Toddlers want to go, go, go, and as a parent, it can become draining keeping a child occupied from sun up to sundown. Keeping toddlers busy, especially all day long can be a very tough task. Small children are filled to the brim with extra energy and have the shortest attention spans, which makes keeping them entertained all the harder.
Now with COVID-19 and winter about to go through its course, you will be needing extra ideas to keep your toddlers busy now more than ever. And we get it, you’re busy, too. Maybe you’re working from home or trying to stay on top of housework (or both) and are finding it impossible to keep your energetic toddlers from being bored. We’re right there with you, which is why we compiled a list of SIMPLE things to do with your toddler.
Pretend Play
Gather all the pots and pans1 you don’t use on a regular basis and don’t hold too much value to you, and let your toddler play with them and pretend they’re cooking. As an added bonus, give them a few canned goods and boxes of pasta to keep them occupied for much longer. Don’t forget to throw in a few plastic spoons and bowls! This fun, yet simple activity will be your favorite because it is practically mess-free and you could finally sit down!
Easy Milk Jug Activity
For this activity, you will need an empty and cleaned out milk or water jug and a pack of washable markers (you need the washable markers in case your child decides he wants to color on something else for the two seconds you look away). All you have to do is cut off the top of the jug, and then leave the rest to your child! Let them draw all over it, and when they’re done, show them how to put their favorite toys in it. This milk jug activity should keep your toddler interested for at least seven minutes, maybe longer if you give them a few extra jugs.
Take Them to the Local Park
Parks are a great activity for your toddler if you want a few moments to sit on a bench and relax. With all the slides and stuff to climb on, your toddler is sure to have the time of his life, while tiring himself out in the process. Make sure to choose a park that is gated or else you might not have such a relaxing time, as you’ll be chasing your child. You should avoid parks with swings2 at all costs unless your child is old enough to swing by themselves. It’s never fun having to push your child in the swing for 30-minutes straight.
Cardboard Box Fun
This is the easiest activity for toddlers and it requires little-to-no work from you. Grab a medium to large empty cardboard box from your storage closet and the loose sidewalk chalk from your junk drawer (if you’re risky enough you can pull out the washable markers, but it might get a little messy). Set the box down and hand your child the chalk and let them go to town on the box. They can color the outside of it, or even get inside the box and let their imagination wander. Sidewalk chalk works best because it shows up on the cardboard box better than markers, plus it’s MUCH easier to clean up. As an added bonus, your child can use their new box to put their toys in (an easy way to get them to clean up their toys without asking them 10 times).
Coloring
Kids love to color, there’s no doubt about that. Let them pick out a new coloring book and a pack of crayons, or print them out a few coloring pages of their favorite show to keep them occupied for 10 minutes OR MORE. Use this activity to your advantage and teach them the basic colors if they don’t know already!
Hide and Seek
Most adults know how to play this classic game of hide-and-seek, so gather the whole family for this one. The rules to this game are simple– one person closes their eyes and counts to a designated number (if a toddler is playing, 10-20 seconds is long enough), while everyone else finds the best hiding places. If your toddler isn’t the best at hiding, let them team up with someone else, or pretend to not find them until the end.
Take Them For a Walk
Keeping a child couped up inside for too long can make everyone feel frustrated, without even realizing the cause. Letting your toddler get a breath of fresh air might just change their whole mood (and yours, too!). Start them off in the stroller, they’ll enjoy watching the clouds roll by, the cars coming and going, and the colorful houses and nature. Once your child starts to get antsy and wants out of the stroller, let them walk beside you while holding their hand to let their little legs tire out. Make sure to bring along their favorite drink and snack of choice to keep them entertained for much longer.
Mess-Free Painting
This activity is guaranteed to be mess-free. For this activity, you will need a zip lock bag, watercolor paints, and a sheet of white paper. Place the sheet of paper in the zip lock bag and then splash a few drops of different color paints (allow your toddler to choose the colors) into the bag. Properly seal the bag and then hand it to your child and let them do their thing, while you sit back and finish your cup of coffee. This is certain to keep your toddler entertained for at least 10 minutes. Have extra sheets of paper on stand by to switch out with the original to keep them occupied for longer!
Build a Fort
Grab all the comforters, blankets, pillows, and couch cushions you can find and throw them on the living room floor. Use the couch cushions as walls and the blankets and comforters as ceilings to create the coolest living room fort. Your toddler will surely love this activity and might want to do one of these other activities in their new fort. Fill the fort with their favorite toys and stuffed animals, and make sure there’s an opening to the TV so they can enjoy watching a movie, too!
Sun-Catchers
For this sun-catcher activity, you will need disposable plates, tissue paper, glue, and scissors. First, cut a decent size hole in the center of the paper plate (this is where the sun is going to shine through). Then, cut the tissue paper into little to medium-sized pieces (these will be used to cover the hole in the plate). Next, have your toddler glue tissue paper onto the paper plate until the plate and hole are covered. When your child is finished with their sun-catcher, glue a piece of string to the top of the plate and hang it in front of a window. Wait for the sun to set to see the sun shine through their new sun-catcher!
Bath Time
Bath time doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wash your child because let’s be honest, that’s a chore for parents. Let the tub fill up with warm OR cold water to your desired level and let them splash around with their favorite toys. You can even call it “pool time” instead of “bath time,” so you can later distinguish the difference.
Play in the Sink
Let your toddler stand on a chair (with you nearby of course) and give your toddler an empty plastic cup. Let the faucet run and they will fill the cup and dump it 50 times for at least a few minutes before they get bored.
Make Puppets
Grab some old socks and let your toddler make them into a puppet. They can glue on googly eyes and draw a mouth with lipstick, to give the puppet a face. Puppets are great activities for toddlers, as they show them how to have a conversation and gives them better communication skills. If you don’t want to make puppets, you can buy some at your local store.
Go For a Car Ride
Sometimes you just have to accept defeat and do what’s best for you. Strap your toddler in the car and let your mind wander as you drive around your city. Your child will love to watch the passing cars and buildings and may even take a short nap. Drive by a few family member’s houses to pass the extra time.
Video Call Grandma
When all else fails and you feel the desperation kicking in, let your child video chat with their Grandmother. This could give you a few minutes to sit down or catch up on laundry. Have your toddler show Grandma all their toys and books one-by-one to keep them interested for an extra few minutes.
Toddlers have such short attention spans that they won’t want to do these activities for too long. Do a few of these activities back-to-back to keep them entertained for longer. What’s your favorite simple activity to do with your toddler? Let us know!
1. 7 Indoor Activities for Kids {Updated for 2020}. (2020). Retrieved October 27, 2020 from https://www.babiesandbeers.net/seven-indoor-activities-for-kids/
2. Hill, C. 20 Simple Ways to Entertain Your Toddler. Retrieved October 27, 2o2o from https://www.mother.ly/child/20-simple-ways-to-entertain-your-toddler
