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Whether you are just looking for ways to pass time when the kids are home from school or are looking for new and exciting indoor activities, this list is for you. Some days just seem like they will never end and finding different things to entertain your kids are always important. These are rotated into our daily activity time and are Mom and kid approved:
ABC Mouse – The perfect way to help your child learn while having fun. This is a guilt free app as it is all about learning. They created this app in a perfect way where it feels like play for your toddler but is all about learning. Numbers, colors, animals and languages, there is so much for them to learn. My Son instantly fell in love with his ABC Mouse time. I do too. It is self-explanatory for my toddler (3.5 years old) to navigate thru so I can be nearby getting household chores done. His attention span is usually capped at 30 minute increments for his age so we strategically schedule this time into his daily routine. By clicking this link, all Living La Vita Mama readers can try it FREE for 30 days!!! Use this link to see for yourself why so many kids & parents are obsessed with ABC Mouse.
I would highly suggest a childproof iPad cover for when your little one is handling the iPad on their own.
Toddler Learning Kit -“Mrs. Mommy teacher” is what my Son calls me when we “play school” with our “Teach My Toddler” learning briefcase. This is a great way to not only bond with your child but help them learn their alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors. An all in one kit for tactical learning. My son is only 3.5 years old so I limit our time to approximately 20-30 minutes and pick a different topic each day.
Sensory Bins – are a great indoor or outdoor activity. This can be done with rice, lentils, sand or even shaving cream (depending on your mess tolerance). Both the kids and I prefer using colored rice or play sand. I allow both my 3 year old and 1 year old to play with the rice bin together. I set it up on their play mat where I can easily gather any rice that has fallen out of the bin (accidentally). It is important to set your expectations of them immediately and hold your word. My kids know that the first time I see them throwing rice outside the bin, it gets taken away. They now know the rules and we don’t have any issues. Whether you make the bin a construction site with miniature diggers or a beach day with mini buckets and shovels, your kids will sure love it. So many different ideas you can explore with this.
Slime – Took a little getting used to but once my kids were familiar with the texture they loved it. I take the slime out and put it in a larger shallow Tupperware which makes play time more enjoyable and less messy. I make sure to use non-toxic, child safe, slime and allow them to get in there and play. Burying some fun surprising objects under the slime will help entice your kids to dig their hands in and feel the slime. You can either buy it or make your own. We haven’t done a DIY version yet but we love using already made slime.
Mad Mattr – Mad Mattr is another clean way for your kids to play indoors. We set up a little play area on the table, take out the Mad Matter Kit and let the kids create shapes, roll it out and squeeze it in their hands. This material is non-toxic and clean.
Indoor Ball Pit – aka the indoor POP UP playground. We set this up in the middle of our playroom. The kids spend hours in here throughout the day especially on rainy days. Whether they are throwing the balls around, reading a book for quiet time in the tent or making it a learning experience by calling out the colors of the balls, it’s all fun and exciting. You can rearrange the tents and tunnels to make it a new experience or just use one piece by itself. The whole contraption folds up into a little round bag for easy cleanup and storage.
Adult supervision is required for all activities I share. Use your best judgement if you think your child is old enough for the activity shown. All kids have different learning speeds so it is up to your discretion if you think they can engage. Children under 3 should not participate in any activities that involve small pieces.
