By Jenny Mills.
Wondering How To Entertain A Toddler On Lock Down? Ok, so my toddler and I are on day 5 now, just the two of us, completely alone! Well apart from the dogs and cats. And to make things even more fun, I am trying to work and keep my Digital Agency (that looks purely after hospitality) afloat! Not to mention, look after my wonderful, supportive and longstanding team.
Millie, my 2.5 year old (31 month) livewire toddler, is normally at full time private nursery. With the coronavirus, away went my salary, nursery and my happy, stable life! As it did for so many.
So far, whilst there has been the odd moment of stress… Mostly as “mummy” is repeated a million times, whilst I’m on the phone or trying to solve a panic. It’s not been too bad. In fact, I am cherishing our time together. No, I’m not working at full capacity. I would certainly struggle if I was. So, here is how we get through the day, entertaining a toddler whilst on lock down… Whilst trying to work.
Toddler Songs & Dancing
As with most toddlers, Millie is a livewire first thing, so we start our day with some singing and dancing. There are many great YouTube channels with hours of singing and dancing! From Pinkfong to the wiggles, and so many more. Just type “Toddler Singing and Dancing” in to YouTube.
This will have her smiling, laughing and burning up energy for at least an hour. Longer if I can keep up and dance along too!
Toy Time and Fine Motor Skills
After our version of Britain’s Got Talent, we have toy time. This is a mixture of playing with her pick of toys (mostly Millie Doctor – and believe me, she’s more like Sweeney Todd!). I mix this with some interaction games and activities to help her fine motor skills (but more to the point, things she LOVES doing). Here are are few ideas:
- Galt Toys have some amazing reusable sticker books she loves
- Large toddler jigsaws.
- Baking simple cakes together or simply cooking popcorn from scratch (not the microwave kind!).
- Ipad training games such as 22learning or the Marbotic Smart Kit.
- Playdough: make your own playdough with your little one and add glitter.
- Making necklaces out of pasta and string or Galt Toys Fun Buttons or Cotton Reels (you can also make these out of a bit of old rope and painted loo rolls. Cut the loo rolls in half, paint them together, then play away!).
Fresh Air Toddler Games
After a snack, it’s time to head out for an hour or so of fresh air. You may not want to, but I swear this is the key time of the day that keeps me sane. We are lucky to have a garden and a driveway. Here we can play with a tennis ball, the dogs and a football for ages. I have also pulled out all her old summer toys; her little tikes plastic rocking horse, a little cheap wheelbarrow and tools, buckets and balls. We wrap up warm and play for as long as we can stay warm enough.
Toddler Mud Kitchen
We have made a mud kitchen too. I have taken out some old muffin tins, tubs, spoons and pots. In a corner of the garden she is loving playing with the soil in these and a watering can.
Chalk Drawing
Take some chalks outside and draw away. Then let them have some fun washing it all away with the hose!
Feed the Birds
We also use our outdoor time to hang bird feeders and top them up. We then sit and count the birds from the window and watch them feed.
Toddler Art Time
After lunch, some days she will want a nap. Others we have quiet time for an hour and just cuddle up to a movie. Then we do slightly quieter activities. I have been thinking up Toddler Art Ideas, as Millie loves being creative and making a mess. We have been doing lots of painting (this is something she just gets on with, whilst I do things I need to do). Here are a few creative ideas for toddlers:
- Order yourself some Ikea drawing roll to save money on paper
- Poster painting, here your little one can paint alone and stick bits of sweet wrappers and old corks on their picture and make a mess.
- Feet and hand painting. This can get messy, but is a lovely keepsake/gift for family members to brighten their lock down.
- Using playdough shapes, dip these in poster paint and then printing shapes on paper.
- We have some Little Brian Paint Sticks these are much tidier and very popular in our house.
Den Making With A Toddler
Something that has become very popular since this coronavirus lockdown with my toddler is den making. But don’t despair at the thought of the mess. Every day I have to pull my duvet over the edge of my bed – far enough to make a triangle underneath for her to crawl into. She spends hours under here, winding down for bed with her teddies and iPad. It’s the perfect activity before we start her bedtime routine to start calming things down.
Finally, Toddler Transitioning
This is the perfect opportunity to work hard on toddler transitioning! Be that:
- Moving your toddler to their own room
- Potty training
- Transitioning your toddler from co-sleeping to their own bed
- Cutting down dummy usage
- Or if your baby is younger, possibly weaning
My toddler has co-slept with us since she was 6 months old, after a few weeks in intensive care. Over the past week I have managed to transition her into her own bed. I moved her cot mattress in to our room and have placed it on the floor next to our bed. She is now on night 4 and loving it! Yippee!
And now 6 weeks in, we are pretty much potty trained!
By Jenny Mills.