One-third of all parents feel uninspired by playtime.
A staggering 80% of parents miss out on playtime with their child.
And yet 96% of parents agree they should be involved in their kids’ playtime.
These facts were revealed in Playgroup NSW’s 2025 Big Start Report, which aimed to identify the state of playtime in Australia’s households. Safe to say, it didn’t look great.
But enough of the bleakness - we have the solutions.
With our definitive guide on the best playtime ideas and things to do with children, you’ll never again feel uninspired to play with your kid. We explore eight unique playtime ideas for kids and newborns that cover everything from ride-on sports cars to building the best outdoor fort.
Why is Playtime for Kids Important?
Playtime is crucial for your child’s development. Here’s why…
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Social development - Kids learn to regulate emotions, build self-confidence, navigate relationships, and develop empathy.
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Cognitive development - This includes problem-solving, concentration, shapes and numbers, imagination, memory, and general well-being.
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Physical development - Children develop and strengthen their muscles and motor functions through play.
Playtime plays an essential role from an early age. Simple toys like rattles and blocks help calibrate the nervous system, improve hearing abilities, coordinate eye tracking, and strengthen arm muscles.
And as children begin to grow, playtime and activities boost their fundamental literacy and numeracy development. Interacting with toys and the world around literally shapes their minds, enhancing everything from memory to independence to well-being.
This is why it’s crucial to come up with fun things to do with kids and keep your little ones engaged.
The 8 Best Playtime Ideas for Creative Kids
Our unique list of playtime ideas for children spans everything from electric ride-on car adventures to outdoor treasure hunts to arts and crafts using recycling.
Playtime can vary depending on the budget, materials, environment, space, and time you have available. But rest assured, our definitive list of eight kids' activities covers your situation.
So, what are the best playtime ideas for kids? Let’s find out.
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Adventures with Ride-On Cars
Playing with electric ride-on cars is one of the best playtime ideas and a super-fun activity to do with kids. Models come in all shapes and sizes, from branded ride-on Lamborghinis to cool ride-on motorcycles.
Set up a racetrack or obstacle course around your house, garden, or neighbourhood. Use cones, chalk, sticks, or pool noodles to mark the boundaries, and let them navigate their very own racetrack! Ride-on cars can be driven manually by your child or controlled remotely by you, making this a safe playtime idea.
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Treasure Hunts in Nature
A treasure hunt is one of the best outdoor playtime activities for kids. Take a stroll in your local woods or plan an adventure in your backyard. Use sticks and feathers as markers and clues. And at the end, offer a reward (our suggestion is to bury a pack of gold-wrapped chocolate coins!) to add a sense of competition and encourage cognitive thinking.
The Playtime Matters report from the Outdoor Classroom Day campaign found that outside play reduces stress and invites calmness among children, proving just how valuable outdoor playtime is for kids.
You can even take your kid’s ride-on car with you! Sturdy models like ride-on Toyota SUVs are all-terrain, perfect for outdoor adventures.
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Start Your Very Own Car Wash
If you’re working through this list in order, you’ll be happy with our third idea. One fun activity for kids is to create their own car wash for their ride-on car toys (perfect for post-outdoor adventures). Or you can get them to help you out with the family car!
Set up a station with sponges, buckets, soap, and water, and let them get to it. The suds make a great sensory experience, and they’ll have fun splashing away.
If your kid is playing car wash with their ride-on car, make sure they only wash the outside. Keep the water away from the inside, especially the dashboard, as this is where the main switchboard and buttons are (if you want to clean the inside, just wipe it down with a damp cloth). Meanwhile, the outside has no issues with moisture.
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Build a Fort Using Boxes
Forts, castles, spaceships, mini cities, tunnels… there are few limits to what your child can build with cardboard boxes. It’s one of the most classic kids’ playtime ideas because it’s easy to set up and the creativity limits are endless. Got a ride-on truck, police car, or fire engine? They can become delivery trucks or emergency vehicles in your child’s cardboard city.
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Eco-Friendly Crafts with Recycling
Make playtime educational with this cool, environmentally friendly playtime idea. Save some recyclable materials for your kids to use - cereal boxes, toilet roll tubes, milk cartons - and encourage your children to unleash their imagination.
What will your child create? Maybe they’ll build a small truck with bottle caps for wheels or a robot from tin cans. Our recommendation? Give your kid a few cardboard boxes and some colouring pens, and they can build a garage for their ride-on car!
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Put on a Play or Puppet Show
Lights, camera, action! One of the best ways for kids to express their creativity is by putting on a show. Let your kids' imagination run wild with script-writing and improv scenes. Combine this with dressing up (think pirates, astronauts, firefighters, detectives, animals), and you’ll have a fun playtime idea for your kid.
Kids’ plays are still as timeless as ever. After all, what kid since the 1990s doesn’t have a home video of them performing in a costume when they were little?
You could also help your little one put on a puppet show, combining acting with crafting for a creative and confidence-boosting kids’ playtime activity. Maybe you can even use their ride-on buggies as floats for an accompanying parade!
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Paint, Draw, or Sculpt
Arts and crafts is one of the best playtime ideas for children because it involves everything they love: colour, creativity, and a little chaos! Set up an easel, lay down some cardboard, or just give them some paper to let their imaginations run wild. Just make sure the tools they’re using - from paintbrushes to plasticine to acrylics - are safe and kid-friendly.
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Invent a New Sport
Do you remember those made-up games you used to play as a kid? Remember how fun they were? Help your kid invent a new sport and you’ll create lasting memories, whether it’s father-son playtime or a family activity.
It’s simple - just give your little one a mix of household items (balls, buckets, bats, cones, hula hoops, hats) and challenge them to come up with a brand-new sport. They can invent their own rules, and you must obey them!
Get Inspired at Playtime with Ride-On Cars from MC Wholesalers
Playtime doesn’t have to be uninspiring. Now that you know eight unique new playtime ideas for kids, there’s nothing left to do except get playing!
The best playtime idea for toddlers involves a ride-on car. Ride-on cars give children a sense of freedom and adulthood, helping them express themselves and look downright cool. They also strengthen their imagination and encourage them to get outdoors!
At MC Wholesalers, we stock a wide range of kids’ ride-on cars. You can shop by brand, model, colour, type, and power, filtering our popular products to find the perfect one for your child’s playtime.