each. Ask them to finish it as quickly as they can. Reward the toddler who finishes it first. The ‘healthy’ competition will help inculcate table manners in the young ones.

7. Singing nursery rhymes together

Singing nursery rhymes, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

It is one of the best group activities for toddlers. It not only offers sheer entertainment but also improves their memory as they learn some amazing nursery rhymes for toddlers in a fun way! If they like this activity, you can even engage them in storytelling and role-playing games.

[ Read: Free Apps For Toddlers ]

8. Pretending

Pretend play or fantasy games, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

Tickle your toddler’s imagination by playing some fantasy game with him and his gang. Tell them to act like different animals in a jungle and watch them go wild! Such pretend play activities also develop the social and emotional skills of toddlers.

9. Musical chair

Musical chairs, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

The game is an eternal favorite among children across different age groups. Let all the toddlers run around the chairs while you play the music. Let them grab a seat when the music stops. This is one of the best fun toddler group activities that will make them proactive & alert.

10. The run-around

Run-around games, group activities for toddlers

Image: Shutterstock

In this game, your toddler will need to give different instructions to his friends. For example, he can ask them to run and touch the tree, go and touch the table or a window, etc. All the other toddlers will need to follow his orders. This outdoor game for toddlers helps develop listening and communication skills in toddlers and teaches them to be obedient.

11. Playdough exploration

Playdough exploration

Image: Shutterstock

Playing with playdough not only sparks creativity but also enhances muscle strength and fine motor skills (1). Encourage toddlers to experiment with the playdough, introducing techniques like rolling or flattening. Discuss the sensory aspect while emphasizing the fact that it is not for eating. This art activity for toddlers fosters imaginative creation, expanding their creativity over time.

12. Ice cube transfer

Ice cube transfer

Image: Shutterstock

The ice cube transfer activity provides a delightful learning experience in both indoor and outdoor settings. Set up a large tub with two smaller ones — one with ice cubes and water, the other empty. Equip toddlers with a measuring cup or spoon as they engage in scooping and transferring. Not only is this activity great for fostering teamwork, but it is also a fun sensory activity that can help young toddlers develop fine motor skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why are group activities important for toddlers?

Group activities have shown proven results in developing peer feelings among children. Group and turn-taking activities build the spirit of teamwork among toddlers as they learn to focus on a common goal. Also, group activities involve physical activities that keep them mentally and physically fit and teach them the value of sharing (2).

2. What are the benefits of small group activities?

Small group activities allow you to meet children and get introduced to activities with the right level of difficulty. Such group activities make way for the child to ask questions and help the child to find answers. So, they inculcate problem-solving skills. You can even customize the activities and follow your child’s interests (3).

3. Do children learn better in groups?

When it comes to a group study, there is an increased chance of understanding the subject better with better decision-making power. Children learning in groups also know about important social issues and how to solve them. It fosters healthy relationships in the classroom and makes learning enjoyable (4).

Toddlers love engaging in fun games, sensory play, and activities such as running, hide-and-seek, musical chairs, and painting. These activities promote motor and coordination skills and aid in the development of several life skills too. They also facilitate kids to cooperate in a social setting. So, why wait? This list of fun group activities for toddlers is just what you need to plan a day of exciting and engaging activities for your little one and their friends. Choose activities as per your toddler’s preferences and age to make their weekends and playtimes super fun. The games will also let them strike a friendship with others.

Infographic: Unique Activities For Toddlers

Toddlers have high energy levels and channelizing it can be challenging. Also, it is crucial to engage them in activities that entertain and engage them and also help in their overall development. So give this infographic a read to learn about interesting group activities that help build your toddler’s motor and social skills.

group activities to engage your toddler (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

  • Building confidence and social skills is facilitated through interaction with other toddlers.
  • Group activities such as pretending, musical chairs, and singing rhymes together can enhance interactive skills and promote collaboration.
  • Participating in tree plantation with other toddlers can promote adaptability and raise awareness about the importance of environmental safety.
  • Engaging in such activities can foster social engagement while showcasing their natural abilities, talents, and creativity.

Illustration: Exciting Group Activities For Toddlers

Group Activities For Toddler_illustration

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Personal Experience: Source

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
  1. Playdough activities: children 3-6 years
    https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/activity-guides/making-and-building/playdough-activities
  2. Importance of group activities for kids
    https://www.bgctx.org/blog/Importance-of-Group-Activities-For-Kids
  3. From circle time to small groups: Meeting children’s needs
    https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/apr2020/circle-time-small-groups#:~:text=Smaller%20groups%2C%20deeper%20learning&text=Differentiated%20learning%3A%20Children%20come%20toof%20challenging%20for%20each%20child.
  4. Benefits of group study
    https://www.jbcnschool.edu.in/blog/benefits-of-group-study/#:~:text=When%20it%20comes%20to%20studyinginfluence%20of%20the%20peer%20group.
  5. The importance of music and movement
    https://www.chhs.niu.edu/child-center/resources/articles/music-and-movement.shtml#:~:text=Explore%20cause%20and%20effect,plays%20and%20playing%20musical%20instruments
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Elisa Yi
Elisa YiEarly childhood educator
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