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Kid Activities

Ways to Keep Your Toddler Busy When You Are Exhausted

September 12, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

How to keep a toddler or kid busy when mom is sick, exhausted or need to get work done with easy kid activities

Are you looking for toddler activities to keep your kids busy when you are exhausted, sick, or just need to get stuff done?

I’ve been super sick lately and I have two little ones at home so it’s super hard to rest and watch toddlers as a stay at home mom.

If you are sick, exhausted or just need a break, here’s a few easy things to do while mom is sick:

*This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

Toy Rotation

Easy Toy Rotation for kid toys to stay organized and more toy play

I love not keeping every single toy out for instant play and instant messes and will rotate toys in my house.

Toy Rotation is just that… keep some toys and bins tucked away, and rotate toys for new ones. I keep big bins in the closet and will just take a bin for a day, and other times I’ll completely rotate the toys in our living room.

The nice thing about toy rotation is that “new” toys will appear. I feel like my kids will play with their toys longer when they haven’t seen them in awhile.

If they always see the same toys, and can access every single toy, they will play less. They get overwhelmed and bored. At least, I feel like that’s the case with my kids.

I like to keep totes in a closet and will take them out and rotate toys or even just pull out a toy or two when I feel like they need something else to keep them busy.

When I’m really tired, I’ll have “an ace” toy tucked away nearby and will bring it out when I need it. It’ll keep them busy, and the toy is “new”. It’s usually building related with my boys because they love to make and build things.

Fun building toys for toddlers and kids for easy kid activity

I also get overwhelmed less with toy rotation because I am looking at less toys myself and will do less pick up every night.

Also, there’s less dumping of every single toy in bins and then walking away to play with the coach cushions or something…

Highly recommend toy rotation or just keeping aside a few toys to keep playing with toys a little more exciting.

Easy Crafts

My Giant Busy Box for an easy craft activity for kids

We love to do crafts and creative things, but it can be exhausting to find the craft, set it up, assist and clean up.

I love craft kits when I need a break and want something easy to keep the kids entertained.

I’ll get some cheap stuff at Michaels, especially when the seasons are changing. They tend to have huge clearance sales for holiday items before the holiday is even over.

For example, I always go into Michaels around December 20th and grab a few last minute crafts for 75% off! I did the same for the fall, when it was still technically fall season– and there’s usually some craft kits to choose from!

I’ve also done the Alex Toys Busy Box. It’s nice when you want to do a craft, but don’t want to think about it or set it up. You can pull out a bag, and the craft is in the bag with all the supplies. It’s so nice and skips a few steps, especially when you are sick.

There’s also some super easy and mess-free crafts in the kit, like stick stickers on pizza, and then there’s more elaborate crafts that need some help and creativity. However, you can pick the craft in the kit based on your mood.

I love doing craft kits when the kids are exhausted because they usually keep them busy and there’s not too much to do on my end besides the occasional assisting or “ooh ahh”.

Big ‘ol Box

Yep. What toddler can resist a gigantic box?

Just grab markers, crayons, scissors, construction paper, glue, or nothing at all and see what amazing things can come out of a box.

That’s it, easy right?

My kids loves boxes of all shapes and sizes for creative play and self play! I don’t have to get involved at all with box play!

Just save those diaper boxes and random boxes for days you really need a break!

Magnetic Tiles

fun and easy toddler play with picasso magnetic tiles when mom is sick

My kids can play with Magnetic tiles for hours. It is probably the best investment toy in my house. They are a little pricey, but we’ve gotten soo may hours of play out of our magnetic tiles!

The best part is that the kids will usually play with these with little help from mom. Sometimes I’ll play and make things with them, but other times, they can play for quite awhile with them by themselves!

I’ll even put them on the fridge and have them play with magna-tiles while cooking dinner!

Magna-tiles can get a little pricey, we actually don’t have any of the original brand, but we do have a few knocks that work just as well!

picasso magnetic tiles for fun building activity for toddlers

We have Picasso tiles and PlayMags and another random brand. I like the PlayMags a tad better if they are the same price, but Picasso tiles and other brands are fine too! The different brands also work fine together, I think as long as they look like they will work together, they will.

Magnetic tiles are definitely my favorite toy and perfect for days that I’m exhausted and need to get things done because they get hours of play with them!

