Easy Muffin Pan Activities for Toddlers

Are your kids bored? Yes, that’s a rhetorical question lol! Have they played with every toy you have and you’re wondering what kids can do using things you already have around the house? Because if you’re like me, the last thing you need to do is buy more stuff! They’ll probably just play with the box more than the toy anyway, amiright? Here are some fun and free activity ideas for kids using mostly items you already have in your home! From all fun to improving dexterity to snack ideas for picky eaters – if you’re not a baker then we have a new purpose for that old muffin tin! And if you are…you may need to get another one! Enjoy these fun and free activity hacks for kids to do at home!

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Got a muffin tin? Then we’ve got ideas for daaaaaaaays! Muffin pans have so many great uses! Check out how these clever moms are entertaining their kiddos using things you can find around the house (aka FREE!) with muffin pans!

Baby Play Time Hacks

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🌟POM POM RESCUE🌟a really easy peasy set up that’s great for little baby fingers and also sibling play! It can be easily adapted to older children too! . . I’ve used big pom poms here, muffin tin and some elastic bands to trap them in. Big pom poms for Ariya who I know will definitely put them in her mouth. Obviously I still kept a close eye too! Ariya loved pulling them out and throwing them everywhere 🤣 she pinged they elastic bands which was a great extra sensory and fine motor opportunity! . . Liora also joined in with this using a set of giant tweezers, you could also incorporate colour matching into this activity for older children 🌈. . . . . Round playmat from @munchkinandbearuk . #babyplayideas #babyplay #finemotoractivity #finemotorskills #playmatters #letthemplay #letthembelittle #letthembekids #handsonplay #indoorplay #playinside #simplyplaytime #playathometoday #simpleplay #babyplayhacks #funwithkids #learnathome #playathome #openendedplay #playislearning #indooractivities #indooractivitiesforkids #sensoryplay #earlyyearsideas #playhacks #childledplay #playroomdecor #indoorplayspace #montessoribaby #reggiokids

A post shared by ♥Lindsey♥EYFS♥Play♥Mummy♥ (@love_teach_play) on May 8, 2020 at 2:38am PDT

Place some small age appropriate/child safe toys in a muffin tin, add some elastics to make it more challenging to remove and replace them…and voila! Baby toys from things you already have at home!

Muffin Tin Snack Tray Ideas – Healthy Snacks for Picky Kids!

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Another Monday. Another backyard #muffintinmeal! Today I paired up some dip+dipper BFF combos in hopes my girls would mix and match some #loveitlikeitlearningit foods: @hummustir with bell peppers and cucumber sticks • @mydiaryofus chcocolate hummus with banana circles and plantain chips • @siggisdairy strawverry rhubarb 4% milkfat yogurt with peach slices and strawberries • @kirklandsig_ almond butter with leftover protein pancake strips and @traderjoeslist pretzels. —– C was most into the peaches and pretzels, but ate a few cucumbers and strawberries I think. She was unwilling to try anything dipped, despite hummus and yogurt being love it foods (almond butter and chocolate hummus are both learning it foods). I encouraged her to try other options and the dips, she said "not today," and I didn't make an issue of it. Given she's coming off being sick, it's not a huge surprise her appetite was minimal. B was all over and tried a bit of almost everything I think (except the peppers). I showed her how to dip, but she preferred using her finger instead of the dippers 😜. I ate this with them and role modeled dipping and eating everything. That kept me busy and focused on enjoying the foods alongside them instead of if and how much they were actually eating (since that's their job; not mine!). —– #meatlessmonday #muffintinmondays #muffintin #muffintinmeals #muffintinmonday #muffintinlunch #kidslunch #fingerfoods #healthykidsfood #kidslunchideas #funlunch #backyardpicnic #dietitianapproved #raisinghealthykids

A post shared by Ashley 💚 Pediatric Dietitian (@veggiesandvirtue) on Jul 17, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

Small quantities of healthy food are more likely to be consumed…bottom line! So load up the fruits, veggies, healthy dippers like hummus or peanut butter…and redefine snack time in this colorful, fun way adding variety and healthy snack choices! Head on over to her Instagram for tons more inspo!

