8 Fun Take Turns Games for Toddlers and Babies

You offer one shaker to your child and keep another back for yourself, planning a quick turn-taking game before tea. Your child reaches for both, protests when you hold one back, and the whole thing starts to feel harder than it should. Most of us have been there. It can happen on the living room floor, in the buggy, or in the middle of a playgroup session when everyone is already a bit tired.

That reaction is normal. Babies and toddlers are still learning that someone else having a turn does not mean they have lost theirs. Waiting, watching, and giving something back are learned skills, and they usually grow through many short, ordinary moments rather than one big lesson.

That is why simple take turns games work so well in the early years. They turn a big social idea into something a child can see, hear, and repeat. “My turn, your turn” becomes a pattern first. The understanding comes after.

In practice, the best games are the ones we can set up quickly with what we already have. That is why I like linking turn-taking play to familiar items from a Grow With Me kit, such as a soft ball, stacking pieces, scarves, cards, or sensory materials. Families are much more likely to use an idea again when the toy is already in the basket and the game only takes two minutes to start. If you are building your play shelf, a simple infant ball toy for early back-and-forth play is often one of the easiest places to begin.

We also need room for real-life snags. Some children grab. Some walk off mid-game. Some enjoy taking a turn but struggle to wait for yours. That does not mean the activity has failed. It usually means the game needs a smaller step, clearer language, or a different object. I will cover those common turn-taking struggles later as well, so you have practical ways to adjust rather than feeling stuck.

If you'd like extra support for social learning alongside play, the Guiding Growth resources are useful to keep nearby.

1. Simple Ball Rolling Back-and-Forth

For many children, ball rolling is the first turn-taking game that really clicks. It's simple, physical, and easy to repeat. One person rolls. The other person receives. Then the roles switch.

That predictability is exactly why it works so well for babies and young toddlers. We're not asking for sharing in a complicated group. We're just building one short exchange at a time.

A soft textured ball from a Grow With Me kit is ideal because it gives little hands something easy to grip and push. Sit close together on the floor, legs open, with very little distance between you. Roll slowly, pause, smile, and wait. If your child doesn't send it back yet, gently help their hands make the motion.

How to make it work

Use the same short script every time. “My turn.” Roll. “Your turn.” Wait. That repetitive language matters more than we often think.

You can also vary the feel of the game by swapping between knitted, fabric, or wooden balls from your kit. Children who lose interest quickly often re-engage when the sensory experience changes, even though the rule stays the same.

Practical rule: Keep the distance short enough for success. If your child has to chase the ball every time, it stops feeling like a turn-taking game and starts feeling like hard work.

A common mistake is getting too enthusiastic and rolling too fast. Adults do this all the time. The child then misses the ball, gets annoyed, and wanders off. Slower is better.

A few small adjustments help:

• Start close: Sit almost knee-to-knee at first.
• Name the turn: Use the same words each round.
• Celebrate the return: Even a tiny push back counts.
• Stop while it's still fun: Two good minutes is enough.

If you want more ideas for choosing the right kind of ball for this stage, the infant ball toy guide is a helpful place to start.

2. Peek-a-Boo and Hiding Games

Peek-a-boo is one of the earliest take turns games because it teaches anticipation before it asks for patience. First you hide. Then you appear. Soon your baby wants a turn hiding too, even if “hiding” means putting a scarf over their own face and waiting to be found.

A silk scarf from a Grow With Me kit works beautifully here because it's light, gentle, and easy to lift. You can begin with your own face, then hide a favourite wooden toy underneath it, then invite your child to do the same for you.

Small changes that keep it playful

Some children love a dramatic reveal. Others prefer a very soft, predictable version. That's where following your child matters more than following the “classic” game.

Try saying, “Where's teddy?” and pause for a second before lifting the scarf. That pause is the turn-taking part. It creates a moment of waiting, then reward.

If a child starts pulling the scarf away before you finish the phrase, that's still participation. They're showing they understand the pattern and want to join in.

What doesn't work so well is overstretching the suspense. Babies who are still unsure about hidden objects can tip quickly from excited to unsettled. Keep the reveal quick and warm.

You can also reverse the game once your toddler understands it. Hide your eyes and ask them to “find Mummy” or “find Grandad”. Then let them hide a toy for you. The handover of roles is what makes this more than a sensory game. It becomes a social exchange.

This simple pattern is still valuable even as digital play starts early. UK-focused guidance has noted a growing gap between children's access to devices and the structured support adults receive around digital turn-taking play, as discussed in this article on games for positive social skills. For little ones, though, face-to-face games like this are still the easiest place to begin.

