TinyStepper

Waiting Game Toolbox

At a glance: Teach three specific waiting games your toddler can request during queues, traffic, or boring grown-up moments. A 10-minute, low-energy both activity for ages 2y–4y. No prep needed.

Built by a parent of toddlersBest for 2y-4y

Field-tested ideas shaped by direct parenting experience and advice from reputable sources, including NHS Best Start in Life and NSPCC child development research.

2y–4y10 minslow energybothnone messNo prep

Teach your toddler three go-to games for waiting: 'I spy' (colours for younger, letters for older), 'finger counting' (count everything you can see of one type), and 'statue game' (freeze in a funny pose). Practise all three at home first, then deploy them during real waits. The key is that your toddler can request them: 'Shall we play I spy?' Having a toolbox of self-initiated waiting strategies is independence in its purest social form — managing your own behaviour in a difficult situation.

Best for this moment

for calmer, lower-pressure moments, especially when you need something flexible indoors or outdoors.

Parent tip

Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.

What success looks like

A good outcome is a few minutes of engaged play, some back-and-forth with you, and a small sign of progress in focus and attention.

More help for this situation

Instructions

Get ready
  • At home, teach Game 1 — I Spy: 'I spy with my little eye... something RED'
  • Teach Game 2 — Finger Counting: 'How many cars can we count? Use your fingers!'
  1. At home, teach Game 1 — I Spy: 'I spy with my little eye... something RED'
  2. Teach Game 2 — Finger Counting: 'How many cars can we count? Use your fingers!'
  3. Teach Game 3 — Statue Game: 'When I say freeze, make a funny shape!'
  4. Practise each game for a few minutes at home
  5. Name the collection: 'These are your waiting games!'
  6. Next time you are in a queue, offer the choice: 'Which waiting game shall we play?'
  7. Let your toddler choose and initiate: 'You want I Spy? Great — you go first!'
  8. After successful waits, reflect: 'You used your waiting game — the queue went so fast!'

Why it helps

Self-regulation strategies are most effective when they are self-initiated rather than parent-imposed. Teaching a 'toolbox' of named, practised strategies gives toddlers the metacognitive skill of recognising 'I need to wait' and selecting an appropriate coping strategy. This is executive function in action — the same skill set needed for emotional regulation, impulse control, and flexible thinking.

Variations

  • Add a fourth game: 'storytelling' — take turns adding one sentence each to a silly story.
  • Create a 'waiting game card' that lives in your bag — your toddler picks one at random.
  • Let your toddler invent their own waiting game to add to the toolbox.

Safety tips

  • Keep games genuinely quiet and contained in public spaces — avoid anything that involves running or shouting.
  • Adjust expectations to age — younger toddlers may only manage one game before needing physical comfort.
  • Always have a backup plan (snack, cuddle) for when waiting exceeds their capacity.

When to pause and seek extra support

Stop if your child becomes distressed, unsafe, or consistently frustrated by the activity. If play, behaviour, or development worries keep showing up across settings, check in with a qualified professional.

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