Muffin Tin Fizzy Fun – Science Time Made Easy!

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Magic colours! The classic baking soda and vinegar experiment with drops of food colouring hidden under the baking soda. Reminded me of Dexters Laboratory! Good old days 😃 #totsontoes #toddleractivities #kidsactivities #easyexperiments #bakingsoda #vinegar #colors #mixingcolors #dexterslaboratory #muffintin #surprise #magiccolor #toddlerlife #colorful #lilmessy #dexter #deedee

A post shared by RM (@totsontoes) on May 18, 2020 at 3:12am PDT

What kid doesn’t like to mix baking soda and vinegar? We love all things STEM and science at our house, especially if it fizzes and bubbles! Toss some baking soda in each cup, mix up some food coloring and vinegar and let kids fizz away! Mix colors. Or don’t. But this one never gets old!

I recommend using this outside on a hard/washable surface…vinegar can damage your grass 🙂

Sorting for Toddlers – Learning Colors and Shapes

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My first activity today with mom was sorting. We sorted beads by color and shape. There were alot of them so i only did a little bit but i am really good at sorting! ❤ #mathactivities #sorting #sortingactivities #muffintin #goodmorning #morningactivity #busybee #learningathome #learning #educate #colorful #colorfulbeads #math #autosmadvocate #autismawareness #autism #motorskilldevelopment #humpday #positivevibes #smartcookie

A post shared by Leila (@life_by_leila) on May 6, 2020 at 6:42am PDT

If you’ve got a bag or a jar of beads, pom poms, water beads, gems, plastic bugs or anything else…then you’ve got a color or shape sorting activity for toddlers! We also like to use kiddie tweezers sometimes – it’s more fun and it boosts fine motor skills – a 2-fer!

Mix It Up With A Fun Muffin Tin

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°o° Something simple for all of you out there who want to create some magic at home… but don’t bake, don’t have the ingredients, are too tired because you’re being present & taking care of your kids all day… You can still add a little magic with a muffin tin & whatever snacks you have on hand. Here I used my Mickey one that I got from the parks a couple years ago, but any muffin tin tray will work:) Hang in there & eat some magic💫

A post shared by Mickey Shaped Food (@mickey.shaped.food) on Apr 29, 2020 at 11:57am PDT

Everything’s more fun Disney style, isn’t it? Recreate any of these ideas in a themed muffin tin like this Disney Mickey Muffin Tin or this heart shaped pan…both of which can be repurposed later for fun themed baking!

Don’t Have a Muffin Tin? Swap a Muffin Tin for a Plastic Egg Carton!

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Muffin Tin Monday: Easter edition!⁣ ⁣ Being in the thick of things, muffin tin picnics are one small, simple way to switch things up for all of us! You all know by now I love doing this with our muffin tin itself, but an empty egg carton adds egg-tra fun to this idea during the week ahead.⁣ ⁣ It's also the perfect way to offer all those random foods you have when grocery pick up is over a week out! Just fill plastic eggs with whatever foods you have, then serve as is or hide the eggs if you want to buy yourself a little extra time in the day!⁣ ⁣ 📶 The goal here (as steps toward eating!) is to promote: interaction, touch, smell, and taste⁣ ⁣ 👌🏻Best with these foods:⁣ anything that fits in a small plastic egg! Shown here: ❤grape tomatoes and strawberries 🧡baby carrots and clementines 💛 frozen pineapple and bananas 💚frozen peas and pea crisps 💙 frozen blueberries and cheese stick 💜 raisins and coconut clusters⁣ ⁣ 🎲 Helpful tools: ⁣plastic Easter eggs and empty egg carton or a muffin tin with or without silicone liners⁣ ⁣ 🗣Ideas to Engage: ⁣"You can hunt for the eggs, then we will open them up for snack (or lunch)!" "There is enough for both of you to find one of each color. You can try what's inside, explore it, or trade one another!"⁣ ⁣ 🚼Adaptations for Age: Note choking hazards for kids under four (like the whole grape tomatoes and raw carrots shown)⁣ ⁣ 🤩For all 25 Learning to Like it Ideas, click the link in my bio to download your FREE Food Play Calendar!

