Household Items That Can Be Used as Toys: 50+ Fun, Free, and Super Smart Ideas for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers

You do not need a big toy store. The best playthings are hiding in your kitchen, bathroom, and closet right now!

Simple household items that can be used as toys make babies giggle, toddlers run around with joy, and preschoolers build whole worlds in their imagination.

These everyday objects are completely free. They help kids grow smart. They teach little hands to grab, pour, stack, and sort. Best of all, children never get bored because they can pretend the same spoon is a magic wand one day and a drumstick the next.

Amazing Benefits You Will Love

• Zero cost – perfect when money is tight.
• Less plastic trash – great for the planet.
• Fewer toys = calmer home and happier kids.
• Kids play longer and use their own ideas.
• Items grow with your child from baby to big kid.
• Easy to replace if something gets lost or broken.

As Tappy Toes Nursery says¹, “Why buy new toys when your cupboards are full of fun?”

50+ Safe Household Items That Can Be Used as Toys

Perfect for Babies (Birth to 12 months)

Babies love bright colors, different textures, and gentle sounds.

1. Big stainless steel bowls – shiny mirrors and loud bangs!
2. Wooden spoons – safe to chew and wave.
3. Soft cotton tea towels – peek-a-boo magic.
4. Empty tissue boxes stuffed with scarves – pull, pull, surprise!
5. Cardboard oatmeal containers – roll across the floor.
6. Silicone muffin cups – stack and squish.
7. Plastic measuring cups – nest inside each other.
8. Clean dish towels – wave like flags.
9. Large pom-poms (supervise closely) – soft and colorful.
10. Empty water bottles with colorful water and glitter (cap glued shut).

Best for Toddlers (1-3 years)

Toddlers love to dump, fill, bang, and carry.

11. Empty water bottles filled with beans or pasta – homemade maracas.
12. Old keyboards or calculators (batteries removed).
13. Big cardboard boxes – houses, cars, or rocket ships.
14. Pots, pans, and lids – the loudest band in town!
15. Laundry baskets – boats, trains, or baby beds.
16. Muffin tins + cotton balls or big buttons – drop and sort.
17. Painter’s tape roads on the floor – zoom cars around.
18. Colander and pipe cleaners – poke and thread.
19. Empty yogurt containers – stack like towers.
20. Old magazines – rip and crumple (great fine-motor practice).
21. Bubble wrap – jump and pop!
22. Ice cubes in a bowl – watch them slide and melt.
23. Empty paper towel tubes – talking tubes or trumpets.
24. Socks rolled into balls – indoor snowball fights.
25. Plastic storage containers – fill, dump, repeat.

Wonderful for Preschoolers (3-5 years)

Preschoolers love pretend play and building.

26. Toilet paper tubes – binoculars, rockets, or fairy wands.
27. Egg cartons – sort beads, coins, or tiny cars.
28. Old sheets – forts, capes, or picnic blankets.
29. Clothespins – clip cards or build with craft sticks.
30. Aluminum foil – shape into crowns, balls, or rivers.
31. Empty spice jars with rice – mini shakers for music time.
32. Flashlights – shadow puppet shows at night.
33. Fabric scraps – doll clothes or superhero masks.
34. Cookie cutters + play dough – instant shapes.
35. Empty cereal boxes – make mailboxes or garages.
36. Sponges cut into shapes – paint stamps or bath boats.
37. Straws and cotton balls – blow races across the table.
38. Old keys on a ring – pretend car keys or treasure.
39. Shoe boxes – doll houses or treasure chests.
40. Funnels and bottles – water pouring station in the sink.

Extra Sensory Play Winners

41. Big tub of dry rice or oats + cups and spoons.
42. Shaving cream on a cookie sheet – finger drawing is fun.
43. Warm water + a few drops of food coloring in the sink.
44. Jell-O in a tray – squishy and colorful.
45. Cooked spaghetti – slimy and cool to touch.

Quick 5-Minute Activities You Can Start Right Now

1. Tape a giant spider web on the wall – throw crumpled paper to make it stick.
2. Line up empty bottles – indoor bowling with a soft ball.
3. Make a tape river on the floor – sail paper boats.
4. Fill a basket with safe kitchen gadgets – treasure baskets for babies.
5. Turn on music and give scarves – dancing time!
6. Put shaving cream in the bathtub – clean fun that washes away.
7. Tape a long jumping line – hop like frogs.

How to Keep Everything Safe and Clean

• Always stay close and watch young children.
• Choose items bigger than a toilet paper tube so they cannot choke.
• No small magnets, buttons, or coins for kids under 4.
• No strings longer than 6 inches.
• Wash everything with warm soapy water.
• Need deeper cleaning? Read how to disinfect baby toys that go in the mouth.
• Found an old battery toy? Learn to clean corrosion off battery terminals safely.

Real Stories from Real Parents

“My 2-year-old played with a metal whisk inside a bowl for 50 minutes – longer than any fancy toy we own!” – Emma, mom of two

“We made a cardboard box into a car. My son still drives it every single day.” – Mike, dad of a 3-year-old

“A laundry basket became a pirate ship. We sailed to the living room for hours!” – Lisa, mom of twins

Toys That Grow With Your Child

One simple item can last for years:

• A scarf is peek-a-boo for babies → superhero cape for toddlers → doll blanket for preschoolers.
• A cardboard box is a cozy cave for crawlers → a race car for walkers → a castle for storytellers.

This is exactly why experts love toys that grow with kids² – and the best ones are free!

Even household items that can be used as toys for men and household items that can be used as toys for guys later in life start here. Many engineers, builders, and inventors began by playing with boxes, sticks, and spoons as little kids.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really safe to use household items as toys?

A: Yes! Just follow simple safety rules and always watch your child. First Things First has been teaching this for years³.

Are household items really safe to use as toys for babies and toddlers?

Yes! Just pick big items (bigger than a toilet paper tube), remove small parts or strings, and always watch your child. Everyday objects are recommended by child experts when you follow simple safety rules.

Will my child learn as much from a spoon or box as from expensive toys?

Often even more! Simple household items that can be used as toys help kids invent their own games, use imagination, and practice real skills like pouring, stacking, and sorting.

My toddler puts everything in his mouth. Which items are safest?

Choose large, smooth, washable things like wooden spoons, silicone cups, metal bowls, or big cardboard tubes. Clean them after every use. Here’s a quick guide: how to disinfect baby toys that go in the mouth.

What are the very best household items for baby development?

Great question! Many everyday objects are perfect for brain growth. Check our full list of the best baby toys for development (spoiler: most are already in your kitchen!).

Conclusion: Start Playing Today!

Your home is already the most amazing toy store in the world.

Everyday household items that can be used as toys bring big smiles, strong learning, and happy memories – all for free.

Open one drawer or one box today. Hand your child a spoon, a scarf, or an empty container. Then sit back and watch the magic begin.

What is your child’s absolute favorite household “toy” right now? Share in the comments – we can’t wait to hear your ideas!

References

1. Tappy Toes Nursery – “Skip the Store Toys” → tappytoesnursery.com ↩︎
2. The Strategist – “Toys That Grow With Kids” → nymag.com/strategist/article/toys-that-grow-with-kids ↩︎
3. First Things First – “Use Household Objects as Toys for Young Kids” → firstthingsfirst.org ↩︎