Catching a Breather: 5 Ways to Keep Your Toddler Busy

While you may be tempted to sit your toddler in front of the tv and call that a fun activity as you catch a breather, it is a far cry from keeping your little one busy. There are fun and exciting ways to stimulate, challenge, and keep your toddler busy and out of your hair. Here are five easy ways to keep your toddler distracted and entertained.

Playdough

Playdough is a great way for your toddler to be creative. Whether it’s homemade dough or store bought jello playdough, your toddler squashing and rolling a piece of playdough can play on the senses and spark curiosity. The best thing about playdough is that it allows for your toddler to play “make pretend,” from monsters and aliens, craters, candy, cupcakes, pizzas, mom and dad, houses, to eyes. Provide a tray, playdough, and a comfortable space, and let your toddler’s imagination run wild.

Shape Sorter

Sorting is a way to stay busy, and creating a shape sorting activity for your toddler may be just what you need to get a little me time. It’s a fun and a useful activity that your child can enjoy, identifying and naming shapes. You’ll need a shape sorter with accompanying shapes. Instruct your toddler to put specific shapes into the sorter, such as “find the circle,” or a specific coloured shape, for example, “show me green triangle.” Shape sorter is a great example of “learning is fun.”

Chunky Puzzles

A puzzle doesn’t have to be a puzzle, or maybe you need it to be to keep your toddler busy. Either way, there are many easy and enjoyable puzzles that your toddler can do on his or her own. Getting chunky puzzles of stories, your toddler likes, alphabet shapes, and farm animals can keep your child excited and engaged. Puzzle boards can be 4, 6 or, 9 pieces. Be sure to build the puzzle and show how it makes a picture before allowing your toddler to go at it alone.

Race Cars on Tape

One of the best toys for 2 year old boys are cars, and if you want to keep your toddler busy, create a race track on the floor using masking tape. If your boy doesn’t already have a little toy collection, buy him his favorite toy car, create a track in the hallway, then let him race his car or cars down the track, while you put your feet up.

Nature in a Bag

There are many colorful things out in nature that are a marvel for your toddler. Creating a sensory nature bag gives your child something to explore. Fill a small bag with things like different leaves, grass, pine cones, and rocks, and let your toddler reach into the bag and discover each item.

There are many easy and exciting ways to keep your toddler busy. Let your toddler get creative with playdough, solve chunky puzzles, sort shapes, race their fast car and explore nature in a bag. All the while, you catch a breather.