Sand Box

Sand Box for toddlers for easy outdoor play

If it’s nice weather, head outside. Digging in a sandbox can keep kids occupied for awhile!

If you don’t have a sandbox or the sandbox novelty has worn out, you can also add sand to a Tupperware bin and place some shovels, cups, or kitchen tools for some sand play!

You could also put kinetic sand or make cloud dough and create an indoor sand box if the weather isn’t cooperating.

Keep in mind, that it could get messy for indoor play. The first time I did cloud dough, I got two hours of self play and easy clean up. It was amazing. Next time, not so much. It can get messy real fast, depending on experience.

But a sand box outside or on the deck is perfect for days that you are exhausted!

big pile of dirt at construction birthday party for kid activity to keep toddlers busy

We also went to an construction birthday party with a big pile of dirt and my kid was digging in that for two hours straight.

My son totally ignored the huge brand-new sand box and went straight for the dirt pile, so if the sandbox novelty has worn out, go for the good stuff.

Anyone need a big pile of dirt delivered?

Spark Kitchen Sink

Guys, water comes out when you turn on the play sink, just like a real sink. And you don’t have to stand at a sink with your kid for 10 minutes or waste water!

You put water on the bottom and the pump will bring up the water and it keeps recycling through the water.

My kids love it. It’s the Spark Kitchen Sink with a WORKING FAUCET.

Just be forewarned though, it doesn’t last terribly long. The pump actually lasted longer for us than others, but it won’t last forever. I think it lasted around a year for us, with on and off play. But I do know someone who’s pump broke within a few days of play.

The sink will also randomly start working again for a few minutes after not working for months, and then die again.

But for $15, you should get your money back pretty quickly in babysitting money.

My son played with this FOR HOURS.

Especially if you have a water/sink lover on your hands.

Just make sure to put a big towel underneath it, as it gets a little wet and messy, but not terribly so. Or just bring it outside if it’s nice out.

The Spark Kitchen Sink is a Walmart exclusive and available for $14.88, but you can find it on sites like Amazon too, but you will be paying more than retail for it.

You can find a knock-off version at Burlington Coat Factory, T.J. Maxx, etc. call Just Like Home Kitchen Sink and it’s a similar price, if you can’t find the spark one or would rather shop in stores.

There’s also the Little Tikes Splish Splash Sink and Stove for $20, and the pump works a tad differently, but I heard that it’s also a hit!

All three sinks were really hard to find two Christmases ago, but I think they are a little easier to find now.

The sink is definitely a hit and a great investment for $15-$20 since your little one should engrossed for awhile with this one!

Toys in the Tub

Toys in the tub… with no water. That’s so silly mom.

The Tub is a great go-to when you are exhausted and just want them to stay in one place for more than 5 minutes.

Throw them in the tub, put some toys that shouldn’t be there, and viola!

If your up for it, you can also add water for some longer fun.

You could even throw those toys in their for a silly bath time or put their bathing suits on and “go to the beach” if it’s been a long day or long winter.

I also like to throw toys in during the day for a bath because:

  1. It’s fun and silly
  2. It keeps the kids extra busy
  3. The toys get clean (!!!)

Using the bath during the day with or without water is a great activity that can keep the busy for a long time with minimal effort. You just have to stay in the bathroom with them for this one.

Time Consuming Snacks

annies fruit roll ups for an easy time consuming snack for kids

Those Apple Pouches are great. They are quick, healthy, and great in a pinch. They are great for on-the-go and in a rush as they don’t take too much at all!

I love the apple pouch but sometimes we need the exact opposite. The all-time consuming snack.

The snack that takes forever. The snack that your entertain your kids for awhile. The kind of snack that keeps them busy so you have a break.

My kids are eating that snack right now as I type this. I am sitting at my kitchen table and the kids are around and eating a time consuming snack. We are on about 20 minutes. It’s lovely.

There are many different options, but today I did food + activity + motor skills.

Crackers + Peanut Butter + Do It Yourself.

I give my kids a (safe) butter knife, crackers, and peanut butter and they love making peanut butter sandwiches. They are also learning motor skills as they are buttering the crackers themselves.

It’s not terribly messy either– a little messy, but manageable.

They keep themselves busy + I’m getting work done.

If we are on the go and need to keep them busy on an airplane, waiting area, etc. I’ll pick a less messy time consuming snack like fruit roll-ups or something.

What are your favorite time consuming snacks! I need some more ideas!

