by Catalogs.com Info Guru Oliver Vandervoort

When it comes to raising a toddler there is a fine line to walk between making sure the kid is entertained and is learning something.

Luckily, there are a number of different things you can do that will keep your little loved one entertained and actually wanting to learn as well. Sometimes kids will actually surprise you and want to keep learning rather than always playing. Even if he or she doesn’t make that choice, you’ll still know that you’ve found something fun for both of you if you pick something from this list of top 10 games to play with your toddler.

10. Paper Bag Puppet

Playing a game where you and your toddler make puppets out of paper bags is certainly plenty fun and it also teaches the kid a love of arts and crafts. You can make little people, or animals or whatever else you want and it’s all pretty easy.

9. Indoor Basketball

Indoor basketball will teach your youngster great hand-eye coordination and it can be made easy to repeat over and over again if you get the right setup.

8. Puzzle Mat

Puzzles might be a bit hard for a young toddler to understand how to do, but you can come up with something like a puzzle mat. This is a bigger puzzle that they will like to play with because the mat is soft and pliable and the pieces are big enough for hands that aren’t that dexterous to hold.

7. Leaping Lily Pads

When playing Leaping Lily Pads you place socks or cushions around the room and then have the child move from one spot to another as though they were a frog going from pad to pad.

6. Safari

Make some cardboard binoculars and then pretend with your toddler that you are on a safari right in your living room. Look around for animals and talk about the animals you see. This will teach them what kind of animals live where.

5. Color Collage

Help your kid put a kind of color collage where they get to pick out whatever they want in their picture. You can teach and explain colors and how they mix.

4. Egg Carton Treasure Box

You can help your toddler put together a kind of egg carton treasure box that will get them crafty and also have them making a place where they can put their little trinkets. You can even have this turn into a game with a number of toddlers and you can make it into a contest.

3. Balloon Bop

Playing a game like balloon bop is like indoor basketball because it teachers your toddler hand-eye coordination. Just get a regular old balloon, fill it with air and bop it around the room.

2. Treasure Hunt

Hide little treasures around the house and have your toddler go looking for them. Reward them with candy or something else.

1. Playing Prince

Help your toddler make a foil crown, or even buy a paper crown and then let your toddler act like a king or a prince. You can even tie it into a real life king or prince and let them learn something.