You and your little one are about to do some activities. As soon as you go to the playroom, you find that everything is cluttered, activities have been left half-done, and the whole place is a mess. Your toddler can’t make up their mind, and they don’t seem to get the most out of their activity.

You start wondering to yourself - What went wrong? How can I set up activities quickly and efficiently, whilst helping your toddler get the most out of activity time?

When it comes to setting up activities, a little effort goes a long way. Toddlers tend to play with what looks interesting to them in the moment, so we must make it engaging from first sight.

Let’s have a look at how we can set up activities that engage your toddler from the moment they walk into the room.

How do I set up activities?

Here are the top 5 tips for setting up engaging activities:

Rather than hiding activities away in a toy box, put a few of their favourite activities on a shelf. This way, it’s much easier for them to see what is available. Consider buying a shelf and installing it at child height, so they can see it clearly.

Make activities attractive. Put activities in a see-through basket or tray. Alternatively, you can buy a set of different-coloured trays, so your child associates that colour with that activity. If your toddler seems to have lost interest in that activity, consider changing the tray to make it more appealing.

Show what things belong together. Make sure each basket or tray has things that are relevant to each other. For example, a play-dough tray could contain play-dough, shapes to mould, tools to cut and make patterns with, and a mat to protect the table.

Prepare everything so that your little one can help themselves. It’s great to help your child develop their independence, so let’s make it so that your toddler can set up activities by themselves. For example, a painting area could have an apron hanging on a hook off one side of the easel and a damp cloth hanging off the other side at the ready for spills, to wipe their hands, or to clean the easel at the end. Fresh paper should be easily available and there can be a folding clothesline with clothespins, so they can hang their paintings to dry themselves. At the start, your child will need some help, but eventually they’ll be able to do more and more by themselves.

Undo the activity and clean up afterwards. A completed activity is less attractive to a toddler than one that has been undone. Before returning activities to the shelf, make sure it’s disassembled. Puzzles should be taken apart and play-dough should be put back in the pot. Make sure to let your child help put stuff back, as this will prepare them for cleaning responsibilities when they’re older.

While these tips can be helpful for organizing and engaging toddlers in activities, it's essential to consider your child's specific interests, developmental stage, and safety when setting up activities. Parental judgment and supervision are important factors in creating a suitable environment for play.

What are the top 5 tips for setting up activities?

Start your toddler's activities off right with Unii's simple steps.