Sharing and Taking Turns Activities for Toddlers

Sharing and taking turns are important life skills that your little one might not have had much exposure to. Whether they have siblings, go on playdates or are about to start nursery, practising some sharing skills early on can really help them in future social situations.

But don’t worry if your toddler is struggling to take turns or play cooperatively—developing these skills takes time and patience!

Here are some fun and engaging sharing activities for toddlers that you can try at home or at nursery to help build their social development.

1. Baking Together

Baking is a perfect (and tasty) way to teach your child to take turns. The best way to approach turn-taking is to look at the recipe together before you start and list out all the jobs that need doing.

Then, work with your toddler to divide the jobs between you—like stirring, pouring, or decorating. It’s a lovely way for the whole family to get involved and also have some yummy treats to share at the end!

Baking is also great for sparking conversation, as toddlers may be puzzled by how batter becomes cake. Provide plenty of safe instructions and encourage your child to take turns asking questions about what’s happening.

🧁 If you’d like some ideas for baking with toddlers, check out our blog on 3 Quick & Easy Cakes to Bake with Your Toddler for some toddler-friendly cake recipes!

2. Playing Board Games

Simple board games are ideal sharing games for toddlers, especially those that involve rolling dice or matching cards.

Use clear verbal cues like, “Now it’s Mummy’s turn,” to help your toddler understand how turn-taking works. Board games also teach sportsmanship—how to win or lose graciously—and help children learn to wait, listen, and enjoy cooperative play.

This is one of the easiest and most fun activities to promote sharing and turn taking for toddlers.

3. Visiting the Playground

The playground is a fantastic place for real-life sharing practice. Taking turns on the slide or waiting for a go on the swing are practical examples of cooperative play activities for toddlers.

Support your child by gently prompting them to let others have a turn or encouraging them to ask, “Can I have a go?”

With time, your toddler will begin to model these behaviours independently—especially when they see other children doing the same.

4. Timeshare with Toys

Learning to share their own toys is often the hardest challenge for toddlers. To help, introduce a timer as a fun way to swap toys fairly. This teaches children that everyone gets a turn.

Whether it’s with siblings or friends, activities to support sharing toddlers often work best when a sense of fairness is built into playtime.

If a conflict arises, calmly remove the toy and explain that no one can play unless they share. This helps your child connect the dots between cooperation and keeping the fun going.

5. Storytime Swap

Reading is another excellent way to build sharing habits. Take turns reading pages of a book, or for younger toddlers, let them choose the next book or flip the pages.

An even more interactive version is to make up a story together. One person starts with a sentence and then the next adds their own twist. This helps children practise listening, imagination, and turn-taking in a joyful way.

These are great fun sharing activities for preschoolers that promote creativity alongside social skills.

6. Building with Blocks or LEGO

Collaborative building sessions encourage children to share ideas, materials, and space. Whether it’s creating a tower or a train track together, they’ll learn the give-and-take that comes with working as a team.

Make sure to emphasise that there’s plenty of bricks for everyone—and celebrate the final result as a shared creation. This builds pride in cooperative play and reinforces the benefits of working together.

7. Role Play Games

Pretend play, like running a “shop” or “café”, is a brilliant way for toddlers to take turns and practise sharing different roles. One child might be the shopkeeper while the other is the customer—then swap!

Role play promotes empathy, communication and compromise—key parts of social and emotional learning.

If your child attends a nursery in Southwark, activities like these are often woven into the daily routine as part of the EYFS framework.

8. Praise Sharing When It Happens

When your child shares or takes turns naturally, highlight it. Praise goes a long way in reinforcing good habits.

Try phrases like “That was very kind of you to let your friend play with the car,” or “Great job taking turns!” You could even use a sticker chart or offer a small reward after consistent efforts.

Equally, if your toddler refuses to share, gently talk them through why sharing matters. Ask how they would feel if someone refused to let them join in. This helps develop emotional awareness and compassion.

Building Social Skills at Little Angels Nursery

At Little Angels Nursery in Southwark, we understand how crucial early social development is. That’s why our team uses a range of sharing activities for toddlers, from cooperative play to group games, as part of our daily learning.

When you book a nursery tour, you’ll see how we support kindness, empathy and independence through structured and spontaneous activities.

If you’re looking for a trusted childcare in SE1, we’d love to show you how we help children learn, play, and grow together.

📍 Book your nursery tour or download a brochure to discover how we encourage kindness, sharing and connection every day.