This is very similar to our outdoor ice painting activity, but it’s nice to know that my toddler still loves it in the winter when we’re stuck inside! **This post may contain affiliate links. A small commission may be earned.**
One of the best parts about this activity is how fast it is to set up and how long my toddler stays occupied with it! Last week I did it with my 3.5 year old daughter. It took me less than 5 minutes to set up and she played for over 30 minutes by herself. I did have to empty her ice and give her new ice once, but it was still worth the 30+ minutes of time.
Easy to Set Up Toddler Activities
Whether you are just looking to sit in peace for 30 minutes or you are working on something, you don’t have to rely on screen time to make that happen. When my daughter was 2 and I had a newborn baby, I hated how much I relied on the screen. I think there can be a time and place for it, especially if your village is small like mine, but I also know the feeling of not wanting to have them constantly sitting in front of the screen.
I started creating and setting up activities for my daughter when she was about 2.5. I was still overwhelmed with my 2 under 3 life, but wanted to find simple activities that would entertain my daughter that didn’t create huge messes that made my life even harder. Some of my favorites at the younger age were Hide and Seek Shapes, Mess Free painting, and Ping Pong Scoop. These are all great indoor activities to do with younger toddlers to give yourself a break.
Ice Painting:
The first time we did ice painting we did it outside and right when my daughter turned 3. I think it’s a great activity for a 2 year old (but I would definitely start outside for an easier clean up). Now that my daughter is a little older and we have been doing activities for over a year, I have a little more confidence in her ability to keep her mess contained to the activity (most of the time).
What you need:
– Cake Tin or Shallow Tupperware
– Ice (I use our ice maker in the freezer but you could freeze ice in bowls or cupcake tins too)
– Paint (any paint will work, we just use tempera paint)
– Paintbrushes
– Paint Palettes
- Fill your cake tin with ice.
- Put paints into your palette
- Let your toddler paint the ice
- Once there is too much water in the tin or your toddler has covered all the ice, you can refill and let them continue to paint.
That’s it! This is seriously such a simple activity that your toddler will have so much fun with and keep them entertained for 30+ mins! Check out more indoor activities you can do with your toddler on a rainy day. xx Ciara
