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6 best family activity blogs

Here for your child to play now? Arcade · Library

The answer in one minute

  1. Busy Toddler · Free; paid curriculum · Ages Parents: A former kindergarten and first-grade teacher shares quick, low-prep play activities for babies to big kids, sorted by age and type…
  2. Hands On As We Grow · Free · Ages Parents: A mother of three boys has written about hands-on activities since 2011: crafts, art, sensory play and fine and gross motor ideas, mostly…
  3. Coffee Cups and Crayons · Free · Ages Parents: A former teacher and mother of four shares easy play ideas, kitchen science experiments, busy bags and acts-of-kindness activities.
  4. Kids Activities Blog · Free · Ages Parents: A large collection of crafts, coloring pages, printables, science experiments, drawing lessons and holiday ideas for kids of all ages, run…
  5. Imagination Soup · Free · Ages Parents: A former bilingual teacher and literacy trainer's site of children's book lists by age and genre, plus reading, writing and learning…

When the afternoon is long and the kids are bored, these blogs have the answer: a sensory bin, a kitchen science experiment, a book list or a rainy-day plan. They are written by parents and former teachers, and most ideas use things already in the house. All are free to read; most carry ads and affiliate links, and several sell activity packs or courses, which we note. Bookmark one for toddlers and one for older kids.

We read each blog's home page, About page and a popular post in November 2026 and picked one free post to start with. We noted ads, affiliate links and paid products. Checked 2026-11-06. Nobody paid to be here and nothing is an affiliate link.

All 6 picks side by side

  1. 1Busy ToddlerFreeAges Parents
  2. 2Hands On As We GrowFreeAges Parents
  3. 3Coffee Cups and CrayonsFreeAges Parents
  4. 4Kids Activities BlogFreeAges Parents
  5. 5Imagination SoupFreeAges Parents
  6. 6Mommy PoppinsFreeAges Parents

  1. Busy Toddler

    Susie Allison · Free; paid curriculum · Ages Parents

    A former kindergarten and first-grade teacher shares quick, low-prep play activities for babies to big kids, sorted by age and type: sensory, fine motor, art, math, science and outdoor.

    Best for: fast, low-prep play ideas for toddlers and preschoolers
    Start here: 40+ Super Easy Toddler Activities

    Watch for: Sells a paid preschool curriculum and unit studies.

  2. Hands On As We Grow

    Jamie Reimer · Free · Ages Parents

    A mother of three boys has written about hands-on activities since 2011: crafts, art, sensory play and fine and gross motor ideas, mostly for toddlers and preschoolers.

    Best for: toddler and preschool activities with household materials
    Start here: 50+ Simple Activities for Toddlers

    Watch for: Affiliate links; sells activity plans and a membership on a separate site.

  3. Coffee Cups and Crayons

    Megan Sheakoski · Free · Ages Parents

    A former teacher and mother of four shares easy play ideas, kitchen science experiments, busy bags and acts-of-kindness activities.

    Best for: easy kitchen science and kindness activities
    Start here: Walking Water Science Experiment for Kids

    Watch for: Affiliate links for supplies; sells printable packs.

  4. Kids Activities Blog

    Holly Homer · Free · Ages Parents

    A large collection of crafts, coloring pages, printables, science experiments, drawing lessons and holiday ideas for kids of all ages, run by a team based near Dallas.

    Best for: seasonal crafts, coloring pages and printables
    Start here: The Best Playdough Recipe

    Watch for: Ads and Amazon affiliate links; offers sponsored posts.

  5. Imagination Soup

    Melissa Taylor · Free · Ages Parents

    A former bilingual teacher and literacy trainer's site of children's book lists by age and genre, plus reading, writing and learning activities. She is no longer adding new reviews, but the lists are kept current.

    Best for: children's book lists by age and interest
    Start here: Easily Teach Kids How to Knit

    Watch for: Affiliate links to booksellers.

  6. Mommy Poppins

    Mommy Poppins · Free · Ages Parents

    A family activity site founded in New York in 2007, with local event calendars for several U.S. cities and national guides to at-home activities, camps and family travel.

    Best for: local events and rainy-day plans
    Start here: 75 Indoor Activities for Kids on a Rainy Day

    Watch for: Carries ads and paid business listings; most event content is for its listed cities.

Questions parents ask

What are good activity blogs for toddlers?
Busy Toddler and Hands On As We Grow focus on toddlers and preschoolers, with quick activities that use things already in the house. Coffee Cups and Crayons has easy science and busy bags that suit preschoolers too.
Do I need to buy anything for these activities?
Usually not. Most posts use household items like tape, paper, water and food coloring. The blogs link to products because they earn a commission, but a substitute from the cupboard works for most ideas.

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