Don’t Wake The….

Don’t wake the {insert favorite animal or mystical creature}

We usually play Don’t Wake The Lion and I am (Mom) the Lion. I lay on the floor in blankets and pillows (cozy) and I’m a lion. Anytime the kids come near and try to uncover my blanket, I let out a big ROAR.

You can do this fun little lazy game with whatever you want. I’m usually a lion because my kids love ROARING, but you could be a big bear, pirate, dragon, or whatever your kids would like best.

You can even hid a little treat, treasure, or toy to make it more enticing and have them try to get the treat from the lion.

We get a few giggles out of it and I get to lay down in blankets and pillows without doing too much, but I still feel like I’m still bonding and having fun with my kids even if I feel terrible.

It’s silly, fun and lazy fun all at the same time!

Reading, Puzzles and Games

puzzles for toddlers for easy play and learning on the couch

This is one that you need to be present for, but great if you are sick and exhausted because it’s very low energy.

We sit on the couch and we read books. We do will do puzzles together and play board games and silly games.

I like to do things that I can sit on the couch and rest but I can still engage and do fun things with them.

Big picture books, magazines, maps, calendars, and baby pictures of themselves also do well as they like to look at different things! We can open up a big map and point to things on a map or talk about the numbers or pictures on the calendar.

It keeps them busy and intrigued, and I get to sit on the couch.

Behold The Novelty

whisk a toy that keeps a baby busy

All Hail The Novelty. You know that item that super random item that will keep your kid busy forever for that moment in time and then they will never see or play with it again.

The novelty item is just a great way to keep a kid busy when you are exhausted or really sick.

Some you would never even give your kids on a regular basis but you are exhausted for some peace in quiet. A novelty item is great for this.

Not all novelty items are not the same and may work again, and some will just never work for your children, because all kids are different.

Here are a few “novelty items” that worked for my kids:

  • Flashlights
  • Keys
  • Balloons
  • Slinky
  • Spin Tops (Grampy usually brings one to restaurants & keeps them busy)
  • Light or Glow Sticks (be careful if you have a biter)
  • Contact Case (just be careful with this one since it’s so small)
  • Tupperware with lots of covers and lids
  • Ice Cream Scoop, Pans, Rolling Pin, etc.
  • Whisk (you can put pom poms in it for more curiosity)
  • Spray Bottle
  • The Big Toy Book (I grabbed a few a Target at Christmas time to bring out

Let me know what your favorite novelty items are and have worked well for you– I need more!

And The Screen

screen time for kids with an iPad when mom or dad is sick

Since this is a post about parenting while exhausted, a screen like TV or an iPad will keep those little ones entertained while you rest.

I personally try to limit screen time, but when I’m sick, those limits go out the window.

TV and movies keep my boys still and entertained while I rest.

We usually stick to PBS programming like Curious George or Daniel Tiger because they learn some stuff and they’re household favorites.

We also watch some music programming like The Wiggles because sometimes they’ll dance and let some energy out!

I try not to feel too guilty about letting them watch a lot of TV and movies when I need it, because it keeps them safe and entertained. They are also little and won’t watch TV all day since they can never stay still for that long!

Some days are packed with stuff and a screen never turns on, and other days, screens are on more than usual. I think it all balances out in the end.

When you are completely exhausted, a little screen time is an easy activity that will keep them busy and entertained.

What are some things you do when you need to watch the kids when you are sick or completely exhausted?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Kid Activities, Parenting Tagged With: Toddler Activities

How to Make Fake Snow with Kids

August 29, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

How to Make Fake Snow with Toddlers and Kids with an easy play snow recipe!

You may be wondering why I’m posting a homemade fake snow recipe in August, but why not?

My 4-year old has been asking when it is going to snow EVERY SINGLE DAY since the last snowfall in March. I’m sure he’s the only one that misses snow in the summer, but I thought it would make for a fun summer activity!

However, you can make snow anytime of the year– especially in the winter and especially when it doesn’t snow where you are from!

Fair warning: It was messy. I’m sure it doesn’t have to be super messy depending on the type of child you have and how you organize it.

But it was a little messier than I hoped for, and we did the activity outside because… summer.

