It’s so hard to keep a toddler busy

They get in to every thing and anything, often in the blink of an eye. Last week I found my one year old putting her hand in the toilet after the baby gate got left open. In order to get anything done you need to have something that will keep their attention. Here are three ideas to help keep your toddler busy:

1. Playdoh-

Seriously the best thing for toddlers.  I like to make a batch of the cooked kind, it lasts forever and is safe to eat, cause you know they will eat it. Get out some cookie cutters, little bowls, spoons, and let them have at it.

2. Rocks in a yogurt cup-

I know, its a weird suggestion. But there was a time when all of our kids would play with rocks and a yogurt cup for hours. Find some good size rocks outside, wash them off and put in a few plastic containers. They can stack them, move them from one container to another, and make noise by shaking them in the cups.

3. Water-

I love this in the summer.  Bring them outside with a few bowls of water, some wooden spoons, measuring cups and spoons and let them get wet.  (Be sure to stay with them, water in containers is always a drowning hazard.) This year for the first time we got a Water Table. I even splurged for the one with an umbrella so we can even play mid-day.

4. Wooden Blocks

All three of my kids still love wooden blocks. We have this set from Melissa and Doug and they have held up really well. One day when the kids were really bored my husband got out markers and paints and let the decorate all the blocks. It is pretty awesome to see the little people and designs they put on them, makes are castles extra fancy.

5. Little People

Why toddlers love little people I don’t know, but all three of mine went through a stage of loving them. Right now my youngest LOVES her Peppa Pig house. She makes them go to bed and take baths all day long.

6. Stickers

I have to admit, I love stickers too. I keep a box of them in the closet to bring out when we have run out of ideas. Some of them are just the free ones that arrive in the mail, some are fancy ones with glitter, some are shapes and some are characters. I take the background off the sheet so the little toddler fingers can pick up the stickers and she just puts them all over her piece of paper.

For more ideas check out my post Make Ahead Project to Keep Kids Busy. I’d love to hear how you keep your toddler busy, leave your best idea below!