25 Great Frugal Spring Activities for Toddlers

FRUGAL SPRING ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS

When the weather starts to warm, and you are itching to get outside, it can be daunting to figure out how to keep your toddler entertained. In honor of Winter slowly fading away, I have compiled a list of our favorite activities.

Today I am talking about 25 frugal Spring activities for toddlers. These are all inexpensive (or totally free!) activities that will give your child hours of entertainment. Happy Spring!

1. Sidewalk water painting – This spring activity for toddlers is totally free! Take some paint brushes and a bowl of water and let your toddler paint the sidewalk or driveway! you can practice naming shapes or counting, or just let your kiddo be creative all on their own!
2. Play dress up in daddy & mommy’s closet – Let them wear Dad’s giant hat or try to walk in Mom’s shoes. See what combinations they put together while creating memories for both of you!
3. Disco bubble bath with glow sticks – Break some glow sticks and drop them in the bath. Turn off the lights and let your kiddo explore!
4. Backyard color safari – search for brown leaves, red berries, blue dog bowl, etc…! This activity is great for working on colors, counting, and even vocabulary!
5. Bake together – Toddlers love to be included, so have them join in when you make a batch of cookies. This doesn’t have to be an everyday thing, but it is a fantastic learning experience! My son and I bake together every week or two. I start by measuring out all of the ingredients into separate containers. When he gets older, I’ll have him help me measure as well. We use a learning tower, but you can definitely use a step stool (or even bring the ingredients down to their level) to help your child see and reach over the counter. He helps me dump, pour, and mix ingredients together. It is a slow (and often messy!) process, but he has so much fun! I truly believe we are creating memories he can take with him when he is grown. He can work on fine and gross motor skills by rolling the dough, sprinkling cinnamon, or placing each cookie on the baking sheet. You can show your child the hot oven, and teach them about boundaries and keeping themselves safe. Plus, that nifty little light inside can allow a sneak peak at your baking goodies.
6. Plant a garden – Teach your little one about how plants grow. Getting them involved in the process of creating their own food make toddlers more eager to try different fruits and veggies. Let them dig, drop seeds, and then water their garden daily.
7. Cook together – if it already sounds too messy, know this: toddlers make messes! But allowing them to join in your daily activities keeps them occupied, helps them learn to share, wait, work on gross motor skills, and about the importance of healthy eating. You’ve got to get dinner on the table anyways, why not have them help? They’ll feel included, be entertained (i.e.: not getting into trouble elsewhere) and you’re making memories in the process. Just remember to be patient, use shatterproof bowls, and repeatedly teach the importance of paying attention around hot or sharp cooking equipment. I like to have my son help with crockpot meals. He can help assemble all of the ingredients, and feels involved. Afterward, I can pop the ceramic bowl into the heating element without worrying about him getting burnt.

1. Check out a local pool or splash pad – Our gym has a fantastic indoor pool that we can use in the cooler months. We also found a splash pad at a nearby park that we can use at no cost. Research in your area to find available water play.
2. Take a walk – We take walks daily, and it has really increased the amount of time I spend outside, which I am so thankful for! We dress for the weather, so rain, snow, or shine, we get outside. This is great exercise, it gives you a chance to explore and talk with your kiddos, and it costs nothing! If there are no sidewalks or safe areas to walk by your home, try a local park or gym. You can also check out your local mall. Many have play areas for small children, and are great for walking indoors.
3. Get a bubble machine – for $30, this little machine gave us countless hours of entertainment last spring. My son is already asking for bubbles again this year!
4. Check out a playground nearby. There is a great park near our house with a playground that we visit often, come springtime. To mix things up, I also like to take my son to playgrounds a little farther away. This is so that he can try different equipment, and doesn’t get bored of the same playground.
5. Sidewalk Chalk – Chalk is inexpensive, and can provide hours of fun! The best part is there is no clean up! It will wash away the next time it rains .
6. Park near a construction site – if your little one is anything like mine, they LOVE diggers, dumptrucks, trash trucks, and bulldozers! A totally free activity I take advantage of is to (safely!) park near construction sites and spend 10-15 minutes watching the machines at work. My son points out all of the different equipment, babbling about everything happening. He loves to comment on the progress of the site each time we drive by.
7. Look for festivals in your area – When the warm weather arrives, fairs and festivals are a great way to let your kiddo explore without a big price tag. Many have no entry fee, so if you pack snacks or lunch, you can get away with not spending a dime!
8. YouTube yoga – find a kid-friendly yoga class on YouTube and join in on the fun with your little one!
9. Coloring – My toddler LOVES to color! Instead of coloring books, I save cardboard boxes and use painters tape to tape designs all over it. This allow for multiple coloring sessions.
10. Create a sensory bin – this easy activity takes no time to put together. You just need a plastic tub (I like this one) and a filler, such as pompoms, rice, beans, water, or kinetic sand. Add in some items to explore (sea creature toys, fake flowers, trucks and cars, etc…) and let your kiddo explore. The different textures are great for learning and you can use the activity to work on vocabulary, colors, or counting.
11. Get a library card – Many local libraries have a story time or sing along that are free for members. Our occasionally has toddler friendly events that they advertise around town. It is a great way to experience something new for free, and you may even meet some friends while there!
12. Play with PlayDoh – This is a low cost way to have fun over and over again. We have this set, which is great for cutting, rolling, and creating shapes.
13. Have a picnic outdoors – Take your lunch or snack outside for the day. You and your kiddo can play I Spy or just hang out in the sunshine.
14. Build a fort – Inside or outside, this spring activity for toddlers doesn’t cost a thing and will certainly bring out your kiddo’s creative side!
15. Go for a hike – Take you toddler on a low-stakes hike around a nearby park or lake.
16. Fly a kite – My father in law loves taking our kiddo out and flying a kite together. It is wonderful to see them bond, and the kites are pretty inexpensive.
17. Go for a bike ride – Our son is obsessed with his tricycle, which he pedals in our driveway. We also have friends who love taking their daughter for family bike rides, using an attachable bike seat.
18. Build an obstacle course – This can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be! Use hoola hoops to create a path to jump through, or painter’s tape to create a ‘balance beam’ on the floor. You can use tunnels for crawling or tape streamers on the ceiling for them to run through.

These frugal spring activities for toddlers are low-prep and so much fun! For tips on getting your toddler to clean up after these activities, click here! Let me know in the comments what your favorite spring activity for toddlers is!