Top 10 Toddler Activity Supplies You Need Today

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’ve decided to try a new activity with your toddler. You want to set it up, so you open up the post of the idea you saw. Just as you are getting ready to dive in, you realize you don’t have what you need.

This has happened to me, too! When I first began doing learning and play activities with my toddler, I’d find I was missing some important supplies. I quickly built up my resources, though, and haven’t looked back!

1. Food Coloring

If I had to pick ONE single item to keep in my activity closet, give me my food coloring. Something about being able to create colors in activities just keeps things exciting for your toddlers. I use these almost every single day. The old school liquid ones are my favorite because they are washable, easy to mix, and cheap!

2. Baking Soda

If you had told me 15 years ago that I would go through bags and bags of baking soda in my 30s, I would have laughed in your face. But we use it, all. the. time. Using vinegar with the baking soda makes things fizz, and my toddler (and basically every toddler ever) is obsessed with it!

3. Vinegar

We use this to react with the baking soda. Doesn’t smell amazing but man does it make cool reactions!

4. Washable Paint

I’m honestly kind of amazed at how often we break out the paint. I would say at least every other day. Whether I’m mixing something into it, letting the kids paint outside, or doing an art project on cardboard, we use it. Lots of it.

5. Paint Brushes

While this seems obvious, I would say go for the paint brushes with thick handles that are easier for toddlers to hold. They also make some other cool painting brushes and rollers that make cool designs.

6. Rice

For some reason rice is one of the best sensory activities of all time. It hurts like hell when you walk on it, but darn it if it isn’t fun and extremely addicting.

7. Stickers

We love stickers! Matching games, decorating, stamping, you name it. Stickers make any game fun for toddlers.

8. Painter’s Tape

You can tape off a mural to paint, create shapes on the floor or wall, tape toys down, hang things, etc. The options are endless and we use it so much!

9. Washable Markers

I know. I know. Why not crayons or colored pencils? Well, because my toddler frankly just doesn’t like them as much. And because he doesn’t like them as much, we rarely use them. Markers, however? Get out of the way, toddler coming through! We use these to trace numbers, letters, draw, create maps, trace our bodies, etc.

10. Small Plastic Toys/Animals

Adding small dinosaurs/bears/animals/people to any activity almost always makes it more fun. Plastic because they are washable and will last forever. Small because you can do so much more with them!

The Last Thing You Need to Know About Supplies

Listen up. You don’t need to buy everything at once. You don’t!

Chances are, if you do, a lot of it will go to waste. This is because your kids might be interested in different activities than you had originally planned. But you won’t know until you start. So, get a few supplies–some essentials. Buy as you go and you’ll be able to figure out what you really need and what really matters to your kids. If you do that, you’ll find yourself with an activity closet bursting at the seams, just like me, soon enough!