3. Stacking and Block-Building Turn-Taking

Some toddlers resist taking turns with toys they love, but they'll happily take turns if the activity has a visible shared goal. Block play is perfect for that. We're building something together, one move at a time.

Large chunky wooden blocks from a Grow With Me kit are especially good because small hands can manage them without too much frustration. The easier the motor task, the more energy a child has left for waiting and watching.

Build together, don't rush to competition

The best starting point is one tower, not two. Sit side by side and say, “I'll add one. Now you add one.” If your child tries to place several in a row, calmly hold the boundary without turning it into a battle. “We're taking one each.”

When the tower falls, that's not failure. It's often the best part. If we laugh, say “Crash!”, and start again, the child learns that waiting for a turn doesn't risk losing the game.

This is also a lovely place to model flexibility. Maybe your toddler puts a block sideways and the whole structure looks wonky. Let it. Control can kill the fun very quickly.

A few versions work well:

• Colour turns: One person adds the red block, the other adds the blue.
• Shape turns: You place a square, they place a rectangle.
• Sound cue turns: Use a simple phrase like “ready, steady, place”.

For toddlers who knock down before anyone else gets a turn, reduce the temptation. Build lower. Give them a “builder” role and a separate “demolition” moment at the end. That often works better than repeatedly saying “no”.

If your child enjoys stacking toys, the stacking blocks toy article gives more play ideas you can use beyond tower building.

4. Simple Card or Picture Games

Not every turn-taking game needs movement. Some children settle better when play is structured and table-based. Picture games are useful here because the rule is visible. One person flips. One person looks. Then the next person has a turn.

Wooden picture discs from a Grow With Me kit are ideal for toddlers because they're sturdier than paper cards and easier to handle. Start with very few pieces. Three matching pairs is plenty.

Keep the rules kinder than the classic version

A lot of adults accidentally make early matching games too hard. They turn all the pieces face down, expect memory skills that aren't ready yet, and then wonder why the child starts grabbing.

A better first version is cooperative. Lay the pairs face up and take turns finding the matches together. Once that works, turn over just a few.

Good turn-taking practice often looks less like “winning fairly” and more like “staying calm while we wait, watch, and try again”.

This is also one of the easiest games to adapt for language. If the disc shows a dog, say “My turn, dog. Your turn, can you find dog?” If it shows fruit, vehicles, or familiar objects, you can tie the turn directly to naming and noticing.

The wider UK games market shows just how established turn-based play is in family life. The UK board and card game market is valued at £600–£700 million and is projected to reach £1.15 billion by 2030, according to this discussion of the UK board and card game market. For toddlers, though, the best versions stay short, simple, and very forgiving.

For families looking for more structured options that can be adapted for different needs, this round-up of ADHD and Autism friendly games may give you ideas for later on.

5. Musical Turn-Taking and Song Games

You start singing in the kitchen, pause before the next line, and your child lights up because they know what comes next. For many toddlers, that is one of the easiest ways into take turns games. The rhythm carries the pattern, so they do not have to hold all the rules in mind.

Music gives us a clear back-and-forth. I sing. You shake. I stop. You clap. That predictability helps children who find waiting hard in other kinds of play.

If your Grow With Me kit includes a shaker, bell, or scarf, use one item as the turn marker and keep the game very small. Shake once and pass it over. Sing one line and leave space for your child to add a sound or action. A scarf works well too. We can lift it up on our turn, then hand it across for the next one.

Let the pause do the teaching

Children usually learn more from the pause than from repeated reminders to wait. Sing the familiar line, stop, look expectant, and give them a moment to step in. That little gap is often easier to understand than a string of instructions.

A simple format keeps it manageable:

• Start with a song your child already knows: predictable songs make turns easier to spot
• Use one action only: clap, shake, tap, stomp, or wave
• Keep the pause short at first: success matters more than a long wait
• Add your child's name: “Now it's Sam's turn to shake”

Here's a song video some families like to use as a starting point:

What helps most is repetition. What tends to throw children off is too much at once. Three props, four verses, and constant corrections can turn a simple turn-taking game into a muddle very quickly.

If your child bangs the shaker at the wrong moment, carries on through your turn, or wants the same verse again and again, that is still useful practice. We are aiming for shared timing and enjoyment first. Accuracy can come later.

This kind of play also travels well. A bell from the kit can come into the bath, the garden, or a walk to the park. If you want to take musical turn-taking outdoors, pairing songs with found objects and movement often works well after a simple scavenger hunt in nature, because children already feel engaged and ready to join in.

6. Sensory Play Turn-Taking with Natural Materials

Some children learn best when their hands are busy. Sensory play can be a brilliant route into take turns games because the materials themselves invite repetition. Scoop, pour, pass, feel, return.

