With three kids ages four and under, our days are filled with meals, bottles, naps, and repeating that schedule multiple times. Add in some laundry, and it feels like the day is gone before it began. Getting out of the house is a full mental and physical workout, and I’m often tired before we even drive away from the house.
Between caring for an infant and two toddlers and a global pandemic that shut down some of our favorite places to visit, we had to get creative. The kids are naturally curious, and I’ve found sometimes the most simple driveway activities open up their creative minds.
Easy Driveway Activities
So if you are feeling stuck at home, I recommend trying some of these simple activities and follow your child’s lead to see what they come up with.
Bubbles
- Small containers of bubbles. You know the kids will spill them within 2.4 seconds, but they are great to learn how to hold a container, dip, and blow out air. For toddlers still learning simple commands as “go,” try holding the wand to your mouth and waiting for them to say “GO” before you blow.
- Bubble machines and bubble shooters. When you run out of oxygen or get tired of spilled bubble solution, bubble machines are my favorite (just make sure to load up on batteries). My favorite activities my boys came up with were a car wash where they drove through the bubbles on bikes and little vehicles, and putting a bubble machine in the back of their tractor as a “turbo blaster.”
- Water and bubbles. Spray part of the driveway down with water, and the bubbles will stick to the ground. My boys loved being ninjas and stomping and popping them.
We bought this bubble solution that you add with water, and it has lasted us for a couple summers!
Water Play
- Car wash. Fill up a bucket with water and a little dish soap. Throw in some old rags, and let the kids wash EVERYTHING. Bikes, scooters, vehicles, balls, etc.
- Water table. Our water table is worth every penny. We have used the same one for over three years, and it is the first thing they ask for when the weather gets warm. They can splash, scoop, dump, etc. without having to fill up a full kiddie pool.
- Splash pad. Rather than filling up a kiddie pool that is too cold for toddlers, this splash pad gives them the ability to walk in and out, make big or little sprayers, or just sit in a shallow pool.
- Chalk fire. Draw fire with chalk on the driveway or fence. Let them use spray bottles or buckets or these cool water sprayers to “put out the fire.”
- Water plants. Let them water everything! Give them small watering cans and let them go. Water flowers, plants, grass, etc.
Chalk Art
- Obstacle course/hopscotch. We saw these all over during the pandemic, but it is a great way to get the kids moving and jumping. Have them help you come up with ideas and help draw the obstacles. Balance beams, hopscotch, circles to jump into, lines to jump over, alphabet to follow, etc.
- Painter’s tape design. Create a design on the driveway and let the kids color in the spaces. Pull up the tape to reveal the design!
- Body outline. Have the kids lay down and draw a chalk outline. Let the kids decorate/color themselves. My son loves to turn himself into superheroes.
- Create a city. Draw different locations for them to drive to with their bikes, scooters, vehicles. Car wash, zoo, park, library, school, grocery store, etc. Their little minds will come up with stories and ideas as you go!
- Sports. Create a baseball or kickball field with chalk and teach them about different games.
- Scavenger hunts. Draw a list of items they need to find. It can be as simple as leaves, flowers, bugs, and rocks. Give them a bucket, and let them go fill it up.
So when the majority of your days are spent at home with toddlers and babies, go back to the basics of bubbles, water, and chalk. These activities may seem simple or obvious, but I love starting something small and watching their creativity take over.
What are your favorite driveway activities?
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