Below is the recipe for homemade snow for a fun toddler or kid activity on a chilly winter day or a hot summer day!

how to make pretend play snow with toddlers and kids for a fun kid activity

Fake Snow Recipe for Toddler Play

4 cups baking soda
1 cup conditioner, white conditioner preferable

Combine 4 cups baking soda to 1 cup conditioner and mix together. I put in a baking pan with a tablecloth underneath, but you could put it in whatever.

We used a construction truck for the snow as well as ice cream scoop, measuring cups, and cookie cutters. The ice cream scoop and truck were most popular!

My son kept wanting to “make more” so our measurements may be off a little since we kept eyeballing and adding more until we rand out of baking soda!

We got about an hour of fun from the activity, but it was a messy one. I’m glad we were outside for this.

I had a tablecloth down on our table, but the “snow” got all over clothes and then my kids quickly walked in the house and got all over the floor… and it was a little messier than I hoped for.

But, I may still do the activity again, just might strip the kids for it and plan accordingly. I think if I mixed it myself instead of the kids, it may of cut down on some mess as well.

We still had fun with this activity because who doesn’t love snow in the summer or anytime really?

Have you made snow for kids before? How did it go? Was it as messy as mine or did I just do it wrong?

You May Also Like: 13 Things I Do Every Day as a Stay-At-Home Mom

Filed Under: Kid Activities Tagged With: kid activities

8 Ways to Keep Your Toddlers Busy While Cooking Dinner

August 12, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

8 Activities for Babies, Toddlers, and Young Kids to Keep Busy While Making Dinner

Looking for easy and quick ways to keep toddlers busy while cooking dinner with simple activities for toddlers?

I’m very fortunate that my husband usually gets home early enough to watch the kids while I cook dinner, which is always nice.

However, there’s still many times I have to do both, which can be quite the task with little ones by my side.

However, there are a few activities for toddlers that will do the trick to keep the kids busy during dinner prep.

Here are 8 Toddler Activities to keep those toddlers busy while cooking dinner:

*This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

1. Magnets or Magna-Tiles on the Fridge

Magnets on the Fridge Kid Activity

We have animal magnets and letter magnets on the fridge that will keep my boys entertained for a few minutes. (Although some of them will magically disappear/slide under the fridge).

Recently, I’ve added Magna-Tiles to the fridge rotation, which is always a hit.

Magna-Tiles on the fridge– that’s so silly mom! They are not suppose to be there! How do they stick? Can I build on the fridge with them? Let’s see how Magna-Tiles work on the fridge!

I like throwing a few on the fridge and see their cute little heads spin and build!

Magnets on the fridge is a fun activity that will distract the kids for a few minutes.

2. Magnets on Baking Pan

Quick Activities for Toddlers, Magnets on Baking Pan

For some extra silly fun, place magnets or magna-tiles on a baking pan!

I like to use the alphabet magnets to encourage spelling, but any magnets work! 

Just take out a baking pan and magnets, and viola! Simply activity! 

3. Containers and Lids

This is a better activity for a baby or young toddler, but containers and lids are great to keep that age busy. 

Simply grab a mixture of containers and lids… think Tupperware and/or recyclables!

You can also use things like old parmesan or seasoning containers (containers with lots of holes) and take pipe cleaners, pom poms, etc. and have them stick them in the containers! 

Playing with containers and lids are a fun way to keep busy, and you can always add to the activity when it gets a little boring!

4. Color

Coloring Canvas Paper with Markers on floor for easy toddler activity

Coloring is an easy, minimal set-up activity and better for older toddlers, but little ones may like it too! (And you can always adjust it to make it age appropriate!)

Coloring with crayons and paper/coloring book is great, but you can also set up canvas paper on the floor or have them color in a box!

If you don’t have crayons or markers, or if they haven’t mastered that skill yet, you can also take a big paintbrush and a little water in a small bowl and have them “paint” on colored paper!

You can also grab a dry-erase board or even a magnetic drawing board where they can draw and erase their work for some endless fun! 

Coloring is such an easy activity and great option for them to do at the table while you are cooking! 

5. Tape

What is it with tape? My kids love tape that I had to stop buying it for awhile because they would use it all up on me!

If you have a young toddler, you may want to stick them in a high chair, and put masking tape on their tray, and have them pull it off and on. If they are older, you could have them put masking tape on the floor (gasp!) and make a race track. 

You could also just give them regular tape with construction paper and see what they do with it! 

Tape is popular at my house and will give me a few minutes to get some chopping done!

