Ok, Parents, here we are, 152 days into our first (and hopefully last) global pandemic. Let’s be real, this is a very difficult time. Parenting is hard. It’s hard in normal times, it’s nothing short of wild in these unprecedented times. We have a million responsibilities and worries to juggle, but at the end of the day, we are Parents. We have tiny little humans that depend on us for food, love and…entertainment! But like I said,we’re 152 days in. You’ve made the banana bread. You’ve taken 957 family walks. You even bought that craft kit on Etsy, but let’s be honest, it didn’t look anything like the picture and everyone ended up in tears.
So…what’s a Parent to do?
Let’s think back to our childhood - any 80’s babies out there? Not that we were stuck in our homes then, but times were obviously different. We didn’t have iPads, but we did have Lite Brite (win some, lose some). So, if you’re running low on toddler fun activities, here’s a few more:
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DANCE PARTY! Yes, our parents put on their RECORD PLAYER and would blast Genesis through the house to get the moves going. Sure, we have some advanced technology now, but the outcome is still the same. Parents being silly, toddlers dancing like Elaine Benes, endless giggles all around. Ever seen your toddler try to sing a few lyrics from your favorite song? Thank us later. Music can make us forget about the stressors of every day pandemic life, while simultaneously tiring your little one out.
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Water, water, water. Don’t have a pool? That’s ok, buy an inflatable pool. Don’t have room for that? That’s ok, buy a water table. Don’t have room for that either? That’s ok too. Grab buckets, cups, straws, anything you can find that can possibly contain water. A few months ago, would we advise handing your toddler a baby bottle with water so they could squirt it on your hardwood floors and splash it around, probably not.. But, here we are. Water is the teacher in this activity, teaching your child about eye-hand coordination, math and science. It's you - but better.
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Baby Ninja Warrior. The best part of this suggestion is your toddler has inherently made your house an obstacle course. Jump over the toy bear, skip between the building blocks and then crawl to reach the missing book under the couch. Add a few ottomans and pillows and poof! You’ve got yourself an obstacle course. We were shocked at how quickly our toddler could take direction with this high stakes game. This is a great way to practice motor skills and a fun form of exercise for everyone involved.
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Loads of fun. We can’t be the only ones with 4 baskets of laundry sitting, waiting to be folded...can we? This may not sound like a fun activity for a toddler, but that’s the best thing about kids, they’re full of surprises. Our toddler loves helping get the laundry out of the dryer, being carried in the laundry basket, handing us one “tock” (sock) at a time. It may take you 7x longer than normal to get that one basket put away, but hey, it’s better than nothing.
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T is for...Tired. Sometimes you need to know when to give in. We know the screen time guidelines, but we also know these were created pre-pandemic life. Did you know Sesame Street was created with the goal in mind to prepare children for school? Did you know it's been on the air for over 50 years? Remember when you loved Elmo, too? From counting to cookies, Sesame Street really covers it all. Look, we know this isn't the BEST option, but everyone needs a break occasionally. Cut yourself some slack, we’re all just doing the best we can.
