Toddler activities with sticky notes
6 activities in the library use sticky notes, for toddlers aged 13 to 36 months: 3 starting 12–17 months, 1 starting 18–23 months and 2 starting from 24 months. Paper squares that stick and peel off again: perfect for peeling practice, flap-hiding pictures and marking a target on the wall at toddler height.
Updated
Sticky notes: 6 activities to try
Safety: Collect used notes after play; chewed paper can block a small airway.
6 activities
- Photo Wall Flap Hunt 13–22 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your child lifts sticky-note flaps to find family photos taped to the wall while you name each person, building understanding of familiar names.
- Sticky Tab Page Turner 14–24 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Folded sticky-note tabs on the page edges of a board book give small fingers a handle, so your child turns the pages while you share the pictures.
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect 15–24 months · 3–8 min · Indoors · Active Your child walks between sticky notes placed at child height around one room, peels each one off and drops it into a tub, mixing peeling with walking.
- Sticky Note Body Spots 19–30 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Press a sticky note onto your child's knee, hand or shoulder, name the spot together and let them peel it off, then swap roles in the mirror.
- Hand-Wash Picture Steps 24–36 months · 2–5 min · Indoors · Calm Five sticky notes with simple drawings by the sink show water, soap, rubbing, rinsing and towel; your child points to the next picture and does that step.
- Picture-Label Toy Homes 24–34 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Simple drawings on sticky notes mark which box each kind of toy lives in, so your child can match toys to their homes at cleanup.
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Sticky Notes at a glance
| Activities | 6, 1 on the low-prep menu |
|---|---|
| Ages covered (corrected) | 13–36 months |
| Focus time | 2–10 minutes |
| Main domains | 2 fine motor, 2 language and 2 practical life |
| Where they happen | 6 indoors |
| Quickest start | Hand-Wash Picture Steps, 2–5 minutes |
Every activity with sticky notes
Sorted by the first month each one fits (corrected age for children born early). Quick picks: for a calm moment, Photo Wall Flap Hunt; to burn energy, Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect.
| Activity | Ages | Minutes | Domain | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo Wall Flap Hunt | 13–22 months | 5–10 | Language | 5 min |
| Sticky Tab Page Turner | 14–24 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect | 15–24 months | 3–8 | Fine motor | None |
| Sticky Note Body Spots | 19–30 months | 5–10 | Language | 2 min |
| Picture-Label Toy Homes | 24–34 months | 5–10 | Practical life | 5 min |
| Hand-Wash Picture Steps | 24–36 months | 2–5 | Practical life | 5 min |
How each activity uses sticky notes
- Photo Wall Flap Hunt (understanding names of things, 5–10 minutes): Tape 3-4 family photos to a wall at your child's standing height and cover each one with a large sticky note.
- Sticky Tab Page Turner (turning pages, 5–10 minutes): Fold sticky notes over the edges of a few pages so each tab sticks out a little.
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect (tearing and peeling, 3–8 minutes): Stick a few notes at your child's chest height on a door, the fridge and a cupboard while they watch.
- Sticky Note Body Spots (body parts, 5–10 minutes): Sit in front of a mirror and press a sticky note on your child's knee.
- Picture-Label Toy Homes (tidying up, 5–10 minutes): Draw a quick picture of each toy group on a sticky note and stick one on each box.
- Hand-Wash Picture Steps (hand washing, 2–5 minutes): Draw five simple pictures on sticky notes: a water drop, a soap pump, two hands, a water drop again and a towel.
By age
12–17 months: 3 activities, 3–10 minutes. 18–23 months: 1 activity, 5–10 minutes. From 24 months: 2 activities, 2–10 minutes.
Starting 12–17 months
Starting 18–23 months
Starting from 24 months
Words that come up
Across these activities you will model “who's that?”, “found you!”, “hello”, “family names”, “turn”, “next”, “look”, “the picture's name”, “peel”, “stuck”, “off” and “in the tub”. Say one at the moment it happens, then pause for your child's turn.
Safety with sticky notes
- Collect used notes after play; chewed paper can block a small airway.
- Stick them on walls and doors, not on skin.
Prep tips
- Fold one corner back to make a tab that is easier to grab.
- Draw a simple shape or color dot on each note for matching games.
No sticky notes? Use instead
- Squares of painter's tape.
- Paper squares held with low-tack tape.
- Fabric squares laid over pictures.
Combine it with
Sticky notes are most often paired with plastic food containers (2 activities), board books (1 activity) and cardboard box (1 activity). The skills practised most: pointing to pictures (3), tearing and peeling (2) and body parts (1).
Often combined with
Skills practised
Frequently asked questions
What can a toddler do with sticky notes?
6 activities here use them, for example Photo Wall Flap Hunt (13–22 months), Sticky Tab Page Turner (14–24 months) and Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect (15–24 months). One is on the low-prep menu: no prep and 10 minutes or less.
Are sticky notes safe for toddlers?
Use them only with an adult close by. Collect used notes after play; chewed paper can block a small airway. Stick them on walls and doors, not on skin.
What can I use instead of sticky notes?
Squares of painter's tape, paper squares held with low-tack tape or fabric squares laid over pictures can stand in for most of these activities.
What ages are activities with sticky notes for?
They cover 13–36 months of corrected age: 3 starting 12–17 months, 1 starting 18–23 months and 2 starting from 24 months.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.