6. Assign a Task

My kids love to help! It’s not always an option depending on what’s for dinner (and I’m not always in the mood for a helper) but sometimes it’s a great option!

If we are making pizza, I may have them pull up a stool and spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese, and add the toppings! They love it!

Try to find ways to incorporate making dinner into a fun activity.

If I’ve already done the prep or can’t have little hands helping, I may ask them to bring their milk cups, plates, butter tub, etc. to the table!

They love to help and it gives me a few seconds to sir the pasta or whatever it may be! I also get to make less trips to the table! 

7. Feed Early

healthy snack for toddlers

If not much is working to keep my kids occupied, and it’s taking awhile to get dinner on the table, I may feed my kids a little snack or something. 

I see your eye roll. I see your point.

It doesn’t happen all the time, but sometimes desperate times calls for desperate measures. Food always works.

If I’m cutting peppers, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, etc., I’ll put them in small bowl and strap them in their seats. 

The kids get a head start with dinner and I get some peace and quiet while finishing dinner.

Feeding a snack or a portion of dinner that’s ready early can make sense in some situations and can make finishing dinner easy!

8. Pots & Pans Play

quick toddler activity with kitchen pots and pans

The Pots and Pans drawer is my never-fail go-to if I need something easy and quick! I tend to use this option for emergency situations like if something else isn’t working or the water is boiling and I need something quick as a distraction.

My Pots and Pans are in a bottom drawer, and I’ll quickly take off the child lock and pull a few utensils out for some banging and playing for a few minutes to get a few things done!

It must be something about opening a forbidden draw or something, but real pots and pans are always a hit!

What are some activities for toddlers that you do to keep your kids busy while making dinner?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Kid Activities

Summer Bucket List with Kids

June 24, 2019 by KT Leave a Comment

Summer Bucket List Ideas 2019

Summer 2019 is underway and here is my Summer Bucket List with Kids that I’d like to do this summer with my toddlers.

Summer always goes by so fast (RIGHT?) so I figured I’d make a summer bucket list to keep track of all the fun things to do in the summer before my kids get too big.

Although my boys are still young (2&4), there’s a lot of ideas for kids of all ages on the list… not just for toddlers!

Even better, many of the ideas on my summer bucket list are cheap or free!

Here’s my summer bucket list ideas for Summer 2019 with my toddlers:

*This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy if you have any questions.

  • Discover a new playground every week
  • Picnic at a playground or park
  • Swimming
  • Beach Day
  • See Fireworks
  • Get fresh seafood by the ocean
  • Collect sea shells by the sea shore
  • Make a Sand Castle
  • Go on a ferry or boat
  • Kayak
  • Go on a road trip
  • Discover some place new
  • Go to an amusement park
  • Go to the Zoo
  • Watch a Parade
  • Attend a baseball game
  • Mini Golf
  • Go on a train ride
  • Try a new ice cream shoppe
  • Pick Berries
  • Go to a Farmer’s Market
  • Visit Barnyard Animals
  • Visit a Splash Pad
  • Go Bowling with Kids Bowl Free (on a rainy day)
  • Go to the library (on a rainy day)
  • Take a hike
  • Family Bike Ride
  • Dance to outdoor live music
  • Run through sprinklers/water play
  • Blow Bubbles/Huge Bubbles
  • Fly a kite
  • Have a movie night (under the stars)
  • Make s’mores
  • Enjoy a fire pit
  • Family game night
  • BBQ
  • Make popsicles at home
  • Lemonade stand
  • Make a backyard obstacle course
  • Go on a nature walk
  • Feed the ducks
  • Plant and maintain a garden
  • Sleepover at Nana and Papa’s
  • Go camping (in the backyard)
  • Paint rocks
  • Hopscotch
  • Croquet in the backyard
  • Learn a new skill
  • Enjoy the little things

What are some things you plan to do for Summer 2019? What”s on your summer bucket list?

Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Kid Activities

13 Things I Do Every Day With My Kids

June 17, 2019 by KT 8 Comments

Things I Do Every Day as as Stay At Home Mom with two toddlers with fun activities to daily chores with kids!

“What Do You Do Every Day?!?!” is something I occasionally hear when someone is discovering I’m a stay-at-home mom with two little ones.

So, what are some things stay-at-home moms do?

What do Stay At Home Moms Do Every Day at Home with their babies, toddlers and young kids?

