Toddlers are the very hardest to keep away from screens for me! I have a 23 month old right now who can’t communicate in complete sentences yet. This means there are normally a lot of frustrated screams and if I’m working, making dinner or have my hands full with anything else, it’s so much easier to just hand her a screen than anything else. Especially since my phone is always within reach, she gets my phone more than I’d like to admit.
The secret to less screen time for my toddler is just a little bit of preparation or thinking ahead. I know what you’re thinking- that’s the whole point of the phone- you don’t have time to prepare a ton of entertainment, cut and color and paste file folder games on the spur of the moment. Don’t worry- by preparation I mean just a few minutes. The list below is a quick reference for when you have 5 minutes or less to throw something together to give you a few minutes of peace.
1- Make a Fort
Look around the room, move some furniture around and throw a blanket or two on the top. The same exact toys they had a few minutes ago are somehow so much more fun when placed under the shadows of a living room fort. This seems to be a favorite for years. When they get older the forts will become much more elaborate but for a toddler, a simple blanket with a few chairs will do the trick. If you need some help engineering the fort these building rods are a fun solution.
2-Tupperware drawer
Most of our kitchen cabinets are off-limits for my toddler. There are a lot of safety hazards with glass bowls, heating elements and sharp knives. However, the next time you are in a pinch, allow your toddler access to your Tupperware cabinet. They are normally plastic and hard to break. They make great towers, drums, or simply something new to carry around. The sheer newness of the opportunity should lead to hours of creative exploration.
3- Dry bean bucket
Throw down an old blanket, tablecloth, or big towel on the kitchen floor and pour a bag of dry beans into a plastic bowl. Add some Tupperware, mixing spoons and measuring cups and let them fill and refill to their hearts content. When they are all done or start spreading the mess, simply roll up the tablecloth and slide the beans into a ziplock bag for next time.
4-Bath Tub!
This is a widely underutilized resource in your house! Put your kiddo in a swim suit and just a few inches of water in the tub- however much you feel comfortable with depending on their age. Now that the mess is contained your possibilities are extended tremendously. Try spraying the walls with cheap shaving cream from the Dollar Tree or coloring the water with food coloring or special bath colors like these or bath crayons. Finger paints can also be fun in small increments in the bath tub or a variety of kinds (and colors) of bubbles.
5-Pillow Pit
Make a ball pit out of pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, all sorts of soft things laying around. Be careful of stuffed animals with marble eyes or hard features. Allow them to jump in or fall into the pit from wherever you feel comfortable.
6-Cheerios, cups and a spoon
Grab a few different kid-friendly cups or bowls, a few large serving spoons and a bite-sized snack like cheerios and fruit loops. Show your budding learner how to sort the different snacks into the different bowls trying to use the serving spoons.
7-Bounce House!
This is my favorite one. It takes just a few minutes to plug in and inflate this family-friendly bounce house in our living room. Throw in some stuffed animals or colored balls and my kids are entertained for hours. I love that they can get energy out and play happily without much supervision and can play with it for years. Check out why the Little Tykes Jump ’N Slide is our favorite bounce house for toddlers HERE.
8- Fun with Food
Even my pickiest eater will have fun eating when we change it up a bit. She will also stay entertained with a simple snack if it is prepared in a unique way. Why do you think kids love Lunchables but won’t touch the same exact foods if you put it on a boring dinner plate? Try replacing a dinner plate with an ice tray with bite-sized snacks like small pieces of bread or cheese or pretzels, raisins, etc. Instead of using forks, try colored tooth picks if they have the motor development not to poke themselves. Step it up a notch for older kids by showing them how to create a funny face or tower with the snack pieces and then step back while they explore independently! Children always want to play with their food, so set some guidelines and give them some simple snacks that aren’t messy to “play” with.
9- Creative blocks
Building doesn’t have to be only for colored play blocks. Pull out your stash of toilet paper towels and toilet paper and build a giant tower that couldn’t be softer no matter how many times it falls over. Plastic cups also offer the same quick fun with the same idea.
10- Recycled Rolls:
Don’t throw away the end of your next paper towel roll. Set it aside to use for the next time you need a distraction. Show your toddler how a cheerio can disappear from one end and magically appear at the other end. Try it with a variety of toys or snacks and let them explore while you get your work done.