Embracing the Cold: Mindful Activities for Toddlers

Britani Mosher
Jan 17
3 min read

Updated: Mar 2

🌿 Big Body Movement Even When It's Too Cold Out

Before crafts. Before learning. Before calm. We move first.

Couch Mountain

This is not Pinterest. This is survival.

Couch cushions on the floor
Pillows stacked to climb
A soft landing spot to jump into

I don’t narrate. I don’t correct for the most part. I just let them do their own thing as long as they're being safe. I sit nearby and encourage continued play. Sometimes I say things like, “Hey, can you climb up and slide down this side of Couch Mountain?”

Living Room Obstacle Course

When energy feels chaotic, I give it a path.

Step on pillows
Crawl under a chair blanket
Walk the “line” (tape or imaginary)
Tunnel made out of a playmat folded up. Sometimes I just throw it on the ground, and they will burrow under it from side to side.

Animal Yoga

We do:

Frog jumps
Cat stretch
Butterfly flaps

No counting. No poses held too long. Just laughing bodies finding calm. Most days, my toddlers' comfort stuffies also join us.

🌊 Sensory Play

When emotions feel big but words are still small, hands lead the way.

Sensory Bin Days

I rotate simple things:

Rice or oats
Cups and spoons
Toy animals or cars

I lay down a sheet and let go of the mess. This isn’t about cleanup — it’s about nervous systems settling.

Water Play in the Tub (Not Bath Time)

Some days we just need water.

Cups
Funnels
Warm water pouring

It’s calming. Predictable. Containing. Honestly? It saves the afternoon sometimes. It’s the distraction my child needs to focus elsewhere instead of whatever crazy thing they were fixated on at that moment. I did this just last week with my 23-month-old. He had been climbing constantly, so I popped him in the tub when he asked to go potty. He decided to climb in after. I was really tired of pulling him down off the counter and figured it would at least give me a break.

Ice Rescue

Freeze small toys in ice cubes.

Give warm water + spoons.
Have them use the water to melt the ice and try to dig the toys out with the spoons.

When they succeed, they feel really proud and accomplished. There is nothing cuter than hearing the little “Did it!” exclaimed happily.

🎨 Creative Play

Bathtub Painting

Washable paint. Rinse when done. Zero stress. Maximum joy. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Sticker Time

This is quite magic.

Big stickers
Plain paper
No “picture goals”

Peeling alone builds patience and focus. My 4-year-old will do this for hours. It’s absolutely amazing when you need to get something done and need to keep them occupied.

Coloring Without Rules

Sometimes paper goes on:

The floor
A cardboard box
The wall (taped)

It’s still creativity — just looser.

📚 Connection & Imagination

These are the moments that stay.

Stuffed Animal Daycare

They feed them. Put them to sleep. Comfort them. This is how toddlers process what it feels like to be cared for and also starts to teach them to nurture others.

Indoor Picnic/Tea Party

Blanket on the floor. We get snacks and a drink and sit in a circle to eat together. Sometimes it's a picnic; sometimes we have cookies and tea for a more formal tea party. Sometimes novelty is all we need.

Cozy Reading + Acting It Out

We read the same book. Again, and again, and again. Then we become the characters. No lesson. Just closeness. We like to read stories where we can do silly voices for the characters. Bluey, Grannies, and Grumpy Monkey are our favorites currently.

A Gentle Reminder (For You)

If we do one thing well, the day is a success. You are not failing if:

Screens sneak in and you end up watching more TV than ideal. Tomorrow is a new day.
The house is loud.
Nothing goes as planned. Things rarely do go as planned.

Toddlers don’t need constant stimulation. They need safe presence and enough space to be little.

Remember, we are all navigating this together. It's okay to seek support and share your experiences. We are all in this messy, beautiful journey of motherhood.