Toddler Time at Home, by Molly Olivo
Photo by Tony Ventouris Photography
Feeling like the only thing more stressful than endless conference calls is keeping your toddler occupied 24/7? You are not alone. Toddlers are amazing tiny humans, but they can be a handful to keep occupied, especially if they are preoccupied with the slide at the playground you can’t safely frequent right now. Before either of your lose your minds, try out some of our toddler activities!
Play Doh - Every kid seems to love play doh. You can buy it from our stores or make your own to help your little one develop their hand strength and fine motor skills while flexing their creative muscles. Try not to stress about the colors getting mixed up. That is part of the toddler scientist experience (fun fact - no one has ever won that battle).
Glue and construction paper - cut out random shapes and let your tiny Matisse go wild gluing them onto a piece of blank paper. You can let older toddlers try the cutting themselves, which also builds finger strength. Just prepare for the inevitable “my scissors!” battle when you try to take them away when you’re done.
Dance party! - Turn on your favorite jams and teach your toddler some dance moves. Keep it moving and grooving while you’re stuck at home.
Magnatiles - Available at all of our stores, Magnatiles are the gift that keeps on giving. Your three year old will get a kick out of building simple structures out of these magnificent geometric magnetic tiles, but they will still be using them for science experiments six years later.
Read all the books - Take this time to read more books with your toddler. They love the stories, the snuggles, and the positive energy that comes from unplugging and sharing a book together.
Go on a rock hunt - Track down some cool rocks and get out of the house. Search your backyard for rocks. Talk about their colors, sizes, textures, etc... Social distancing doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all the time. This can be a great time to experiment. You can even paint or decorate the rocks when you get home.
Make cards for family far away - Is Grandma in grandbaby withdrawals? Bust out some stickers, crayons, and card stock (all available at Child’s Play, if you don’t have them handy) and get to scribbling. Parents can write a little note inside and send them off to make someone's day brighter. You get bonus points if you glue some macaroni to the front.