Toddlers don't need complicated toys to entertain themselves. Teach your toddler about activities such as measuring and pouring water. Give your toddler a bucket and several measuring cups while she is in the bathtub and teach her how to measure out various amounts and add them to the bucket. This activity can also be done at the dinner table. Not only will your toddler enjoy pouring and scooping, but she will also develop her fine motor skills and learn how to follow directions.
Even if your toddler can't voice her guesses, a texture guessing game is an exciting way to introduce your toddler to a variety of textures. Gather several opaque bags or boxes and put different objects in each one. Use objects with distinct textures, such as sandpaper samples, velvet, hairbrushes and other items. Have your toddler reach into each bag without looking inside and feel the object. If your toddler can talk, ask her if she can name the object. For toddlers who can't talk yet, pull the object out of the bag after she finishes feeling it.
Kinesthetic activities involve both fine and gross motor skills. Get your toddlers moving with creative movement exercises that will increase their sense of rhythm and also improve their gross motor skills. Interactive songs and games are a few ways to develop creativity while also improving kinesthetic abilities. "Guess that animal" is a fun game for older toddlers. Stand in a circle and call out an animal, allowing each toddler to act out the animal sounds and movements. For a fun craft that involves both fine and gross motor skills, make shakers with household items such as coffee canisters and dry beans. After you complete the craft, turn on the music and let the dancing begin.
Activities such as bead stringing and hammering help toddlers develop hand dominance while also improving fine motor skills. According to "The PTA Handbook" by Kathleen Curtis and Peggy DeCelle Newman, bead stringing helps toddlers learn to use their dominant hand to manipulate the beads and their nondominant hand to hold the string. Hammering objects also encourages hand-dominance development. Cover a piece of Styrofoam with brown paper and let toddlers practice hammering golf tees into the Styrofoam with a small mallet.