Well, sometimes I do SO much and sometimes it feels like I do SO much and accomplish nothing, and sometimes I actually do nothing when my kids play in perfect harmony. That last one has happened once or twice, and it’s usually a lovely 10 minutes.

For us, every day looks different but looks pretty much the same too. I try to keep some routine and balance, and other days are just… messy. However, there’s some things we try to do every single day regardless of order.

My youngest is currently a terrible sleeper so our days can change drastically depending on how he slept the night before, what time he woke, and how long if he naps.

Despite the variables, even in a regular day, there are some things I try do do every single day as a stay-at-home mom with my kids.

I found reading what other stay-at-home parents do in their daily routine helpful when creating my own schedule and activities.

Here is what I do with my young kids on a regular basis to give you an idea what I do all day as a stay-at-home mom if you are looking for ideas for creating your own daily thing:

Read Books

I love reading books with my kids and it is something I do everyday. I will read a book (or two) before naps and bedtime, but I do try to incorporate books during the day too when we have more time and I’m not anxious for bedtime.

I find that early in the day works best for reading stories but sometimes, they’ll pull books randomly throughout the day and we will read.

I’ll gladly read anytime I have an audience! Kids sitting peacefully next to me, and I get to sit too! It’s a dream activity!

Sometimes I just start reading with no audience and see if I get any interest, especially if they have much more energy than I do at the moment.

Some of our favorite books are:
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy if you have questions.

  • Little Blue Truck
  • Big Red Barn
  • Dear Zoo
  • Tubby
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • Jamberry (my oldest loves the illustrations!)
  • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
  • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
  • Anything Elephant & Piggie
  • Anything Llama Llama
  • Anything Berenstain Bears
  • Anything Curious George

We Play Together

I have a modest house which (sadly) does not include a play room, but I make it a point to sit down on the floor and play with my kids in the living room.

We will build blocks, play ball, run cars down cardboard boxes, etc. when we aren’t playing and building with Magnetic Tiles. My oldest can play with those things for HOURS (with and without anyone) and loves when we build a huge castle together!

We have a bunch of magnetic tiles… Picasso, PlayMags, and a mystery brand purchased from Amazon by the grandparents. They all work together fine, and none are the true Magna-Tiles, but they all work great! I think as long as the magnetic tiles look like they will work together (similiar kinds/shapes), they probably will work well together.

Magna-Tiles are great for playing together and quiet time too! We probably have around 200 pieces and they all get played with daily!

We also do some self play too, especially because it’s important skill to have, but I always make a point to carve out some play too!

As my kids are getting older (4!), we are doing more self play, but I strive to do some 1-on-1 play time with each of my boys at some point in the day.

We Learn (through Play)

We do a lot of playing at our house and I find that a lot of learning happens just through play!

I don’t do too much of scheduled learning for my young kids, but will incorporate learning through play. I’ll recite the colors, shapes, animal type, etc. when they are playing with different toys and repeat things often.

My oldest will also ask tons of questions, and we will talk all day long so I think learning by conversation is a great way to learn without putting too much pressure on it.

The learning may change to more organized learning as they grow older but for now we do most of our learning through play and through fun activities.

We Make Things

I try to incorporate some kind of fun activity in the day and it is usually a craft or cooking something.

The activity will change depending on the season and what is going on in a given day. If my younger son is sleeping, my older son and I might do a fun activity in the window.

If he gets to pick, he usually picks baking something, but I recently got diagnosed with Celiac Disease so we tend to do more arts and crafts as of late.

I tend to stick to easy craft projects such as:

  • Paper and Markers
  • A Box with markers and/or sensible scissors (when is a box not a hit?!)
  • Large Canvas Paper (Sometimes I take the Amazon brown packaging paper so he can draw on that too)
  • Painting (I’ll use the brown packaging underneath for paint projects too!)
  • Playdough

However, sometimes I will do a special craft or activity, especially during different holidays, so check out my Toddler Craft board on Pinterest!

We Rest

After lunch typically, we rest. My little one will go down for a nap, and my oldest will rest. When my oldest outgrew his nap, I would still put him in his crib (sometimes with books or toys if he resisted) and he would stay up there for an hour so to have some quiet time.

I don’t do rest time as well as I use too, as I let my oldest stay with my downstairs now while my youngest is upstairs sleeping, but I still try with some quiet activities like books, quiet play, or sometimes watching a little TV on the couch.