A post shared by Ashley 💚 Pediatric Dietitian (@veggiesandvirtue) on Apr 6, 2020 at 8:15pm PDT

If you don’t have a muffin tin and really don’t want to buy one…but you shop at Costco and buy their eggs…then you are in luck! Toss in those plastic eggs leftover from Easter and you’ll have this colorful snack tray! It’s a little smaller but it’ll work just fine…and its FREE! We love free activities and craft supplies around here…and the recycle bin has lots of fun reusable activity supplies already in it, like this!

Learning to Count Using a Muffin Tin

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Muffin tins are so versatile! Today we did numbers and colors. This came as a set but you can make your own too! Lots of variations you can do to make it more challenging too. We do numbers, colors, addition, matching, etc #learningthroughplay #learningathome #learningisfun #muffintin #learn #numbers #colors #addition #matching #makelearningfun #momlife #sahm #toddlercrafts #creative #creativeplay #busyhands #keepkidsbusy #boymom #mamabear #craftymom

A post shared by Stacie Vaiasuso (@stacievaiasuso) on Mar 26, 2020 at 3:31pm PDT

Learnig to count is fun! And easy with this idea. Print up some numbers, tape them to the bottom of a muffin tin…and reuse those pom poms (or water beads or whatever you have on hand) and kiddie tweezers to create this easy and educational toddler counting activity at home. Another great activity using things you already have around the house or in your recycle bin.

Variety For Babies

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Just an old muffin tray filled with lots of interesting objects….Oscar never seems to tired of this kind if play….its a great way to build his independance skills and the bonus that i get a couple of jobs done 💙 #sensoryplay #muffintin #buildingindependence #simpleplay #heuristicplay #openendedplaymaterials #nofancytoys #learningthroughplay #exciting #lowcostactivities #lowcostplay #helpingmum #jobstime

A post shared by Adventures of Oscar (@little.guys.big.world) on Jun 15, 2019 at 11:21pm PDT

Just fill a muffin tin with a new variety of toys each day for baby to explore! If toy rotation isn’t your forte, this is an easy way to present new toys and objects! Lots of color and texture will grab some attention and might just buy you a few minutes of independent play to get a few things done!

Make New Crayons From Old Stubs

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Happy Earth Day/Muffin tin Monday!! We used broken crayons to make some cool new ones!! In this one I used a regular sized muffin tin, baked them for 12 minutes at 275 degrees F, let them cool on the stove a little, and then popped them in the freezer to make sure they were completely cooled off! They popped out easily and some came out pretty cool!! 😄 Happy coloring!! 🌍 Reduce*Reuse*Recycle!!! 🖍 ♻️ #muffintinmonday #muffintin #crayons #reducereuserecyle #toddlers #toddlerfun #preschoolcoloring #preschoolfinemotorskills #preschoolmom #crayola #craftingmom #playcreatelearn

A post shared by Mothering Loudly (@motheringloudly) on Apr 22, 2019 at 1:21pm PDT

Don’t toss the stubs and broken crayons! You can teach your kids to reduce, reuse and recycle by baking those old crayons into to fun little crayon rounds! Sort them by color or mix them all up for fun multi-color crayons!

Use ANYTHING On Hand Around The House!

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I mean, why buy actual toys? #catfoodcans #muffintin #maskingtape #playallday

A post shared by Leah Bradley Carbone (@leahcath) on Mar 23, 2019 at 5:36pm PDT

This Mom’s caption says it all. Be resourceful! You really don’t have to by a lot to occupy a toddler, lol! Get creative! We’re seriously digging the cat food cans, LOL!

Let us know in the comments what fun objects you have tried out! We want to know!