…While Taking Care of a Newborn
Lately I’ve been challenging myself to find ways to keep my toddler entertained without resorting to the television or the tablet. Having recently had a newborn (3 weeks ago) I’ve had to shift my focus from constantly playing with my toddler to now tending to my very needy newborn. As we all know, having a newborn comes with a lot more responsibilities like constantly feeding, changing diapers, soothing back to sleep and repeat. This makes finding ways to keep your toddler entertained even harder. Luckily, I worked on my toddler’s independence before the baby was born anticipating this moment where I can’t devote all my attention to him anymore. I’m so happy I did because it is certainly paying off (you can read my article on 5 Easy Ways to Promote Toddler Independence). Although he is independent for his age, I still need activities for him when I am preoccupied with her. Here are my 5 ways to keep a toddler entertained while Mama is busy.
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- Playing Helper – Whether I am changing the baby or cooking dinner, my Toddler always has a task to do so he feels like he’s a part of what’s happening. He is at the age now (23 months old) where when I ask him to grab me a clean diaper for the baby he understands and does it. If I am in the kitchen and making dinner I can hand him the batter and whisk and ask him to stir it up. He even plays ‘kitchen’ with pretend gadgets if what I’m making can get too messy for him.
- Arts & Crafts – Coloring books or playing with playdough, arts and crafts are always a safe bet to keep a toddler occupied for at least 15 minutes. I help him get situated and while I’m nursing the baby I watch him as he draws pictures or rolls out playdough. You can read more on how to make homemade playdough and 5 reasons to play with playdough from my previous article 5 Reasons to Play with Playdough & 5 Minute Homemade Recipe.
- My Fabulous Storyteller – This toy is amazing because my toddler can sit next to me on the couch while I’m nursing the baby and listen to audio stories that help develop his imagination. My Fabulous storyteller is interactive where children can choose characters and objects to make up a different story every time thru a screenless experience. You can learn more about it here.
- Playing in a Safe Place – A playpen, playroom or a gated off area, a safe space will allow your child some alone time to spike their imagination. Use this place to allow them to play with toys, read or just relax. This is also an area where you know you can place your child if you quickly need to tend to your other little ones and know that they will not get into any trouble. We have gated off the area near my son’s room, so he knows this is his place (not to mention it blocks access to the stairs). Click here to see my recommended gates for any area in your home!
- Playing with Grandma and Grandpa – Accepting help is always a great option to entertain a toddler. Whether he plays in the pool or runs around at a park, he is being supervised and having fun.
