HOW TO KEEP OUR LILL ONE'S BUSY.......

1 to 3 years

Created by
Updated on Nov 28, 2016

How to keep an active toddler occupied indoors Share In this article Get organised Physical activities Learning activities Creative activities What activities can my toddler do without my supervision? Take our poll Bad weather, infection outbreaks, and working from home are just some of the reasons that can make you stay indoors with your little one. Keeping your energetic toddler busy indoors is no easy task, especially if he has a short attention span and quickly becomes disinterested in his toys. Here are some useful tips and ideas to keep you both entertained indoors. Get organised It helps to have a schedule. It’s best to include fun learning activities and games in this schedule. Make time at the end of each week to plan the following week’s activities. Once you take into account eating, bathing, napping and sleeping, you’ll probably be left with three to five hours a day of activity time. Plan a good mix of physical activities and learning games. You can choose from indoor sports to arts and crafts, to letting your toddler watch some television, but not too much, for pure entertainment. Plan your activities around the time your child is most energetic, for example, after an afternoon nap. Establishing a routine with your toddler is important. A routine gives him a sense of structure. The predictability of a routine also reduces temper tantrums and crankiness in kids. Many mothers say that sticking to a routine also helps them to organise their day better. If you have a maid, nanny or family member taking care of your child, then ensure that they follow your routine. Instead of roaming around aimlessly, your toddler will have fun and when busy won’t have any time to get up to mischief! Physical activities Channel your toddler's energy by getting him involved in these fun physical activities. Indoor sports You don’t have to go outside to teach your toddler games like cricket, badminton, basketball, bowling and so on. Make space in the living room or dining area and play with your toddler. You may like to buy reasonably priced kits for sports like cricket at the market. Indoor games Advertisement Hide and seek, peek-a-boo, tag, catch, or jump rope are simple ways to get your toddler running around the house. Or you could look at what games are great for your toddler now. Try playing in different rooms around your home to keep the game interesting. Helping with household chores Make housework fun for your toddler. Ask him to pass clothes pegs while you hang your laundry, set the mats for dinner, put back the dishes or dust the table. Clap and praise him every time he does a good job. This will encourage him to keep doing it and you’ll get your chores done faster! Dancing Turn up the volume (not too loud, of course) and let your toddler dance to his favourite tunes. If you have more than one child then you can make it a competition for extra fun. Obstacle course You can build an obstacle course for your toddler using cushions, chairs, buckets or whatever you have. Then race with your baby to the finish. Balloons Blow up a few balloons and teach your toddler how to throw them around or play balloon tennis. Balloons are safer than balls as they are less likely to break stuff around the house. If a balloon bursts, make sure to throw the shreds away immediately. Swallowing them could choke your toddler. Learning activities Make learning fun with the following activities: Building blocks Most building blocks have letters or numbers on them and come in different colours. You can teach your toddler the alphabet or how to count while he has fun playing with the blocks. Flash cards You can make these at home or buy them from the market. Usually one side of the card has a letter on it and the other side a picture of something beginning with that letter. For example, if one side of the card has the letter A then the other side could be a picture of an apple. Some experts say that flashcards are an excellent way to remember information. Besides the alphabet, you could teach your toddler numbers or colours and so on. Reading books together Introduce your toddler to nursery rhymes and stories by getting him interested in books. Read aloud and encourage him to copy you. Puzzles Get your toddler busy with puzzles. Show him how to do one and watch him complete a puzzle on his own. Creative activities Let your toddler get creative with the following activities: Drawing and colouring Most children love to draw and make a mess. You can use colouring books, though plain pieces of paper work just as well. Be careful your toddler doesn’t chew his crayons or colour pencils. Painting Try all kinds of painting methods to keep your toddler involved. You can try finger or hand painting. Cut vegetables like bhindi or potatoes, dip them in paint and stamp them on paper to create fun shapes. Crafts There are a number of crafts that you can get your toddler involved in. Making puppets, bead necklaces, paper planes and boats, and cardboard cut outs are just some of them. Make sure he doesn’t play with scissors or swallow anything. Cooking Teach your toddler how to cook and make a roti or try recipes for cakes, cookies or simple dishes that he enjoys eating. Playing musical instruments Let your budding rock star make music with a toy piano or guitar. Make your own drum set using two sticks and empty buckets or vessels. Turn them upside down and let your toddler loose. You may want to keep some ear plugs handy! What activities can my toddler do without my supervision? Whatever the activity, most toddlers require constant supervision. Your toddler can lose interest quickly in a game or activity if you aren’t there to encourage him. Once a routine is set, your toddler may start to play independently for longer periods of time. Some toddlers can spend hours colouring, dancing or playing with toys. Try different activities and see what keeps him interested for long periods of time.