Trying to get things done at home with a toddler - nightmare right? I remember the day I answered the door to collect a parcel and came back to find my bundle of joy had pulled the letter E and number 3 off my keyboard and was attempting to eat them.
Huh.
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Toddlers are particularly tricky to have around when you need to work from home as they have the combination of short attention spans and lots of energy. This is where a quick and easy way to entertain is a lifeline.
Something simple to put together but unusual enough to keep them entertained.
I have a handful of ideas in my back pocket for when we are having one of those tricky days, where he's just not interested in his regular toys or I need to get on with things and require the use of both my hands (something he thinks is optional!)
All of these activities have the added bonus of developing fine motor skills, so your little one can learn while they play!
So if you're having one of those days, here are some easy ways to keep your little one occupied.
1. Painting with water
This is one of those ideas that's unbelievably simple but it has the potential to entertain for long enough to write an email or actually drink a HOT coffee for a change 😂
All you need is some coloured paper (white doesn't have the same wow factor), a chunky paintbrush and a small pot of water.
I used one of our trusted IKEA plastic bowls as it was the first thing that came to hand, but I only put a little bit of water in the bottom so he didn't spill it everywhere or flood the paper.
When they've covered the sheet of paper, you can swap it out for another colour. We popped the first one on the radiator to dry ready for another go!
Mr 18m has sensory issues and puts everything in his mouth so this is a really safe way for him to get creative. It also avoids any of the potential mess from real paints.
If you want to let them create something more permanent, try paint sticks - they are virtually mess-free to paint - we love ours from Little Brian
2. Pegging
You can't get easier than this as a way to entertain a toddler! Mr youngest played with pegs as a baby when I would put them on a basket and he would pull them off, but his motor skills are now good enough for him to peg them on himself.
Young children love getting to play with everyday objects that are normally only for the grownups!
We just used one of our IKEA storage boxes as they are a good width, but you could use anything as long as it's not too wide for the pegs -
We use our ecoforce pegs (which I am slightly obsessed with as they are made from recycled plastic and last for years), as my youngest finds them really easy to use.
3. Sensory bin
If you've never tried sensory bins, I recommend giving them a go. They're worth the little bit of effort - they entertain my kids for ages and they keep coming back to them all day.
You'll want it to be a low-mess version - you don't want to go for the full jelly experience if you're trying to work! If you use larger sized fillers they are easier to tidy away and you won't have to clean any clothes or surfaces.
Low-mess filler ideas:
Dried beans
Pompoms
Corn kernels
Pasta shapes
Pinecones
Packing peanuts
Buttons
Plastic lids
Corks
Feathers
Mini wood slices
4. Cutting wool
If your little one is fairly confident with scissors then try giving them some wool to cut up.
They will love snipping away at it and if you use safety scissors you can let them get on with it sitting next to you without worrying about snipped fingers.
As well as keeping little ones busy, this is a great activity for developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, independence and focus!
The great thing about wool is that it's an interesting and easy material to cut, but if you can't get your hands on any, you can try string, leaves - anything unusual and easy to snip!
If you've got a bit of time to prep, try our crazy hairdos cutting activity
5. Scribbling on boxes
Over lockdown we had a never-ending supply of cardboard from Amazon, so when we got a large box, I would break it open and spread it flat on the table next to me.
Then I would give my little man our tray of crayons and pencils and let him go to town.
Because it was such a large surface area, he could scribble and draw to his heart's content, plus there was less chance of him having a cheeky scribble on the table when I wasn't looking.
I also liked to join him and have the odd therapeutic doodle.
We love gel crayons and watercolour pencils as they give the most vibrant results on cardboard.
The great thing about this activity is once you are done with it you can pop the cardboard in the recycling!
6. Playdough
Although playdough can be a little messy, I find that of all the things I can throw at my kiddos, this distracts them for the longest.
A few tips for making clean up easy -
Put something on the floor to help collect any stray pieces
Use a tray to keep all the tools and playdough in one place
Wear old clothes - playdough will come out in the wash but save your nicest clothes
Some of our favourite playdough accessories
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More ideas!
