By Carrie Spencer
Is your young child always on the move? Toddlers are all about exploration. But when you can’t head outside for playtime, it helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve to keep your little one entertained. Try these activities next time your tot is home sick or needs a distraction from the dreary weather.
Go a Little Lower-Key
Plenty of parents begin to feel burnt out when at home with their energetic toddlers. One way to gain both a few moments of peace and a developmental boost for your child is to encourage unstructured play. Open-ended toys (like building blocks, art supplies, and sensory materials) invite even the youngest child to explore and discover something new – all on their own.
Even if you wind up lying on the floor to partake in LEGO Duplo building or scribbling pictures on construction paper, not every activity needs to be high stakes. Put on your comfiest leggings and top, cuddle up together, and take it easy (at least sometimes).
Shape Your Days
Most parents of young ones understand that routines help toddlers’ worlds go ‘round. When life is at least a little predictable, children have an easier time managing their emotions and making transitions. By sticking to a general routine – say, art time, snack time, then nap – your child knows what to expect.
Of course, shaping your days with fun rituals is an excellent way to pass the time at home. Naptime could be preceded by a dance party to help your little one get their energy out. And you don’t need to listen to “Baby Shark” for the hundredth (or maybe millionth?) time, either. Try rocking out to some classic hits that offer easy listening for all ages.
Another excellent strategy for managing your child’s day – and their expectations – is to create a schedule you can post up anywhere in your home. A printable routine chart serves as a visual and physical reminder of how each day will go, and possibly help it run more smoothly.
Add a Dash of Literacy
Reading is an essential skill that all children eventually develop. But as Psychology Today highlights, reading out loud to your baby (and toddler) is one of the best ways to enhance their learning and hone language skills.
The great news is that adding more books to your day is simple – and engaging for your child. Maybe your morning snack time can be accompanied by a read-aloud of your child’s current favorite book (tip: you can even find read-alouds by celebrities – online).
Or perhaps you’ll put on a kid-friendly audiobook to pass the morning. Either way, exposing your child to more language, even if it’s not you doing the reading, has benefits, notes Read Brightly.
Get Moving Anytime
Though dance parties can be a fun way to let loose, younger kids might outlast mom and dad when it comes to energy levels. If you need more ways to keep your child burning energy throughout the day, age-appropriate gross motor activities can help.
Movement games like hopscotch, obstacle courses, and even ‘tightrope walking’ indoors are innovative ways to keep your little one entertained. You can use a roll of painter’s tape to outline a hopscotch grid or create a ‘tightrope,’ and everything from stuffed animals to pillows to chairs can serve as obstacles.
Embrace a Bit of Mess
When in doubt, try something new – and a bit messy. Toddlers love to get their hands in anything and everything wet, gooey, soft, crunchy, and any other texture. As long as your child has appropriate supervision (and doesn’t try to eat the materials), you can pour all manner of ‘ingredients’ into a bin for some messy sensory play.
From mixing flour with vegetable or baby oil to make cloud dough to filling a tub with water and bubbly dish soap, anything with an enticing texture is sure to be a hit.
Keeping children indoors can be tough, even if they’re feeling under the weather (or are stuck inside because of the elements). But with these ideas, you have the perfect recipe for a less stressful, more fun experience. Plus, your little one may even learn something, too.
Photo via Unsplash
Carrie Spencer created The Spencers Adventures to share her family’s homesteading adventures. On the site, she shares tips on living self-sufficiently, fruit and vegetable gardening, parenting, conservation, and more. Their goal to live as self-sufficiently and environmentally-consciously as possible.