Whether you’re a full time parent or you’re working from home – or at least trying to – knowing how to keep a toddler entertained is one of those life skills that’s up there with being able to communicate effectively or critical thinking!
When you’re at home all day with a little one it can be difficult to come up with an endless stream of ideas to keep your toddler busy without resorting to too much screen time.
The trick to keeping toddlers engaged is to have a list of activities at the ready so you can pull something out of the bag whenever you can see boredom starting to strike.
At Little Angels our experienced nursery staff have plenty of fun ideas to entertain a toddler with so we hope this list will help the next time you want an alternative to watching Paw Patrol for the thousandth time!
How to Keep a Toddler Entertained
Treasure hunt – this a great way to get children moving and using their brains. Plus it’s easy and you don’t need to set anything up.
Send your child off on a search around the home for items on a theme. For example, ask them to find something green, something pink, something furry, something you wear on your head – the possibilities are endless.
Sensory bowls – sensory play is important as it helps young children develop curiosity and creativity.
It encourages problem solving and is also important in helping to improve fine motor skills. All you need is some plastic bowls which you can fill with anything from water and ice cubes to rice, dried beans, flour or lentils.
Dance party – get your toddler up and shaking their thing. YouTube and Alexa have plenty of kiddie-friendly tunes to dance to.
You could also add a twist by taking inspiration from the children’s birthday favourite, Musical Statues, and hit pause every so often while challenging your little one to stand as still as possible until the music restarts.
Make music – music has an important part to play in child development. The areas of the brain that are responsible for language development, processing sounds, reading skills and speech perception will benefit from listening to or making music.
Grab a tambourine, some macaracas or a kiddie xylophone and have a mini jam session to keep your toddler entertained.
Host a playdate – if you’re at home all day and trying to find ways to keep a toddler busy you might be craving some adult interaction and conversation.
Hosting a playdate for your child is an ideal way to keep them engaged while improving their social skills and, crucially, it also gives you the opportunity to socialise and enjoy some downtime with a fellow parent.
Bake a cake – yes, this might be one of the messier activities on the list, but kiddies love baking!
And, bonus, you should end up with something delicious to show for your efforts. Plus don’t forget that you don’t need to whip up a masterpiece – there are plenty of quick and easy cakes you can bake with your child.
Do a workout – it’s just as important for your little one to be as physically active as possible as it is for you.
There are lots of fun workouts you can do with your toddler that will (hopefully) tire them out so they sleep well – and you’ll get to burn off the calories from all those cakes you’ve baked too!
Can Toddlers Get Bored?
A toddler doesn’t experience boredom in the same way that we might – for them, the world is still a novel and exciting place and there are new things to learn and experience every day.
However, babies and young children can get bored, which is why having a few tricks up your sleeve is important when you’re looking for ways to keep a toddler busy at home.
Help Your Toddler Make the Most of the Early Years at Little Angels
What does a typical day look like at Little Angels? It’s a good question and we often find that no two days are the same. What we’ve also found is that we definitely know how to keep toddlers entertained!
At our bright, lovingly furnished nursery in Perkins Square your toddler might start the day getting creative with paint, water and sand or getting cosy in one of our book corners.
Playing with building blocks is always a good option, as is dancing, singing and playing with our selection of musical instruments.
Our open plan design allows different age groups to socialise with one another and we actively encourage our toddlers to interact and have fun with the older children as this helps them develop their social skills.
After a tasty and nutritious lunch freshly prepared by the Little Angels chef, your child might like to get down and dirty in our messy zone, visit the sensory section, or let their imagination run wild in our role play area.
And of course, we also offer a wide range of extra-curricular classes and activities to keep your toddler busy too.
From Stretch-n-Grow and yoga classes, designed to encourage children to adopt healthy habits from a young age, to music and cooking classes to help them develop listening and fine motor skills, there’s no time for your toddler to get bored.
We also offer French lessons to stimulate your child’s desire for learning and early years sign language classes to help very young children communicate more effectively.
Find Out More About Little Angels
Can toddlers get bored? Not at Little Angels! If you’d like to find out more about how we can keep your toddler busy, entertained and engaged, request our brochure today.