A Grow With Me kit often gives you a strong starting point here. Wooden rings, fabrics, bowls, and other natural-texture items can become a simple turn-taking tray without much setup.

Keep one action clear

The easiest mistake in sensory play is adding too much. Rice, scoops, cups, stones, shells, animals, spoons, water, funnels, and a child who's now flinging all of it across the room. Simpler works better.

Choose one action and name it. “I scoop, then you scoop.” Or “I choose one treasure, then you choose one treasure.” That gives the child a clear expectation.

You might make a treasure basket and take turns pulling out one item to explore. Or sit outside with a bowl and natural finds and pass them back and forth, one at a time, describing what you notice. Smooth. Rough. Cold. Soft.

Some toddlers can wait far longer for a turn when there's a sensory reward at the end of it.

Close supervision matters here, especially with small objects. We also want to be realistic. A child who is dysregulated, hungry, or overtired may use the materials for dumping rather than shared play. That doesn't mean the idea is wrong. It usually means the timing is.

If you'd like to take this kind of play outdoors, the scavenger hunt in nature ideas can help you turn collecting and noticing into a back-and-forth game.

7. Dance and Movement Turn-Taking Games

Some toddlers need to move before they can cooperate. If sitting still leads to grabbing, try making turn-taking active instead of static.

Dance and movement games let one person lead while the other follows. Then you swap. That swap is the skill we're practising.

Scarves or ribbons from a Grow With Me kit can help because they make movement easier to see and copy. Start with one action at a time. Clap. Stomp. Wave. Spin. Freeze.

Let your child be the leader sooner than you think

Many adults stay in charge for too long. They demonstrate, direct, correct, and keep the child in the follower role. But the magic usually happens when you hand over the lead.

Say, “My turn to choose a move.” Do one. Then say, “Your turn.” If your toddler wiggles, crouches, flaps the scarf, or runs in a tiny circle, copy it with delight. That tells them their idea counts.

Freeze dance works well too. One person controls the music or calls “stop”, and the other responds. Then switch. The game has a clear boundary without feeling strict.

Real life examples are often very ordinary. A parent puts music on while tidying the living room. A grandparent leads two claps and a stamp. The toddler invents a shoulder wiggle no one expected. Suddenly everyone is laughing, waiting, copying, and taking turns without a single lecture.

The wider appeal of turn-based play is growing in other parts of the games world too. Future Market Insights projects the UK turn-based strategy games market will reach USD 7.6 billion in 2026 and USD 20.4 billion by 2036, with a projected CAGR of 10.40%, according to its UK turn-based strategy games market report. For little children, movement games are the early-years version of that same pleasure in sequence, rhythm, and response.

8. Feeding and Care Routines as Turn-Taking Play

A lot of turn-taking practice happens at the kitchen table, on the changing mat, or beside the toy basket. One spoon for teddy. One spoon for your child. One wipe from you. One wipe from them. For many toddlers, these are the moments that make the pattern click because the action has a clear purpose.

A doll, soft toy, small wooden bowl, spoon, or cloth from a Grow With Me kit gives routine play just enough structure to hold attention. Say, “My turn to feed teddy. Your turn to feed teddy.” Keep it steady and predictable.

Everyday routines give turn-taking a job to do

Pretend care play works well because toddlers are often eager to copy what they see us doing all day. It also lets them try the helper role, which can feel far more motivating than being told to wait in a formal game.

Use that during real routines. At dressing time, pull the sock on halfway, then let your child finish. At snack time, you place one piece in the bowl, then they place one. At clean-up, you wipe once, then pass over the cloth. We are still teaching waiting, responding, and sharing control, but the task feels real rather than staged.

I often suggest this approach for children who walk away from sit-down games but stay engaged when there is a practical job involved. The trade-off is that routines can become slower and messier. That is usually fine. If the goal is turn-taking, a slower nappy change or a slightly uneven snack routine can still be good practice.

For toddlers, care routines make that sequence very personal. I do something. You do something. We do it together.

If it falls apart, simplify. Use one object, one action, and one short phrase. The cloth may miss the spill. The spoon may not reach the doll's mouth. The turn still counts.