Rest time is a great way to break up the day, and I highly recommend scheduling some rest time in your schedule, because your kids (and you) need it!

We Sing & Dance

I find that dancing with my kids is a great mood changer and a great way to get energy out. I find that late afternoon window a little hard with a lot of snack requests, a lot of fighting, and a lot of messes. I find that putting on music will usually change the vibe… for the better! Sometimes after dinner we will have dance parties to get the kids tired for bed too!

We sing silly songs, and I’ll turn on the music and we will sing along, or sometimes we will have a Dance Party.

Outdoor Play (when possible)

We live in a four season state so it’s not always possible to play outside, but when we can, we go outside and play in our modest backyard.

My parents got my son this sandbox for his third birthday and it is a hit. He can be in a sandbox for hours, which is great because we also bought a playset with swings and a slide, and it is not used nearly as much.

We love to get outside and play in our backyard, to the playground, or go for a walk in our neighborhood or a park!

Playing outside is a great way of getting energy out and exploring nature!

We Get that Energy Out

I mentioned getting energy out already through other activities, but whenever we can, we get that energy out!

We dance, we sing, we run around outside in the yard, we kick the soccer ball around, ride bikes, go for a walk, jump on a trampoline, or go to a local indoor play space if we need to get out of the house and the weather isn’t cooperating.

Getting energy out is a great way for a great nap or early bedtime too!

We Clean Together

How do you do the dishes, sweep the floor, and pick up toys when you have young children? You involve them! My kids LOVE to help!

Now, it takes about 1000% times longer with little helpers and you’ll probably need to re-do a lot of their work, but my little ones love to “help”. I’ll grab the broom to sweep, and my kids will grab theirs and go along with me or help pick up the dirt with their dust pan.

Our Melissa and Doug Cleaning Set gets a lot of pretend play and a lot of practical use too! It’s one of our most use toys, and they do all the initiating. I don’t ever force them help me sweep or do the dishes at age 2, but they do want to help Mom at that age.

(I’m probably going to miss the “help” when they are older!)

I do (try to) make them pick up their toys each day, and we do make a game out of it to make it fun or sing the clean up song.

Sometimes they love to help a little too much! And sometimes I with they would love to clean a little more!

13 Things I Do Every Day as a Stay-At-Home Mom to toddlers and kids

We Get Social

Since my kids are not enrolled in daycare, I need to make sure they get some interactions and exposure to other kids. Unfortunately, the only cousins we have live far and all my friends with kids similar ages live at least an hour away, so social activity doesn’t always happen organically.

Unfortunately, the social aspect doesn’t always happen every day in the winter, but I try to get them out of the house when we can and get a little social interaction and exposure to kids their age.

My oldest is now in preschool, so it’s a little easier to accomplish my social goals, but I do need to do a better job at scheduling play dates and impromptu playground visits.

I truthfully don’t do “social things” every day with my kids but I want to get so much better in this aspect that I put it on the list. If I write it down, it will come true, right?

We Eat Together

We eat all our meals together at the dining room table. I find that if I stand and eat, my kids will too. (I do need to get better at this!) I try to make it a point that we all eat together at the table, and have fun conversations about our day, what we are going to do, and favorite things.

I love eating together with my kids for our meals and feel blessed that it is something we can do together.

We do the Same Things Every Night

We have the same bedtime routine every night. The time changes slightly depending on when the youngest awoke from his nap and if my oldest fell asleep in the car, but it usually begins between 6:30-7PM and lasts around 30 minutes.

Bath, pajamas, brush our teeth, book, and bed. Me Time.

Some things are certainly easier said than done, but I try to incorporate the above in our daily routine with my toddlers.

We Are Kind

I think kindness is so important (especially these days!) and I try to lead by example with my kids.

But most important, I try to be kind to myself. I try not to beat myself up to much if we don’t make it outside to play, if we eat our lunch on the go, or don’t read as many books as I’d like that day.

Parenting is so hard and I try to be kind to myself and to other parents as well because you never know the struggles others are going through.

What are some things you do every day with your kids? I’d love to get some more ideas!

What Stay At Home Moms Do Every Day with their Babies and Toddlers

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Filed Under: Daily Parenting, Kid Activities Tagged With: SAHM, Things to Do with Toddlers, Toddler Activities

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