How to keep toddlers entertained
Have you ever had those days or weeks where you have a million things to get done, but your toddler just seems to want to be held the WHOLE DAY? Well, trust me when I say you are not alone. My youngest daughter is the more "clingy" one and there are some days I have a hard time even getting the dishes done let alone sitting down to work.
Fortunately, I have figured out a routine and a few activities that help to keep both my girls busy while working, doing projects or just during summer break. What I love most about these activities is that they are a simple, Montessori based learning that involve fine and gross motor skills. That means not only do they keep everyone entertained, but they are educational too! Ready to see what activities I have? Let's dive in!
Sensory Play
water beads
rice/beans/pasta
playdoh
shaving cream/whipped cream
water table
legos/magnet connect blocks
This list is literally endless. Pair any of these items with some cooking utensils and your set for at least an hour! Sensory play to me is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to entertain kids. You can literally open your pantry and find a handful of items without ever having to go to the store and buy something.
However, if you are like me and don't want to use the food you bought to eat, the Dollar Tree or any similar type store is the perfect one stop shop! You can find everything from rice and dried beans to measuring utensils and even containers to store everything in! The favorite in our house is water beads and rice. My girls can literally play with these for hours!
If the mess concerns you, I have the perfect solution (because my OCD personality is right there with you). We use an old sheet for the girls to sit on while they play with things like rice and water beads. You can also use water proof tarp or a cheap plastic table cover for painting and whipped cream.
Typically I have the girls sit at a covered table for painting and we go outside for things like the water table and whipped cream. You just have to base what ingredients you use for the type of weather you have. But trust me, whether they are inside or out, they will have a blast with any of these items while you get your work done.
Make Believe
dress up box
mommy or daddy's clothes
let them clean the house
The phrase "monkey see, monkey do" relates to just about every kid I know. They are SO aware of the world around them and they pick up on the littlest things. It can both be rewarding and eye opening depending on what is said and done if you get what I mean lol. And a lot of what they learn is through imagination play.
My girls love to pretend they are mommy or that they are driving to Target (I guess I'm a frequent shopper haha) or at the farmers market. Dress up outfits are fun, but if you are strapped for money, try making a box of your old clothes. Cut the front off an old tee shirt (leaving the seam at the neck) to create a superhero cape. Button up shirts are a favorite to be just like daddy. Possibilities are endless!
Arts + Crafts
crayons
magic markers
painting
I know not all kids like art, but giving kids a little more freedom to experiment on more than just a coloring page can spark some curiosity. We have a little kiddie table that the girls will use and I will occasionally cover the table with a roll of paper and let them just draw whatever is on their mind.
They enjoy not having lines to color is and it gives them the freedom to just draw. Another favorite is magic markers because mommy doesn't trust regular markers just yet ;) We also love stickers. I'll often buy a pack of stickers at Hoppy Lobby and roll out a big sheet of paper, tape it to the wall, and let them decorate it with stickers (just make sure your crayons are tucked away or you might have more than just stickers on your walls).
If you want to take it a step further, you could take a marker and simply draw out a few hills, some trees, clouds and a sun to create a scene for the stickers!
Audio books/music
books that read to them
music instruments
This one is pretty self explanatory, but yet so effective. Although I got into a bad habit of having TV on for a lot of the day, we are have changed our ways and have been limiting our tv time. To replace the time that the girls are use to watching tv, I've been playing music during the day. I let the girls pick what they want to listen to and off they go either playing one of the activities on this list or just free playing.
I've also found audio books to be the perfect quiet time activity. Luna hasn't had regular naps for over a year, but Avery is at the age where she naps maybe every other day. Regardless, she goes into her room for about an hour and a half every day and has the opportunity to listen to audio books.
Climbing objects
nugget
lily + river
stack of cushions or pillows
ball pit
There is no question that kids need to move... like a lot! We've been in a good routine of going to the park in the morning and playing on the play ground and then we have some backyard activity in the afternoon. Once the weather gets too hot to be out in the afternoons, we have to resort to indoor play. That's when I pull out the big guns!
Anything physical that can be safety played inside gets rotated throughout the week. I don't usually keep these activities out all the time because I want them to hold that specialness which in turn keeps them occupied for more than a few minutes.
A few other activities that we like to do if you don't have any climbing items (or simply don't have the room) is playing scavenger hunt, putting some tape on the floor to play hopscotch, or letting the kids climb over a big pile of cushions and pillows that are placed on the floor. It's the simple things in life that your kids really enjoy so try not to overthink it.
So there you have it! Multiple ways to keep your toddler busy during work hours, unfavorable weather conditions, or simply when you need to get something done. Obviously there are so many more ideas out there, but these are just a few to get you started.
I would encourage you to try something at least once to see if it's an activity that captures your little ones attention and also works for your situation. Some activities might require more of your attention than you can give so keep that in mind. Have you done any of these activities or do you know of any I haven't listed here? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!