8 Turn-Taking Games Comparison

Activity	🔄 Implementation complexity	⚡ Resource requirements	📊 Expected outcomes (developmental impact)	⭐ Key advantages	💡 Ideal use cases
Simple Ball Rolling Back-and-Forth	Low, requires consistent adult turn-taking	Very low, one soft ball, small space	Social reciprocity, gross motor control, anticipation	Portable, adaptable, strong parent-child bonding	6 months–3 years; short practice sessions; early turn-taking work
Peek-a-Boo and Hiding Games	Very low, easy to modulate surprise intensity	Minimal, hands or light scarf/blanket	Object permanence, anticipation, emotional regulation	Engages very young infants, free, high delight	4–24 months; soothing or short-play routines; early cognitive milestones
Stacking and Block-Building Turn-Taking	Moderate, set rules and scaffold to avoid conflict	Medium, blocks/space; age-appropriate pieces	Fine motor, spatial reasoning, patience, planning	Scalable complexity; encourages collaboration and problem-solving	12 months–5 years; focused playtime; STEM-prep and cooperative play
Simple Card or Picture Games	Moderate, requires rule teaching and turn enforcement	Low–Medium, cards or picture boards; portable	Memory, attention, visual discrimination, rule-following	Structured turn-taking, portable, supports vocabulary	18 months–5 years; travel or quiet time; early literacy and attention practice
Musical Turn-Taking and Song Games	Low, leader confidence helps but easy to run	Minimal, voice; optional simple instruments	Language development, rhythm, gross motor skills	Multisensory, culturally universal, joyful and predictable	6 months–4 years; routines, group circle time, language practice
Sensory Play Turn-Taking with Natural Materials	Moderate, requires supervision and preparation	Low, natural materials, sensory bin or tray	Sensory processing, fine motor, sustained attention	Highly engaging, sustainable materials, exploratory learning	9 months–4 years; calm focused sessions; nature connection and tactile learning
Dance and Movement Turn-Taking Games	Low–Moderate, needs clear turn cues and safe space	Minimal, open area, optional scarves/ribbons	Gross motor, body awareness, balance, emotional regulation	Energy release, confidence building, fun engagement	12 months–4 years; active play, transitions, group movement time
Feeding and Care Routines as Turn-Taking Play	Low, requires patience and consistent modeling	Minimal, everyday items, dolls or small props	Life skills, independence, empathy, executive function	Integrates learning into routines, meaningful, promotes autonomy	12–18 months+; mealtimes, dressing, caregiving practice

Play, Patience, and Progress: Your Turn-Taking Journey

Teaching a child to take turns is slow work, and that's exactly how it should be. This isn't a skill most babies or toddlers learn because we explain it once. They learn it through hundreds of tiny experiences that feel safe, playful, and repeatable. A rolled ball, a hidden scarf, a block placed on top, a shaker passed across, a sock pulled up together. These moments might look small from the outside, but they're doing important developmental work.

It also helps to remember what turn-taking is not. It isn't forced sharing before a child is ready. It isn't expecting a toddler to wait calmly for long stretches. It isn't correcting every grab as if it were a moral failure. Most of the time, children grab because they're excited, impulsive, curious, or not yet able to hold the idea of “my turn later” in their body. That's a developmental reality, not a parenting mistake.

When turn-taking feels hard, the answer usually isn't a stricter tone. It's better scaffolding.

Here are the fixes that help most often:

• Shorten the wait: If a child melts down between turns, make each turn very brief.
• Make the turn visible: Hold the object, point, and name whose turn it is.
• Use familiar routines: Children cope better when the pattern is predictable.
• Reduce the audience: Many toddlers manage turn-taking better one-to-one than in a group.
• End early: Stop before tiredness turns practice into conflict.

Another useful shift is to treat “waiting with support” as success. Your child doesn't need to smile serenely and fold their hands in their lap. If they need your hand on the toy, your voice narrating the sequence, or a very fast handover, that still counts as learning.

There are also days when none of it seems to work. Your toddler snatches every card, throws the ball, topples the tower, and shouts through the song. Those days don't erase the progress. They usually mean your child is hungry, tired, overstimulated, unwell, or just having a very young-child day. We don't need to make every play session a lesson. Sometimes we pause and try again tomorrow.

What I've seen again and again is that children learn turn-taking best when we keep it relational. Warm eye contact helps. A playful voice helps. Shared laughter helps most of all. Once a child feels that taking turns still keeps them connected to us, the resistance often softens.

Grow With Me play kits make this easier because the toys are already chosen with stage-based play in mind. That removes some of the guesswork. We can pick up a scarf, a ball, a shaker, a set of blocks, or a bowl and move straight into a simple back-and-forth interaction that suits the age and moment we're in.

Progress rarely arrives all at once. It shows up in flashes. A child waits one second longer. Hands over the shaker without protest. Watches your block go on before adding theirs. Says “my turn” and then, eventually, “your turn” too. Those are the moments to notice. They're the foundations of later friendships, conversations, games, and cooperation.

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